The Gold Rush

1-Hour Lesson – Fully Interactive – Ready to Teach

Dear Colleague,

Step into the excitement and challenges of the California Gold Rush of 1849! In this lesson, students will explore why people became miners, examine the problems and consequences of mining, and evaluate how the miners’ activities influenced public opinion. Along the way, they will match general knowledge on the 49ers and tackle a 4-mark GCSE-style question to bring history to life. This lesson is perfect for secondary students who enjoy adventure, challenge, and historical investigation.

This is Lesson 6 in a unit on the American West

All lessons in this series follow a consistent structure, helping students learn coherently and track their progress:

Learning Objectives:

LO1: Understand the reasons why people became miners during the Gold Rush
LO2: Explain the problems and consequences of mining in California in 1849
LO3: Evaluate how the miners’ activities affected public opinion

Lesson Features:
Knowledge-building activities on the 49ers and their motivations
Analysis and evaluation tasks on the challenges and consequences of mining
GCSE-style question practice to develop exam skills
Extension activities for higher-achieving students
Resources included at the end of the PowerPoint

What’s Included:
PowerPoint slides covering all lesson activities
Worksheets and task templates
Model answers and guidance for written tasks
Extension activities for deeper learning

If you are happy with your resource, PLEASE LEAVE US A REVIEW – it really helps my shop grow and lets me keep creating high-quality lessons for you. If you encounter any issues, please email me at alepitirra@hotmail.it
and I’ll do my best to solve them.

Best regards,
Alessio