Where did the family go to find gold?
California.
Summarize how the trip west was difficult.
It was dusty on the plains and muddy in the mountains.
Who are the main characters?
What does "risky" mean?
Dangerous or not safe.
What tools were the men using to dig for gold?
Picks, shovels, pans, and boxes.
Find two examples that show the miners had a hard life.
They were dusty and overworked; they had cuts on their hands; they were cold and wet; some slept in huts made of pine branches.
Where does most of the story take place?
In California near a creek where people were mining.
What does "construct" mean?
To build.
Where did the family sleep at first?
In their wagon.
Find two ways the family showed they were hardworking. Use details from different parts of the story.
They slept in their wagon at first. They built a shack and later expanded it into a big cabin and hotel. Both details show they worked hard and did not give up.
What is the beginning event?
The family travels west to find gold.
What does "expanded" mean?
Made bigger.
Where were the shacks and tents located?
How did the family use what they had to build their new life? Find two examples from different parts of the story.
Mam sold small cakes she made in a big pot. Pop sold their oxen, blankets, and wagon to help build the shack and cabin. These examples show they used what they had to succeed.
What is the ending event?
They realize they found a new home instead of gold.
What does "mine" mean in the story?
To dig for gold.