Teaching 4th-grade social studies is exciting! Your 4th-grade students will look forward to social studies lessons when they solve an Idaho History Mystery! In this state history lesson, students will learn about the Gold Rush. It addresses various Idaho Content Standards and aligns with topics in The Idaho Adventure textbook. 
 
*PLEASE NOTE: The Gold Rush Game only works in PowerPoint. The settings and game links do not transfer correctly in Google Slides.
 
Use this 4th-grade Idaho history lesson about the Gold Rush in so many ways!
✅ Introduce the Gold Rush with the lesson postcard.
✅ Invite students to read about the Gold Rush and respond to questions.
✅ Complete the project, game, or simulation that comes with the lesson.
✅ Check students’ skills using differentiated assessments.
✅ Challenge students to complete the Idaho History Mystery and earn a badge!
 
Included in this 4th-grade Idaho history lesson about the Gold Rush:
✏️ Set the Stage: Postcard
Engage students at the beginning of the lesson and present the mystery.
✏️ Introduction: Read All About It!
Students can read about the Gold Rush and respond to questions. Introduce educational materials for the lesson and review resources from the Recommended Supplemental Materials section.
✏️Engage: Idaho Gold Rush Game
Students play a ready-to-go PowerPoint game that builds off of "Battleship's" structure. Teams work together to answer questions before they can "mine for gold." They earn points for correct answers as well as points for finding gold in the river like placer miners! The PowerPoint is built to check all answers throughout the game and guide students on to the next screen automatically.
✏️ Show What You Know: Assessments
Invite students to show what they have learned about Idaho History through a differentiated assessment. Customize the learning environment for gifted learners and students who need additional support.
✏️ Earn a Badge: Mystery
Students complete one “Escape Room-Style” mystery at the end of each lesson. They check their answer on Google Forms or with the teacher’s answer key and color a badge on their Idaho state page!
✏️ Answer Keys
 
Hear about the 4th-Grade Idaho History Bundle from educators like you!
⭐️ “I love how all the lessons are tied together as a journey. My daughter loved getting the postcards and earning the badges with each lesson, coloring them, and putting them up on the poster. I love how easy it is to print the lessons and just go. I also appreciated that it's not ‘just’ worksheets, but also incorporates learning games and activities that also take no prep and are fun and engaging for a reluctant learner.”
⭐️ “This resource was fun and easy to use. My 3rd and 4th-grade kids loved solving the mysteries and earning badges.”
⭐️ “I have really enjoyed using these planned-out printables to explore Idaho with my kiddo from our home. I have loved the project ideas and the worksheets included.”
⭐️ “This is the exact resource I was looking for to bring our old Idaho History textbooks to life. The resources follow the units in our textbooks, but puts a fun and exciting twist on it.”
⭐️ “This is a tremendous and engaging resource that pairs exceptionally with The Idaho Adventure.”
⭐️ “These are GREAT! I love using these to follow along with the Idaho History curriculum we use!”
 
Bonus Products in the BUNDLE:
Student-sized badge page
Classroom badge poster (17” x 22” prints on 4 sheets of paper)
2 Printable pages of all 18 badges
✂️ Display lesson postcards around the poster for a focus-wall bulletin board!
 
Find answers to your questions about this Idaho State History Social Studies Lesson:
✋ Do I need a specific textbook to use this resource?
No. The activities can all stand alone. I have added chapters from the Idaho Adventure Textbook on one “suggested extra resources” page, but none of the activities rely on this textbook. 
✋ Do I have to live in Idaho to find value in this social studies lesson about the Gold Rush?
Probably. Because many of the questions in the game pertain to Idaho, your students will likely get more out of this lesson if they live in the state.
 
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