Fourth graders spent last Wednesday to Friday in a three-day simulation of the gold rush in "1855 Hangtown" (conveniently transplanted to Camp Tawonga), where they engaged in the everyday experiences of miners, merchants, teachers, and children of the 1850s. 

 

In their mining teams, students panned for gold in the river, built fires, cooked their own miners' meals, and learned about the local flora and fauna of the area. They also square danced, learned some Miwok games, and made Miwok fry bread. They even took part in an old-fashioned spelling bee in the makeshift one-room schoolhouse. Said fourth grade teacher Sigal Gavish, "Any opportunity to learn via a hands-on experience in life is an experience worth having. Our fourth graders became more independent and had a fabulous time!"

 

The activities in Hangtown helped the fourth graders better understand how difficult life was in 1855 and were a great way to build on their yearlong study of California’s history. Some came home with gold, others lost it all in the Hangtown Saloon on their last evening—but all brought home nuggets of knowledge about a legendary era that shaped California’s future. MORE PHOTOS