Patchwork Designs > HISTORICALLY SPEAKING CALIFORNIA PATCH PROGRAM

HISTORICALLY SPEAKING CALIFORNIA PATCH PROGRAM
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1. In 1850, California became the 31st state of the United States. Locate it on a USA map. Identify the capital, state bird, tree, flower, and flag.

2. The first residents of California were the Native Americans. Each tribe had their own unique culture and style of living. Today, there are more than 300,000 Native Americans residing in California, which is more than any other state. For example, the Miwok were known for their healers; the Cahuillam were able to farm in the desert; and the Chumash are known for their wall paintings. Create an art project depicting the Native American culture, visit a pow wow, or area depicting the Native American culture. Examples of crafts are pictographs, basket weaving, tribal headdresses, wampum, or houses.

3. In 1700's the Spanish settled in California creating missions, pueblos, and presidios. What pueblo is now California's largest city? What were presidios? Choose a mission to learn more about or visit one. http://missions.bgmm.com/

4. When California became a part of Mexico, land grants were issued to new Mexican citizens. During this time period, five hundred ranchos were created in California. What was a rancho? Learn two terms that would have been used on the rancho. Example: lasso, brand, lariat, corral, buckaroo, or mestizos. For extra design your own brand for your cattle.

5. Picture yourself in the Mohave Desert at 113 degrees and within the same state skiing in the snowy mountains. California is a big state with many distinct geographical regions: the Sierra Nevada Mountains, the Mojave Desert, the Pacific Coast, and Central Valley. Choose a region to explore and complete an outdoor activity. Examples are swimming in the Pacific Ocean; fishing in the Central Valley; hiking in the mountains or camping in the desert. Make sure you have the proper training and equipment before you go on your adventure.If you can not go on an adventure, you can draw a picture of yourself in the outdoors.

6. People from Europe, Asia, South America and Central America came to California by sea and land. Choose an item that contributed to our culture in America brought by immigrant settlement and learn more about it. Examples are: cable cars, opera, movie companies and a variety of ethnic foods.

7. New technology was introduced in California to bridge the gap between the eastern United States and the west. Choose two items to learn more about. Who introduced it and when? Examples: telegraph, railroads, refrigerator cars, and stagecoaches.

8. California has a variety of natural and manmade landmarks to visit and discover. Choose two to visit or learn more about. Examples are Goldengate Bridge, Joshua tree, Hollywood Walk of Fame, or Knotts Berry Farm. http://www.visitcalifornia.com/

9. "Is that gold I see ?" said James Marshall. In a few short months over 6,000 miners from across the nation were digging for gold in California. Who were the forty-niners? Name three things made of gold, pan for gems or gold, or visit the Columbia State Historical Park.

10. In 1872, Levi Strauss and Jacob Davis introduced blue jeans, clothing designed to endure the rough life of mining. Research other two other firsts introduced in California. For extra make a flyer advertising the products. Examples are martial arts, computers, the caterpillar tractor, figs, or fortune cookies.

11. Imagine a skyscraper in your backyard and you will envision California's coast redwood tree. It can grow to be 367 feet tall and 22 feet wide California has over 250 state parks that offer interactive programs to participate in. Visit a state park, observe wildlife, become a Junior Ranger, collect litter in the parks, take a nature hike or study the flowers, trees or animals in your area.

12. Making a movie takes a long time and is a lot of work. Today, Hollywood is the center of the entertainment industry, the place where thousands of movies and television shows are made. Dress up as a Movie star, attend a pretend Hollywood event, create a skit, star in a play, or learn two words relating to film production. Examples are "shoot the movie", "cut", "take One", "action", or "stuntman." For extra create a poster depicting your "Hollywood" event.

13. California is the top producing agricultural state in America. Every year, over 250,000 tons of grapes are grown in California. Name two recipes that use California products or have a taste test between these products. Examples of California products are: walnuts, raisins, broccoli, strawberries, carrots, peas, melons, or oranges.

14. Celebrate California and learn more about the diverse ethnic groups that reside there. There are a variety of festivals and fairs that are celebrated every year. Choose a festival to celebrate or learn more about. Some examples are Lotus Festival, Danish Days, Celtic Celebration, Annual Old Spanish Days, Aloha Festival, and Sandcastle Days. http://www.californiafestivals.com

15. Louise Arner Boyd was the first woman to lead Arctic expeditions. Research two famous people that resided in California. What did they accomplish and where were they from? Some examples are: Shirley Temple, Julie Morgan, Sally Ride, Robert Frost, Tiger Woods, and Jonas Salk.

This patch program will help its participants learn more about the history and sites in this state. If you have the privilege of visiting this state, you can complete some of these requirements there. It would be helpful to learn more about the state prior to your visit. Use the library and the internet to research more.