Fifty States: California – Gather 'Round Homeschool USA
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California

California

We are headed to the West Coast as we continue on the Fifty States road trip. Get an up-close look at places like San Francisco, Lake Tahoe, Death Valley National Park, Disneyland, and Sequoia National Park. You’ll learn about the rich history of California, how its economy has been fueled by both gold and the movie industry, some well-known symbols that capture small but significant parts of what makes this region so iconic, and the diverse weather conditions to expect.

Release Date: September 22, 2025

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Resources

Find our California resources on the app.

Go to Resources

Scope and Sequence

Check out the scope and sequence for this unit.

  • What causes dehydration
  • What electrolytes are and how they help with dehydration
  • Try an activity to see what happens to the cells in your body when they become dehydrated
  • Four distinct regions of California: coastal, Central Valley, desert, and mountain
  • Death Valley National Park
  • Joshua Tree National Park
  • Sierra Nevada
  • Mount Whitney
  • Pacific Coast Highway
  • Lake Tahoe
  • San Francisco
  • Golden Gate Bridge
  • General Sherman Tree
  • Disneyland
  • Sacramento
  • Vocabulary: trek and bay
  • Start working on unit project banner, including a flag, facts, and favorite place
  • How California became a state
  • Sebastián Vizcaíno
  • Gaspar de Portolá
  • Catholic missions
  • El Camino Real
  • The idea of Manifest Destiny brought over to North America
  • Across the Continent: "Westward the Course of Empire Takes its Way" by Frances Flora Bond Palmer
  • What taking the scenic route means and practicing it using ideas given
  • Take a closer look at a piece of art and evaluate it using questions
  • Across the Continent: "Westward the Course of Empire Takes its Way" by Frances Flora Bond Palmer
  • God's word helps us dig deeper roots
  • Psalm 1:1–3
  • California poppy
  • California quail
  • California grizzly bear
  • California redwood
  • California condor
  • Biodiversity
  • California's "Mediterranean" weather climate
  • Sea fog
  • What fog is and how it forms
  • Try making fog
  • Vocabulary: meadow and hover
  • Answer comprehension questions about California's symbols with information from the lesson
  • Add California's state symbols to unit project banner
  • Try solving some riddles about California's symbols
  • The Dewey Decimal System was invented by Melvin Dewey in 1873 and made public in 1876
  • What the Dewey Decimal System is and how it works
  • California's state symbols
  • Design state symbol for California
  • God is more powerful than even the strongest earthquake
  • Psalm 46:1–3
  • When we trust in God, He gives us everything we need to thrive, even if things are hard
  • Jeremiah 17:7–8a
  • How gold is formed as well as the properties and uses of it
  • Bodie State Historic Park
  • Vocabulary: canal and humble
  • Answer comprehension questions about California's industries with information from the lesson
  • Plan your own boomtown
  • Cut out a pocket to glue on unit project as well as fact cards about industries in California to place inside
  • The California Gold Rush
  • Boomtowns
  • The growth of agriculture in California and its impact on the economy
  • How some boomtowns became ghost towns
  • The history of Google
  • Learn about cause and effect
  • Keep your focus on the things God has for you
  • Colossians 3:2
  • Different forces involved in surfing
  • Make a model surfboard to see how the forces act on it in water
  • Vocabulary: mold and pastime
  • Answer comprehension questions about California's people with information from the lesson
  • Come up with a news story about California
  • Add a spotlight on Steve Jobs to the unit project
  • Alcatraz Island
  • Surf culture
  • Weird laws in California
  • Steve Jobs
  • Apple
  • Come up with a news report for something currently happening in California (fact or fiction)
  • What a mosaic is
  • Make your own mosaic
  • God created us in His image
  • Creativity is in our spiritual DNA
  • Genesis 1:27
  • The gifts and creativity we have can be used to glorify God
  • Bezalel constructing the Tabernacle
  • Exodus 35:31–32
  • What causes dehydration
  • What electrolytes are and how they help with dehydration
  • Try an activity to see what happens to the cells in your body when they become dehydrated
  • Four distinct regions of California: coastal, Central Valley, desert, and mountain
  • Death Valley National Park
  • Joshua Tree National Park
