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Fourth Grade Travels to Camp Tawonga and Back in Time to 1855 Hangtown

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. “The gold rush program at Camp Tawonga is an impactful culminating experience for studying California history,” says Director of Lower School Jenny Rinn. In their mining teams, students participated in typical mid-nineteenth century activities, including panning for gold in the river, building campfires, cooking their own miners' meals, and learning about local flora and fauna. They even took part in an old-fashioned spelling bee in the makeshift one-room schoolhouse. Says teacher Valerie Welsh, “One student exclaimed after his group had finally eaten, ‘This is the best meal I have ever had! It's better than any of the food my parents make!’” 
 
The activities in Hangtown helped the fourth graders better understand how difficult life was in 1855. Some came home with gold, others lost it all in the Hangtown Saloon on their last day—but all brought home nuggets of knowledge about a legendary era that shaped California’s future. Adds Jenny Rinn, "Observing our students work collaboratively in their teams to cook dinner over a campfire without adult assistance was the highlight of the trip for me. I watched them exercise problem-solving skills and gain life skills.” MORE PHOTOS
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