Unit Plan: BC’S Path – The Gold Rush & Railway
Social Studies / Grade 4
Big Ideas
British Columbia followed a unique path in becoming a part of Canada.
The pursuit of valuable natural resources played a key role in changing the land, people and communities of Canada.
Concepts
- Cause and consequence
- Perspective
- Change
Essential Questions
Students will keep considering…
- Why do some communities survive while others bust?
- What does the study of natural resources help us to understand about British Columbia’s history
- Why do communities develop where they do?
Evaluative Criteria
Teachers should consider how summative assessments should be based on clear criteria and include a variety of ways for students to show demonstrate their learning.
- Quizzes
- Respond to Essential Question: What does the study of natural resources help us to understand about British Columbia’s history?
Monitoring Progress
Teachers can monitor progress through ongoing formative assessment including but not limited to:
- Teacher Observation
- Exit Slips
- Interviews
- Check Ins
- Group Discussions
- Class Work
Resources
TEXTBOOKS
- Connections Canada – Outlooks 5 (Oxford Publishing)
- Reading Power – Non Fiction by Adrienne Gear
ONLINE ARTICLES
- History of Barkerville
- Bakerville – The Canadian Enyclopedia
- Introduction to the Cariboo Gold Rush
- Official Site – Bakerville Historic Town & Park
- Know BC
BOOKS
- Barkerville: British Columbia’s Heritage of Gold by Chris Harris
- British Columbia: Provinces and Territories by Trudie BonBernard
- Gold Rush Fever: A Story of the Klondike, 1898 by Barbara Greenwood
- Far West: The Story of British Columbia by Daniel Francis
Reflection
How will teachers and their students reflect on and evaluate the completed project?
Teacher Reflection
- What aspects of the unit went well
- What did students struggle with
- What did you struggle with?
- What would you add/revise the next time you taught this unit?
- Were there any unintended outcomes?
- Were students engaged?
Downloads
Stage 3 – Learning Plan
EXECUTE THE LEARNING PLAN
LEARNING EVENTS:
- These learning events/activities are suggested activities only.
- In some cases the plans are not fully completed lesson plans.
- The teacher may choose some lessons/activities to span over several lessons.
- Teachers may add, revise and adapt these lessons based on the needs of their students, their personal preferences for resources, and the use of a variety of instructional techniques.
Learning events are enriched for students when teachers consider the “WHERE TO” acronym and guiding organizer by Wiggins and McTighe.
The Learning Events should always be prefaced by focusing on the essential questions:
- Why do some communities survive while others bust?
- What does the study of natural resources help us to understand about British Columbia’s history?
- Why do communities develop where they do?
Acquisition-Meaning-Transfer
Lesson 1 - Why Do We Settle Where We Do?
The Learning Events should always be prefaced by focusing on the essential questions:
- Why do some communities survive while others bust?
- What does the study of natural resources help us to understand about British Columbia’s history?
- Why do communities develop where they do?
Why Do We Settle Where We Do? (Lesson 1)
1) Talk about features of the local community (land, resources, etc); Why do you think Vancouver is where it is? Extend to other communities.
2) Think back to the 1800s – show historical photos of Vancouver and discuss why people may have come here in the first place.
3) Discuss early First Nations villages and where they tended to be, in relation to resources.
4) Have students generate a list of the ‘must haves’ that people need to get them to settle in a place.
5) After discussion, have students answer essential question on post it notes, and post in class.
Lesson 2 - How Did People in the Past Get Around?
The Learning Events should always be prefaced by focusing on the essential questions:
- Why do some communities survive while others bust?
- What does the study of natural resources help us to understand about British Columbia’s history?
- Why do communities develop where they do?
How Did People in the Past Get Around? (Lesson 2)
1) Show historical photos of Canada and discuss how people got around – there were no cars, roads (as we know them today), so how did people do it? Connect to images on pages 116 and 117 of Connections Canada – Outlooks 5 (Oxford Publishing).
2) Options for follow up activities – Try This page. 118, or Think for Yourself, p. 119.
Lesson 3 - How Did People in the Past Get Around? The Canadian Pacific Railway
The Learning Events should always be prefaced by focusing on the essential questions:
- Why do some communities survive while others bust?
- What does the study of natural resources help us to understand about British Columbia’s history?
- Why do communities develop where they do?
How Did People in the Past Get Around? The Canadian Pacific Railway (Lesson 3)
1) Using the THIEVES strategy from Adrienne Gear (Non-Fiction Reading Power) read information about the Railway on pages 122-125 of Connections Canada – Outlooks 5 (Oxford Publishing). Photocopy the pages and allow students to highlight and write questions as they read. For students with written output challenges, give them a ‘code’ to use while meaningfully listening to text. For example, put a question mark next to things you are unsure of, or have a question about; draw a star next to things you have a connection to.
2) This will likely take two lessons – one to preview with THIEVES and one to read in its entirety.
3) Follow up – revisit essential question – Why do communities develop where they do? With this new information, what do students think now? Have students revisit post it note from lesson one. Has their thinking changed now? Have students put old post it notes on “I Used to Think” side of handout and use a new post it to record the “Now I Think” to show the evolution of their thinking.
| I Used to Think… | Now I Think… |
| Insert post it note from Lesson One here | Insert new thinking here |
Lesson 4 - Why Do Some Communities Survive While Others Bust?
The Learning Events should always be prefaced by focusing on the essential questions:
- Why do some communities survive while others bust?
