California - School-Age

California

31st State (September 9, 1850), the west coast U.S.

State Abbreviation: CA

Origin of name: Named by the Spanish after Califia, for the mythical earthly paradise in a book called Las Sergas de Esplanidian, written by Garcia Ordonez de Montalvo in 1510.

Motto: Eureka (I Have Found It)

Nickname: The Golden State

Size: 163,696 square miles

California State Symbols

California State Symbols
Information Sheet
and Color Pages (pdf)

California State Symbols

California State Bird and State Flower Printable Color Page

California: State Seal

Animal: Grizzly Bear

Bird: California Quail

Color: Blue and Gold

Dance: West Coast Swing Dancing

Fish Golden Trout

Flower: Golden Poppy

California State Symbols

Folk Dance: Square Dance

Fossil:: Saber-tooth Cat

Gemstone: Benitoite

Insect: California Dog-face Butterfly

Marine Fish: Garibaldi

Marine Mammal: Gray Whale

Reptile: Desert Tortoise

Rock: Serpentine

Small Mammal: Armadillo

Song: I Love You, California

Tree: California Redwood

California Flag

California State Flag

Video

Things to Know

United States Senators from California.

Death Valley
A desert located in the southwestern United States. It is situated within the Mojave Desert and features the lowest, driest, and hottest locations in North America. Badwater, a basin located within Death Valley is the lowest point in North America at 282 ft (85.5 m ) below sea level.

Mt. Whitney
The highest point in the continental United States (which doesn't include Alaska and Hawaii) is also in California - Mt. Whitney, which is 14,496 feet (4418.38 m) above sea level.

Major Rivers: Colorado River, Sacramento River, San Joaquin River,

Mount Whitney

Famous Californians

Richard M. Nixon, 37th President of the U.S.

Sally K. Ride, astronaut and first American woman in space.

Ansel Adams (1902-1984), photographer

Ansel Adams Video

Gold Rush

The California Gold Rush a short history.

The California Trail
Over 250,000 gold-seekers and farmers traveled to the goldfields and rich farmlands of California during the 1840s and 1850s.

California Trial Education Resource Guide 15 activity pages.

Visit a Mine
Explore the Gold Rush.

California Gold Rush Word Puzzle

Earthquakes

What Is an Earthquake?

The Science of Earthquakes-What is an earthquake?

All About Plate Tectonics

Animations for Earthquake Terms and Concepts

Build Your Own Seismograph
Learn about and build your own seismograph.

The Great 1906 San Francisco Earthquake And Fire
Historical information about the 1906 San Francisco earthquake from the Museum of the City of San Francisco.

The 1906 Earthquake and Fire - The National Archives

San Francisco earthquake, 100 years later, a geologic tour - American Geological Institute