1. Set Focus
Pose this essential question: How did the Gold Rush change America?
2. List Vocabulary
Share some of the challenging vocabulary words in the article (see below). Encourage students to use context to infer meanings as they read.
- fundamentally (p. 18)
- momentous (p. 18)
- emanating (p. 20)
- droves (p. 20)
- compressing (p. 20)
- endured (p. 20)
3. Engage
Ask students to share their ideas about what a gold rush is and why people would rush to an area to find gold. If needed, define the term. Then explain that the article is about one of the most famous gold rushes.