Grades 9-12 Lesson Plan - Going for the Gold

Map 8 Main Page

Core Map: "Map of the Leading Mining Claims of the Whitewood District" in Caledonia Gold Mining Co., (San Francisco: [Daily Exchange Print], 1879). Newberry Library call number: Graff 4936 (Printable PDF version of the Core Map)

Resources related to Map 8.
Curator's Notes for Map 8.

Overview
The Caledonia Mining Company was one of the largest gold mining operations in the Dakota Territory. In this lesson students determine the impact of gold mining operations in 1879 on the immediate environment and compare the early impacts to extraction methods and regulatory laws governing mining operations today in South Dakota.

Objectives
By the end of this lesson students are expected to:

1. analyze the core map to identify impacts of gold mining on the environment.
2. compare environmental impacts of early gold mining procedures to those of present time.

Key Terms
environmental impact, environmental impact statement, reclamation

Materials
Computer image or overhead of the core map, Rigby's Report, Janin's Report, Simmons' Report, 1884 Lawrence County Map, 1877 Black Hills Map, 1879 Dakota Territory Map, contemporary photographs of the Caledonia region (see Resources)

Time
3 class periods, plus homework

Getting Started

1. Distribute copies of the core map or display using a computer projector. Ask students to identify title, date of map, use of map, orientation, scale, and symbols used.

2. Have students focus on the "Longitudal [Longitudinal] Section of Caledonia Mine" portion of the core map. Again, have students identify orientation, scale, and symbols.

3. Using the 1884 Lawrence County Map, the 1877 Black Hills Map, or the 1879 Dakota Territory Map, locate the area covered by the core map. Direct students to look for major place or feature names to help them identify the same area on more than one map.

Developing the Lesson

1. Review the elements and the purpose of an environmental impact statement.

2. Discuss methods of gold extraction in 1879 (see supplied reports of Rigby, Janin, and Simmons). If time permits, have students read one or more of the reports to discern methods of extraction.

3. What evidence of environmental impacts can be seen on the maps and the contemporary photographs of the Caledonia mine region? What unseen impacts would there have been?

4. Have students research modern gold extraction and mining procedures, regulations regarding gold mining in South Dakota, and reclamation of the land (see Resources). Allow students time to report information to the class.

5. Have students compare gold mining of 1879 to the present by preparing a poster or computer presentation. Students should include information about methods of extraction and their environmental impacts and regulatory laws. The presentation should include charts, pictures, and/or maps to show the comparison. A summarizing statement on the bottom should indicate change in extraction procedures, environmental impacts, and reclamation efforts and requirements.

Evaluation
Using a 1-4 scale (4=excellent, 3=good, 2=fair, 1=poor) assess student performance as follows:

For 4 points, the student participates in the class discussion. The presentation compares early methods of gold extraction to modern practices. It includes detailed information from the engineers' reports and the map. Past and current environmental impacts are considered. Reclamation and laws are identified and explained/shown in pictures. The presentation uses visuals as well as text to display ideas. The summarizing statement is well written, indicating changes between practices in 1879 and modern practices and providing examples.

For 3 points, the student participates in the class discussion. The presentation compares early methods of gold extraction to modern practices. It includes some information from the engineers' reports and the map. Past and current environmental impacts are considered. Reclamation and laws are addressed. The presentation uses visuals. The summarizing statement indicates changes between practices in 1879 and modern practices.

For 2 points, the student listens to the class discussion. The presentation shows early methods of gold extraction and modern practices. It includes some information from the engineers' reports and the map. Past and current environmental impacts are considered. The summarizing statement indicates practices in 1879 and modern practices. Few visuals are included.

For 1 point, the student does not participate in the class discussion. The presentation shows early methods of gold extraction and some modern practices. It includes little/no information from the engineers' reports and the map. The summarizing statement indicates practices in 1879 and maybe modern practices. Few visuals are included.

Extensions

1. Have students read all of the supplied engineers' reports from the Caledonia Gold Mining Company. Discuss the purpose of the reports. Use the core map to pinpoint locations discussed in the reports.
2. Locate mining operations in your local region or state. Study the mining operation and compare it to gold mining (current methods or those pictured on the core map).