California - School-Age

California

California Flag Map

31st State (September 9, 1850), the west coast U.S.

State Abbreviation: CA

Capital: Sacramento

Origin of name: Named by the Spanish after Califia, for the mythical earthly paradise in a book called Las Sergas de Esplanidian, written by Garcia Ordonez de Montalvo in 1510.

Motto: Eureka (I Have Found It)

Nickname: The Golden State

California State Symbols

Folk Dance: Square Dance

Fossil:: Sabre-tooth Cat

Gemstone: Benitoite

Insect: California Dog-face Butterfly

Marine Fish: Garibaldi

Marine Mammal: Gray Whale

Reptile: Desert Tortoise

Rock: Serpentine

Small Mammal: Armadillo

Song: I Love You, California

Tree: California Redwood

Video

Things to Know

United States Senators from California.

Death Valley
A desert located in the southwestern United States. It is situated within the Mojave Desert and features the lowest, driest, and hottest locations in North America. Badwater, a basin located within Death Valley is the lowest point in North America at 282 ft (85.5 m ) below sea level.

Mt. Whitney
The highest point in the continental United States (which doesn't include Alaska and Hawaii) is also in California - Mt. Whitney, which is 14,496 feet (4418.38 m) above sea level.

Major Rivers: Colorado River, Sacramento River, San Joaquin River,

Mount Whitney
Mount Whitney

Famous Californians

Richard M. Nixon, 37th President of the U.S.

Sally K. Ride, astronaut and first American woman in space.

Ansel Adams (1902-1984), photographer

Ansel Adams Video

Gold Rush

The California Gold Rush a short history.

The California Trail
Over 250,000 gold-seekers and farmers traveled to the goldfields and rich farmlands of California during the 1840s and 1850s.

California Trial Education Resource Guide

15 activity pages.

Earthquakes

The Great 1906 San Francisco Earthquake And Fire
Historical information about the 1906 San Francisco earthquake from the Museum of the City of San Francisco.

The 1906 Earthquake and Fire - The National Archives

San Francisco earthquake, 100 years later, a geoloic tour - American Geological Institute

Native Americans of California

The Kumeyaay(Diegueño) of San Diego County & Baja

Muwekma Indian
Original inhabitants of San Francisco and the surrounding Bay Area.

Miwok Indians
Yosemite Miwok Indians

Chumash Tribe Lived around California's Central Coast

Chumash Painted Cave Project

Stories to Read

Color Pages

California Indian Basket Coloring Page

A California Alphabet & Coloring Book
From the USDA Farm Service Agency (pdf file)

Sites to See

The Ansel Adams Gallery
Explore Ansel Adams original photographs.

California Mountain Lions

The Kids Times-Gray Whales
Information about gray whales. (pdf)

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