Thematic Unit
Following the theme of San Francisco, this thematic unit has obvious relevance to the lives of all students in this area. While students may know certain general historical facts about California, this unit focuses on specific events, art, and literature that helped shaped San Francisco, in order to give these students a cultural and historical understanding of their surroundings, and knowledge of the history that they too are a part of. The unit also uses popular culture as a means of incorporating these topics into students’ lives.
This four-week multi-subject thematic lesson plan covers some of the major events detailed by San Francisco’s rich history. The plan includes units on early indigenous inhabitants and the Spanish mission system, the Gold Rush, the building of San Francisco’s railroads, and the 1906 earthquake. While these are important historical events that every student should know about, they were specifically chosen because of the different cultural issues and perspectives that each event exposes. For example, learning about the Spanish missions will provide information about Native Americans, as well as Mexican-American history. The Gold Rush, as well as the building of San Francisco’s railroads deal in part with the influx of immigration (particularly Asian) due to the job opportunities that came about, as well as unique situations involving California resources and politics. The 1906 earthquake also represents an interesting and distinctive part of San Francisco’s history. The rich tapestry formed from these subjects allows the lessons to cover the historical, political, and cultural contents within San Francisco’s history that are not often addressed by most curriculum.
Thematic Units, Demographics, and Culminating Activity
Demographics
Art
English
History
Social Science
Culminating Activity