- What does the study of natural resources help us to understand about British Columbia’s history?
- Why do communities develop where they do?
Why Do Some Communities Survive While Others Bust (Lesson 4)
1) Show students two communities that are on the railway line in BC – one that is still thriving, and one that is not. Use maps (perhaps topographical) to show the areas where the communities are/were. Brainstorm ideas about what has happened to the communities. Link back to discussions from Lesson One.
Lesson 5 - Zoom in on Bakerville
The Learning Events should always be prefaced by focusing on the essential questions:
- Why do some communities survive while others bust?
- What does the study of natural resources help us to understand about British Columbia’s history?
- Why do communities develop where they do?
Zoom in on Bakerville (Lesson 5)
1) Using the THIEVES strategy from Adrienne Gear (Non-Fiction Reading Power) read information about the Gold Rush on pages 147 – 151 of Connections Canada – Outlooks 5 (Oxford Publishing). Photocopy the pages and allow students to highlight and write questions as they read. For students with written output challenges, give them a ‘code’ to use while meaningfully listening to text. For example, put a question mark next to things you are unsure of, or have a question about; draw a star next to things you have a connection to.
2) This will likely take two lessons – one to preview with THIEVES and one to read in its entirety.
3) Extension Activity – What we know about Barkerville and the Gold Rush? Create an on-going class chart recording what we have learned about Barkerville and the Gold Rush.
Lesson 6 - Zoom in on Bakerville (2)
The Learning Events should always be prefaced by focusing on the essential questions:
- Why do some communities survive while others bust?
- What does the study of natural resources help us to understand about British Columbia’s history?
- Why do communities develop where they do?
Zoom in on Bakerville (2) (Lesson 6)
1) Using articles, books or websites, gather more information about Barkerville and the Gold Rush. Share stories with students and add to on-going class chart recording what we have learned about Barkerville and the Gold Rush. Use THIEVES strategy to read information.
2) Revisit list from Lesson One of what students thought were the ‘must haves’ for a community and the essential question of ‘Why do Communities Develop Where They Do?” and discuss in relation to Barkerville. Repeat “I Used to Think, Now I Think Activity” from lesson three, so students can add their new thinking.
Lesson 7 - What Does the Study of Natural Resources Help Us to Understand about BC's History?
The Learning Events should always be prefaced by focusing on the essential questions:
- Why do some communities survive while others bust?
- What does the study of natural resources help us to understand about British Columbia’s history?
- Why do communities develop where they do?
What Does the Study of Natural Resources Help Us to Understand about BC’s History? (Lesson 7)
1) Discuss what a natural resource is – brainstorm a list with students. Support this discussion by reading/showing some non-fiction books about natural resources. Ask students “Is gold a natural resource?” Connect to science unit on Natural Resources. Gold is a mineral.
2) Discuss with students why people want/need natural resources? Discuss how natural resources are not infinite – they eventually run out. Link to how the gold rush was a financial boom for people. Connect to the development and the demise of the Barkerville community.
3) Possible Activity – create a timeline showing the rise of Barkerville, but leave the end blank for a future lesson on the fall of Barkerville.(Students are showing the “boom”)
4) Add to on-going class chart recording what we have learned about Barkerville and the Gold Rush.
Lesson 8 - Why Do Some Communities Survive while Others Bust?
The Learning Events should always be prefaced by focusing on the essential questions:
- Why do some communities survive while others bust?
- What does the study of natural resources help us to understand about British Columbia’s history?
- Why do communities develop where they do?
Why Do Some Communities Survive while Others Bust? (Lesson 8)
1) Discuss the fall of Barkerville. Using a book or article, use THIEVES strategy to learn more about the fall of Barkerville. Point out that there was more than one contributing factor to it’s bust.
2) Add to on-going class chart recording what we have learned about Barkerville and the Gold Rush. Also add to timeline – the fall of Barkerville.
3) Ask students to choose the reason they think contributed the most to the bust of Barkerville and explain why
Lesson 9 - GRASP Task
The Learning Events should always be prefaced by focusing on the essential questions:
- Why do some communities survive while others bust?
- What does the study of natural resources help us to understand about British Columbia’s history?
- Why do communities develop where they do?
GRASP Task (Lesson 9)
1) Direct students to GRASP task.
The following resources are made available through the British Columbia Ministry of Education. For more information, please visit BC’s New Curriculum.
Big Ideas
The Big Ideas consist of generalizations and principles and the key concepts important in an area of learning. The Big Ideas represent what students will understand at the completion of the curriculum for their grade. They are intended to endure beyond a single grade and contribute to future understanding.
Core Competencies
Communications Competency
The set of abilities that students use to impart and exchange information, experiences and ideas, to explore the world around them, and to understand and effectively engage in the use of digital media
Thinking Competency
The knowledge, skills and processes we associate with intellectual development
Social Competency
The set of abilities that relate to students’ identity in the world, both as individuals and as members of their community and society
Curricular Competencies & Content
Curricular Competencies are the skills, strategies, and processes that students develop over time. They reflect the “Do” in the Know-Do-Understand model of curriculum. The Curricular Competencies are built on the thinking, communicating, and personal and social competencies relevant to disciplines that make up an area of learning.
Additional Resources
First People's Principles of Learning
To read more about First People’s Principles of Learning, please click here.
For classroom resources, please visit the First Nations Education Steering Committee.
