Early California

Designed for Grades 3 – 5

Price: $8.00 Per Student +$25.00 Non-Refundable Deposit

Overview: Early California focuses on Native California and the periods of exploration, including the Spanish Colonial Period, the Mexican Period, and the beginnings of the American Period. This program ends with the Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo and the annexation of Alta California.

Hands-on History: The Early California Core Program is designed to work with either Petroglyphs to Brands — Making Your Mark on History or The Architecture of Early California — Adobe Brick Making

Petroglyphs to Brands invites students to learn about the development of written language and early California Rock Art (Petroglyphs and Petrographs). Students will follow the evolutionary process from simple communicative images to the use of brands in early California cattle ranching. The activity connects the use of these images through a presentation-style program that concludes with students making their own pictographs on rock and cattle brand designs of their own.

The Architecture of Early California focuses on the most well-known building material in use in Early California, Adobe. Students will learn about the design and construction of early California structures coving the Mission and Rancho Periods. This program combines a presentation-style program with actual adobe brick making. Students will first explore Adobe construction through a digital medium, then they will explore the actual process of brickmaking. NOTE: This is an outdoor activity. Please consider weather conditions when scheduling your visit.