Introduction
This webquest is created to allow you to develop your own perspective of what the California Gold Rush might have been like, had you shown up in search of gold. Will you strike it rich and be set for life, or will your efforts prove fruitless? That is up to you and your imagination.
Task
There are two major tasks which you will need to complete. The first task will involve a little bit of math, and creating a spreadsheet of of your expenses and income. How you choose to present this spreadsheet is totally up to you, but you should consider as many expenses as possible. Are your boots going to wear out? Did you bring any equipment with you? Do you plan on gambling? Did you have a good day and find a nugget?
The second task will involve a lot more creativity on your part. You will be creating either a series of journal entries, letters to loved ones on the east coast, or a mixture of both. These writings will not be typed out, but rather written on physical paper, either in a composition notebook or another form of paper collection. These writing pieces are meant to be interesting. Maybe you could tell a story through your letters home, you could write about the morale of the men around you. Use your imagination. If you plan on working with a partner, you might want to incorporate each other in your writings.
Process
For the first task, a series of websites and resources will be made available for you to read and watch. With this information, you will form a spreadsheet displaying the costs of living in California, how much you would need to invest before working, and how much you would be paid in wages. You have the opportunity to either strike it rich, or you could not. Remember though, that less than 1 out of every hundred people would become wealthy through mining for gold, so try to make your work interesting.
For the second assignment, your creativity will play a large part in defining your grade. For these journal entries/letters, I want you to delve into details which not only has to do with the actual mining and success or lack of, but also make mention of the people around you, the quality of life, the food, the morale and tension between people. These writings should feel personal. You will complete a minimum of 10 writings, each of which taking place on a different day. If you choose to work with a partner on this assignment, be sure to mention the other person in your writings. Have you both had success or failed? Are one of you holding secrets from the other? Are there rising tensions? Make these writings as interesting or sophisticated as you like.
Taking the Edge Off:
Sometimes, especially in the case of the cold winter months, miners would need to take the edge off and engage in a little bit of fun, but how would they do that? This link can help give you a couple ideas of what some of the miners did during their down time. (Remember that you can incorporate these activities in your personal writings)
http://explore.museumca.org/goldrush/fever12.html
A General History:
These links provide a plethora of information which does quite fit into an individual category. You may find some very good information for your spreadsheets here.
https://www.history.com/topics/westward-expansion/gold-rush-of-1849
How did you get to California?
Not all those who came to California did so by wagon. Those who were more wealthy might travel by ship around South America or through Panama. Consider these options, because this travel will go into your spreadsheet.
http://www.fieldworkssupply.com/the-life-of-the-miner-forty-niners/
The costs of living:
Compared to the east coast of the United States, the costs of everyday items in the gold fields of California were astronomical. This link will help to give you an idea of just how much people were paying just for simple items you and I take for granted today.
Evaluation
|
|
4. Highly satisfactory | 3. Proficient |
2. Somewhat Satisfactory |
1. Unsatisfactory |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Content-Amount of Information: Spreadsheet information |
Spreadsheet information was complete and well thought out. Consideration for expenses and income is great overall. | Most items pertaining to the spreadsheet were accounted for. | Spreadsheet was completed, but shows minimal effort. Basic expenses were considered, but there is room for improvement. | Spreadsheet was incomplete or otherwise disregarded. |
| Content-Quality of Information: Spreadsheet accuracy |
Numbers were accurate with sources, and considered wages and expenses over time, rather than initial investments only. | Consideration over adapting wages and expenses are taken fairly well. |
Spreadsheet was completed somewhat, but little to no care was put into it regarding wages, initial investments, or the costs of living. | Spreadsheet was not completed. |
| Writing-Overview: Length of journals/letters. | Journals/Letters provided adequate amounts of information and were proper length. |
Writings were fairly in depth. Good amounts of details in the writings. |
Writings were underdeveloped and did not provide adequate details. |
Missing entries and lack of effort on the student's part. Details are scarce, if any are to be found. |
| Writing-Ideas: Interesting, Creativity, Details. |
Journal entries and letters created genuine interest in the readers. High amounts of creativity and details in writings. |
Good amounts of creativity shown in writings. Student shows modest effort in writings in regards to details and personal feelings. |
Little effort on quality of stories and descriptions. There is some good writings, but room for improvement. |
Writing had few details. Totally uninspired writings |
| Writing-Ideas: Correlation between writings and spreadsheet. |
Writings did a superb job of relating to the spreadsheet provided to the writings he/she created. | Correlation between the required writings and the spreadsheet are apparent, but could go into deeper depth. | There is littler correlation between the details provided in the spreadsheet and the writings. |
The Spreadsheet and the writings made by the student do not match at all. |
Conclusion
After completing this web quest, I hope that the students will develop a better sense of hardship and budgeting. These skills are not only relevant to the time, but being able to keep track of spending and maintaining contact with others, or even writing personal journals are also relevant in the real world today.
Credits
Teacher Page
This Web Quest was created by Vincent Schwamberger