Cariboo Gold Rush Webquest: Can You Survive the Trip to Barkerville?

 

Main Page

 

Introduction

 

Task

 

Process

 

Evaluation

 

Conclusion

 

Teacher Page

Introduction

Reading about the Cariboo Gold is interesting, but I wanted to find a way to make the exciting characters and events from this time period come alive for my students. When I found the on-line Cariboo Gold Rush Game, I knew that I had struck gold. I created this webquest so that I could direct the learning experience of my students while they navigate their way through the virtual world of British Columbia in the 1860s.

In this webquest, students will play the Cariboo Gold Rush Game. This game is a computer simulation in which the students assume the role of a miner who is travelling from Victoria to Barkerville during the Cariboo Gold Rush. As a learner tool, the Cariboo Gold Rush Game is terrific. The game is packed full of historical facts.

 

 

Learners

The lesson is anchored in Social Studies 10.

The students do not need any prior knowledge of this topic to complete this webquest.

 

 

Curriculum Standards

  • demonstrate effective research skills including accessing information, assessing information, collecting data, organizing information, presenting information
  • demonstrate effective written skills, individually
  • economy and technology Canada from 1815-1914: gold rushes
  • economy and technology Canada from 1815-1914: resource development in BC
  • environment 1815-1914: British Columbia's economy

 

Process

Play the Cariboo Gold Rush Simulation Game

To begin, you will open the Cariboo Gold Rush Game. Create an account and start playing the game.

Answer Questions

Complete these Questions When You are in Victoria in the Game
  1. Which character did you choose for a gold rush partner? Why did you chose that person?
  2. What are the essential things that you need to buy in Victoria before you leave Victoria?
  3. In Victoria during the Cariboo gold rush, how much does it cost to buy a bottle of whisky?
  4. What it the price of sugar in Victoria?
  5. What is the price of sugar in Barkerville?
  6. How long is the Cariboo Wagon Road?
  7. Who is the Governor of British Columbia?
  8. What mode of transport did you use to leave Victoria?

Create Chart

Complete the Chart After You Leave Victoria in the Game
When you sold rights your story to the writer, you earned $50.00. That's a lot of money. From now on, make notes about the things that you learn about life, travel, and people in the Cariboo. Also note the names of the towns through which you travel. Record your notes in chart form. Each section of your chart should contain at least 10 facts.

Sample Chart

Facts about Cariboo Gold Rush Facts about travelling to the Cariboo People on the way to the Cariboo Places
1.

1. have to carry 70 lbs of supplies on your back

2.

 1.

1. Victoria

2.

 

Make Map

Complete the Mapping Activity After you Finish the Game

3. While you are playing the simulation game, take some time to examine the Trail Map. On a blank map of BC, map out the route that you took to get to the Cariboo. Your neatly labelled and coloured map must include the following things:

Title, compass, towns through which you passed while you played the game, Cariboo Wagon road, your route to the Cariboo, major rivers

Click here for a printable outline map of British Columbia

 

Journal Activity

Complete the Journal After you Finish the Game

4. Create a travel journal that describes your journey to the Cariboo. Use the notes that you created in your chart to fill your journal with accurate historical facts.

Your journal must follow these rules:

  • Write in character (pretend that you really are on the trip and that the year is 1866). Develop your character so that he/she seems like a real person. You can do this by giving him/her distinct personality traits and a unique writing style. For example, maybe your character has allergies or is afraid of spiders.
  • Include at least 5 facts about each of the following areas: Cariboo Gold Rush, travelling to the Cariboo, people that you met on the way to the Cariboo, and places that you passed through on the way to the Cariboo.
  • This is a multi-paragraph journal that should be at least one typed page (single spaced, font size 14).
  • The journal should be free of spelling and grammar errors (unless they are intentional because you are writing in character

 

Resources

You will need access to a computer lab so that students can play the Cariboo Gold Rush Game.

 

 

Evaluation

You will evalute the students on the following items:

  1. Answers to questions #1-8
  2. Chart
  3. Map
  4. Travel journal

Answers to "Questions for When You are in Victoria"

1. Answers will vary depending on the character that the student chose. The answer should be based on how the character will help the student to survive and get to the Cariboo.

2. The student needs to buy a basic kit from the store, a mining license, and ticket for the steamer

3. $1.00

4. 15 cents

5. 50 cents

6. 300 miles

7. James Douglas

8. steamer ship

Click here to view to evaluation rubrics for the chart, map, and travel journal.

 

 

Conclusion

As teachers, we are always looking for new resources to help us engage and motivate students. The Cariboo Gold Rush Game is one such resource. Through the simulation game, students get a chance to become miners who are on the road to Barkerville. This webquest takes the terrific game concept and shapes it into a more structured learning experience. Together, the game and this webquest provide the kind of exciting learning experience that takes student beyond the textbook to a place where history comes alive.

 

 

Credits

The Cariboo Gold Rush Adventure Game was created by the Virtual Museum of Canada. This outstanding site was my source of inspiration for this webquest. I learned to make webquests from the Webquest site.

Click here for a complete list of my sources.