  • Sierra Nevada Mountains
  • Mount Whitney
  • Pacific Coast Highway
  • Lake Tahoe
  • San Francisco
  • Golden Gate Bridge
  • General Sherman Tree
  • Disneyland
  • Mono Lake
  • Sacramento
  • Los Angeles
  • Vocabulary: prospect and redistribute
  • Start working on unit project banner, including a flag, facts, and favorite place
  • How California became a state
  • Sebastián Vizcaíno
  • Gaspar de Portolá
  • Catholic missions
  • El Camino Real
  • Californios
  • The Bear Flag Revolt
  • Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo
  • California's statehood
  • The idea of Manifest Destiny brought over to North America
  • Across the Continent: "Westward the Course of Empire Takes its Way" by Frances Flora Bond Palmer
  • What taking the scenic route means and practicing it using ideas given
  • Sketch and color the flag of California
  • Take a closer look at a piece of art and evaluate it using questions
  • Across the Continent: "Westward the Course of Empire Takes its Way" by Frances Flora Bond Palmer
  • Create a postcard for something you noticed while taking the scenic route
  • God's word helps us dig deeper roots
  • Psalm 1:1–3
  • California poppy
  • California quail
  • California grizzly bear
  • California redwood
  • California condor
  • Biodiversity
  • California's "Mediterranean" weather climate
  • Channel Islands' wildlife
  • Island fox
  • Santa Cruz Island ironwood tree
  • Earthquakes
  • Santa Ana winds
  • Diablo winds
  • Wildfires
  • Advection fog (sea fog)
  • Dew point
  • What fog is and how it forms
  • Try making fog
  • Vocabulary: chaparral and scavenger
  • Answer comprehension questions about California's symbols and weather with information from the lesson
  • Add California's state symbols to unit project banner
  • Try solving some riddles about California's symbols
  • The Dewey Decimal System was invented by Melvin Dewey in 1873 and made public in 1876
  • What the Dewey Decimal System is and how it works
  • California's state symbols
  • Design state symbol for California
  • God is more powerful than even the strongest earthquake
  • Psalm 46:1–3
  • When we trust in God, He gives us everything we need to thrive, even if things are hard
  • Jeremiah 17:7–8a
  • How gold is formed as well as the properties and uses of it
  • Try testing an item to see if it is real or fake gold
  • Bodie State Historic Park
  • Vocabulary: prospector and region
  • Answer comprehension questions about California's industries with information from the lesson
  • Plan your own boomtown
  • Cut out a pocket to glue on unit project as well as fact cards about industries in California to place inside
  • The California Gold Rush
  • Boomtowns
  • The growth of agriculture in California and its impact on the economy
  • Hollywood's response to World War II
  • Where people immigrated from to come for the gold rush
  • How some boomtowns became ghost towns
  • The history of Google
  • The cost of living in California
  • Learn about cause and effect
  • Make a visual representation of the boomtown you planned
  • Keep your focus on the things God has for you
  • Colossians 3:2
  • Different forces involved in surfing
  • Make a model surfboard to see how the forces act on it in water
  • Vocabulary: ballot and bilingual
  • Answer comprehension questions about California's people and governance with information from the lesson
  • Take notes on a news story about California
  • Add a spotlight on Steve Jobs to the unit project
  • Alcatraz Island
  • Surf culture
  • Weird laws in California
  • Steve Jobs
  • Apple
  • Cultural melting pot in California
  • Diversity in people's ideas
  • Branches of California's government
  • Propositions
  • Top-two primary system
  • Political climate in California
  • Come up with a news report for something currently happening in California
  • What a mosaic is
  • Make your own mosaic
  • God created us in His image
  • Creativity is in our spiritual DNA
  • Genesis 1:27
  • The gifts and creativity we have can be used to glorify God
  • Bezalel constructing the Tabernacle
  • Exodus 35:31–32
  • What causes dehydration
  • What electrolytes are and how they help with dehydration
  • Different foods that contain electrolytes
  • Try making your own electrolyte drink
  • Four distinct regions of California: coastal, Central Valley, desert, and mountain
  • Death Valley National Park
  • Joshua Tree National Park
  • Sierra Nevada Mountains
  • Mount Whitney
  • Pacific Coast Highway
  • Lake Tahoe
  • San Francisco
  • Golden Gate Bridge
  • General Sherman Tree
  • Disneyland
  • Mono Lake
  • Sacramento
  • Los Angeles
  • Nevada
