Introduction and overview
Timeline of Santa Clara County water history
Directions and answer key
Student's water history flash cards [English] [Spanish]
Instructor's water history answer cards [English] [Spanish]
- Name origin and history
The Valley of Heart's Delight
The Santa Clara Valley is
to those who hold it dear
A beautiful, rich paradise
Each season of the year.
One loves it best in April
When the fruit trees are in bloom.
And a mass of snowy blossoms
Brings a subtle sweet perfume.
When orchard after orchard
Is spread before the eyes
With the whitest of white blossoms
'Neath the bluest of blue skies.
No brush can paint the picture
No pen describe the sight
That one can find in April
In the Valley of Heart's Delight.
-Clara Louise Lawrence
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Introduction
How do you teach Santa Clara Valley water history in an engaging, exciting way? How do you motivate students to want to know about it? The activity presented here is focused on water history for the Santa Clara Valley. It includes other historical data to give the instructor historical points of reference. Also included is the history and origin of many place names in the Santa Clara Valley.
The activity works best with students from fourth grade through high school. It also has been used successfully at the college level. Small groups work together. Instructors coach and encourage students as they work through the activity. There is no failure, only a lot of learning!
Overview of the Activity
To prepare for the presentation of the activity, the instructor will want to review the timeline. The twelve cards highlight water history events. Other events may be of interest and included in the discussion that follows the student activity.
Before you start the activity, print and copy the twelve (12) cards located at the following link (click here).
To begin the activity, distribute the 12 cards to small groups of students. Encourage the students to put the cards in order according to when things happened. The first card will be what happened first. The second card will be the event that occurred next and so forth. After students have attempted to place the cards in proper historical sequence, use the large cards located at the following link (click here), that can also be printed or viewed from the screen to review the correct order. Add other historical information as appropriate to your program.