The Journal of Wong Ming-Chung Open Court Fifth Grade Unit 5 Lesson 5  Ms. Mercer  Nicholas Elementary  SCUSD

Word Knowledge What is the pattern? mount paramount mountain mountaineer To mount is to get up on (you stick out your leg to bring it over when you mount a bike)

Word Knowledge What is the pattern? mount paramount mountain mountaineer The pattern is words with the mount root, which means to project (or stick out). To mount is to get up on (you stick out your leg to bring it over when you mount a bike)

Vocabulary claim levees rocker prospect nugget

claim In 1852 he joins his uncle on a gold claim outside of San Francisco. The gold prospectors build a shack on their claim.

claim In 1852 he joins his uncle on a gold claim outside of San Francisco. The gold prospectors build a shack on their claim. a section of land declared as belonging to one person or group of people

levees He decides to take his company to the Sacramento delta to build levees. The levees were like a long hill blocking the river from the land next to it.

levees He decides to take his company to the Sacramento delta to build levees. The levees were like a long hill blocking the river from the land next to it. an embankment built along a river to keep the river from overflowing

rocker The only signs that humans had been here were the rotting rockers and ruined shacks During the Gold Rush, prospectors used rockers to separate gold from soil.

rocker a device used to separate gold from sand and dirt The only signs that humans had been here were the rotting rockers and ruined shacks During the Gold Rush, prospectors used rockers to separate gold from soil. a device used to separate gold from sand and dirt

prospect This morning he told the Fox that he was going to stay and prospect. Uncle said he would search around here for a new claim. During the Gold Rush, many people moved to California to prospect for gold.

prospect to look for gold This morning he told the Fox that he was going to stay and prospect. Uncle said he would search around here for a new claim. During the Gold Rush, many people moved to California to prospect for gold. to look for gold

nugget I said that the owner had probably thought there would nuggets just waiting to be picked upriver. “Maybe even big as melons,” Uncle had to laugh. Her favorite necklace was a gold nugget on string.

nugget I said that the owner had probably thought there would nuggets just waiting to be picked upriver. “Maybe even big as melons,” Uncle had to laugh. Her favorite necklace was a gold nugget on string. a solid lump

Background By 1852, the year when this story takes place, around 25,000 Chinese had immigrated to California to find gold or other work. At that time, there was not enough food in China which led to starvation. This meant people had to leave China to survive.

Background Gold mining in California changed the land in many ways, some of them were not good. The chemical mercury, which was used to separate gold from rock, is still in river water of our area today. Hills and mountains were “moved” to find gold. Some places still cannot support plants because of what happened.

Background Most Chinese immigrants did not become rich from gold mining, but were able to survive by finding other work. Most of the work was hard, manual labor (like building the railroads). They often sent the money they made home to China, to help their families.

Background Chinese immigrants often worked together as a form of protection. White miners were often prejudiced, and would sometimes threaten and hurt the Chinese.