Wednesday, 13th December 2006 (4311 views)

Undergraduates at one US university have designed a new course which allows school teachers to inspire their pupils with the scientific story behind the California gold rush.

Six students from Azusa Pacific University have been getting school children enthused with the entire gold rush period, from its impact on the environment and construction to the methods involved in actual gold discovery.

Thomas Andrews, a professor at the university, says that the gold rush doesn't get as much attention as it deserves in schools but that more and more teaching materials are being created on the topic.

He said: "It's not just about the rugged individual coming over to mine for gold. There are books examining the impact on the environment and the impact on cities."

The six undergraduates involved have been planning lessons such as writing a diary from a miner's perspective and analysing the routes used to obtain the precious metal.

The manual produced will be distributed to the 15,000's teachers next year with the hope that more children will learn about the gold rush.

 

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