  • Arizona
  • Oregon
  • Mexico
  • Vocabulary: rancho and speculator
  • Start planning unit project presentation
  • How California became a state
  • Sebastián Vizcaíno
  • Gaspar de Portolá
  • Catholic missions
  • El Camino Real
  • Californios
  • The Bear Flag Revolt
  • Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo
  • California's statehood
  • The idea of Manifest Destiny brought over to North America
  • Across the Continent: "Westward the Course of Empire Takes its Way" by Frances Flora Bond Palmer
  • What taking the scenic route means and practicing it using ideas given
  • Sketch and color the flag and state seal of California
  • Take a closer look at a piece of art and evaluate it using questions
  • Across the Continent: "Westward the Course of Empire Takes its Way" by Frances Flora Bond Palmer
  • God's word helps us dig deeper roots
  • Psalm 1:1–3
  • California poppy
  • California quail
  • California grizzly bear
  • California redwood
  • California condor
  • Biodiversity
  • California's "Mediterranean" weather climate
  • Channel Islands' wildlife
  • Island fox
  • Santa Cruz Island ironwood tree
  • Earthquakes
  • Santa Ana winds
  • Diablo winds
  • Wildfires
  • La Brea Tar Pits
  • Advection fog (sea fog)
  • Dew point
  • What fog is and how it forms
  • Try making fog
  • What happens to light in fog
  • How fog can affect safety while driving, flying, or boating
  • San Andreas Fault
  • Vocabulary: endemic and archipelago
  • Use guided notes to create a summary paragraph about California's nature and weather
  • Practice tricky spelling words from the lesson
  • The Dewey Decimal System was invented by Melvin Dewey in 1873 and made public in 1876
  • What the Dewey Decimal System is and how it works
  • California's state symbols
  • Design state symbol for California
  • Practice tricky words from the lesson and write a poem containing some of them to add to your unit project presentation
  • God is more powerful than even the strongest earthquake
  • Psalm 46:1–3
  • When we trust in God, He gives us everything we need to thrive, even if things are hard
  • Jeremiah 17:7–8
  • How gold is formed as well as the properties and uses of it
  • The density of gold
  • Calculate the density of items to see if they are real gold
  • Bodie State Historic Park
  • Vocabulary: metropolis and constraint
  • Use guided notes to create a summary paragraph about California's industries and economy
  • Plan your own boomtown
  • Research and evaluate a real-life situation to find the cause and effect
  • Write a paragraph or two about the movie industry in California, and then add it to your unit project
  • The California Gold Rush
  • Boomtowns
  • The growth of agriculture in California and its impact on the economy
  • Hollywood's response to World War II
  • The entertainment industry and its impact on California's economy
  • Where people immigrated from to come for the gold rush
  • How some boomtowns became ghost towns
  • The history of Google
  • The cost of living in California
  • Learn about cause and effect and apply to a real-life situation
  • Make a visual representation of the boomtown you planned
  • Keep your focus on the things God has for you
  • Colossians 3:2
  • Different forces involved in surfing
  • Hydrodynamics
  • Wave formation
  • Make a model surfboard to see how the forces act on it in water
  • Vocabulary: advocacy and catalyst
  • Use guided notes to create a summary paragraph about California's people and governance
  • Write a news report about a current event in California
  • Add last section to unit project and present the finished work to your family or class
  • Grade your unit project with the rubric provided
  • Richard Nixon
  • Ronald Reagan
  • Alcatraz Island
  • Surf culture
  • Weird laws in California
  • Steve Jobs
  • Apple
  • Cultural melting pot in California
  • Diversity in people's ideas
  • Branches of California's government
  • Propositions
  • Top-two primary system
  • Political climate in California
  • How the political climate in California has shifted over time
  • Come up with a news report for something currently happening in California
  • What a mosaic is
  • Make your own mosaic
  • God created us in His image
  • Creativity is in our spiritual DNA
  • Genesis 1:27
  • The gifts and creativity we have can be used to glorify God
  • Bezalel constructing the Tabernacle
  • Exodus 35:31–32

Check out all our Fifty States units

Alabama

Alabama

Alaska

Alaska

Arizona

Arizona

Arkansas

Arkansas

California

California

Colorado

Colorado

Connecticut

Connecticut

Delaware

Delaware

Florida

Florida