1. On the day before of celebration and arrival, tell students they will "disembark" in San Francisco tomorrow; their ships have cleared "customs." But before they can leave the ship each of them must: 

- select a sample journal entry to share with the class

- decide, in their voyaging groups, what to tell the class about who they are and what "pushed and pulled" them to come

- (optional) come to school the next day dressed as a miner, e.g., jeans, flannel shirts, pokes. Miners from countries outside the United States might want to wear a suggestion of the folk costume from that region, such as a sash, serape, Chinese conical hat.

1. During the lunch hour, or while the class is out to P.E., allow room mothers into the room to set out food and utensils for the celebration. If available, turn on a recording of Gold Rush songs to use for background music. (Consider wearing a miner's outfit yourself!) 

2. When the class comes in, welcome them to San Francisco! 

3. Ask each group to share briefly why they came and what they hope to do in California. Encourage individuals to read or share the illustration they selected from their journals the previous day.

4. Ask a parent volunteer to take Polaroid pictures to use as daguerreotypes, of course.

5. Pass out mail from parents. Collect journals.

6. Enjoy snacks and read the "mail."

7. Close the celebrations with Gold Rush songs and the radio series broadcast excerpt (Resource 10-7) that describes San Francisco in 1849.

8. After school, or when you evaluate students' written work, paste the "daguerreotype" Polaroid photograph of each "argonaut" into the flyleaf of his or her journal. 

Part I, Lesson 10 

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