Social Studies Resources
Web Page and Related Activities Developed by Ms. Mary Ann Rechtfertig

General Resources for Teachers and Students

1. California History Online
This site is being reworked, and will be back online soon.

2. Marin Historical Museum

3. Marin County Free Library: Anne T. Kent California Room

4. Schools of California Online Resources for Education (S.C.O.R.E.)

5. LearnCalifornia.org

6. Resources for May's Wax Museum

Landforms, Maps, and Geography

1. Google Maps

2. Earth View

3. Landforms
Use the password "Lang," if needed.

4. Topographical Map of California

Ancient & Native Californians

1. California! Coming to a New Land
Students will begin learning about California
by taking on the role of an ancient Californian.

2. The La Brea Tar Pits

3. Santa Barbara Museum of Natural History.

4. Sun Woman's Search for Home

5. The Lone Woman of San Nicolas Island
History of the real-life woman upon whom the novel
Island of the Blue Dolphins is based.

6. Stranded: Island of the Blue Dolphins
"Help, I am alone on the Island of the Blue Dolphins. Find me, Karana.
" Explore the village, sealife, and island.

7. Shapes and Uses of California Indian Basketry
Pictures and descriptions of native California baskets

8. Animal Bytes at Seaworld

9. California Indian Tribal Groups

10. In Search of California Indians
Kids become historians on a quest to find out more
about the Indians tribes found in California.

Explorers to California's Coast

1. Luis Mandez
Soon students will pretend to be an early explorer.
Read about Luis. What did you learn?

2. Learn about Me, Sir Francis Drake

3) Early California Explorers
See the dates and routes taken by Ulloa, Cabrillo, and Vizcaino
while exploring the area that became California.

4) Sir Francis Drake
See a report done by Bartlett Elementary School students.

Black History

1. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.
Look at a site made by some second graders.

California Missions

1. Famous Missions of California

2. California Missions
See the missions in order of their founding.

3. The Spanish Missions of California
This wonderful site includes a tour of Mission
San Juan Capistrano, and much more.

4. The Native Americans of the Missions
Learn more about the lives of people who lived at the missions.

5. Annie's Mission
An interactive history adventure - A young person in the early
19th Century searches for her father in a California Mission.

Mexican California:Ranchos

1. Marin County Original Ranchos
Just click on each rancho to show the original name, the owner,
and the number of acres it comprised.

2. Watch this video created by two of Ms. R's 4th graders from 2003-04.
How the Ranchos Came to Be

3. Look at this map (diseno) for a real rancho!

4. Diseño del Rancho de San Juan Bautista

5. Guide to Maps of Private California Land Grants
See these real maps (disenos) from ranchos, thanks to the University of California.

6. Translate words for your California Rancho diseno.
Use the English to Spanish Translator.
You may only translate words that have been approved by your teacher.

Women’s History

1. Each A Pioneer
A web activity about Women in U.S. History
for upper grade students.


The Westward Movement

1. Pioneer Life in America
This ThinkQuest site was made by students.

2. Sutter's Fort Today
Take a virtual tour of this Sacramento landmark.

3. Pioneers

4. The Oregon Trail

California’s Gold Rush

1. By the Great Horn Spoon
A Gold Rush Adventure exploring the journey to California,
San Francisco, and the gold diggin’s

2. Famous People of the Gold Rush
In this WebQuest, study Lotta Crabtree, Levi Strauss, or Mark Twain.

3. Image of the Southern Cross Constellation.

New Ways to Communicate

1. The Pony Express

2. Morse Code Translator

Statehood for California

1. California Assembly

The Transcontinental and other Railroads in California

3. The Great Railroad Race
A WebQuest to learn about the Big Four and the building of the railroad

4. California State Railroad Museum

5. The Golden State Railroad Museum

6. Virtual Museum of the City of San Francisco: Driving the Last Spike

Earthquakes in California

1. The Virtual Museum of the City of San Francisco
Photographs from the 1906 San Francisco Earthquake and Fire

2. Interactive Earthquake Maker