Annotated Resource Set (ARS)
Content Theme:
San Francisco Earthquake/ Earthquakes
Developed by:
Diane Godfrey, Gale Ekiss, and Carol Warren
Contextual Paragraph for Resource Set:
The San Francisco Earthquake was one of the most important news events of 1906. More than 3,000
people died, 225,000 people were left homeless, and 28,000 building were destroyed. The monetary
damage exceeded $400 million dollars (a fortune at the time). Students can use this event to understand
historical events through the use of primary and secondary sources of information and gain an
understanding of how an earthquake can affect people in many ways. More importantly, students will
learn that physical systems often affect human systems. This is especially evident when the impact of
natural disasters on humans is observed. It is important for students to be aware of the dangers of
environmental hazards such as flash floods, tornadoes, hurricanes, and earthquakes. Since these
disasters often strike with little warning, students who know what to do in the face of such dangers, will be
more likely to avoid property damage and, most importantly, personal injury.
Teaching with Primary Sources - Annotated Resource Set
1
Resource Set
LOC Learning Page
Lesson Ideas
“California As I Saw
It” First Person
Narratives of
California’s Early
Years
Virtual Museum of San
Francisco Eyewitness
to the Earthquake and
Fire
Proclamation by
Mayor
1906 Newspaper report
http://lcweb2.loc.gov/amme
m/papr/sfhome.html
http://lcweb2.loc.gov/am
mem/ndlpedu/collections/
sffilm/
http://memory.loc.gov
/ammem/cbhtml/cbho
me.html
http://www.sfmuseum.org
/1906/ew.html
http://memory.loc.gov/c
gibin/ampage?collId=rbp
e&fileName=rbpe00/rbp
e002/00202500/rbpe00
202500.db&recNum=0
http://memory.loc.gov/cgibin/query/r?ammem/rbpe:
@field(DOCID+@lit(rbpe
0020250a))
Earthquakes and Faults
1970-2003
Do Not Waste Water
Spreckels, Mint,
Damages
Earthquake Movie
San Franciscco 1902
Birdseye View from
Balloon
San Francisco
Earthquake Fire
http://memory.loc.gov/cgibin/query/r?ammem/gmd:@
field(NUMBER+@band(g43
64s+ct001847))
http://memory.loc.gov/cgibin/query/r?ammem/rbpe
bib:@field(NUMBER+@b
and(rbpe+00202400))
http://memory.loc.gov
/cgibin/query/r?ammem/
papr:@field(NUMBE
R+@band(lcmp003+
m3b15517))
http://memory.loc.gov/cgibin/query/r?ammem/papr:
@field(NUMBER+@band
(lcmp003+m3b01123))
http://memory.loc.gov/c
gibin/query/r?ammem/pa
pr:@field(NUMBER+@
band(lcmp003+m3a097
50))
http://memory.loc.gov/cgibin/query/r?ammem/papr:
@field(NUMBER+@band
(lcmp003+03734s4))
Before and After the
Great Earthquake and
Fire:
Early Films of San
Francisco, 1897-1916
Notes/Comments:
Teaching with Primary Sources - Annotated Resource Set
2
Annotations
Grade
Level
Curriculum
Connections
Curriculum
Standards
Learning Objectives
Content Objectives
Grade 4:Use maps, tables, and
charts interpret historical data.
4 and 7
American History
G4S1C1PO1,PO2, PO3
G7S1C1PO4,PO5,PO7,PO8
Geography
Civics
Thinking Objectives
Use images/video clips of the San
Francisco/and or other earthquakes
and have students complete a Photo
Analysis Worksheet and/or Video
Analysis Worksheet on the images.
Locate information using both
primary and secondary sources.
Share first hand narratives about the
earthquake with students. Use the
Document Analysis Worksheet.
G4S4C6PO3
Describe the impact of extreme
natural events on human and
physical environments.
Create a safety booklet on natural
disasters.
G7S4C5PO2
Use geography concepts and skills
(e.g., recognizing patterns, mapping,
graphing) to find solutions for local,
state or national problems.
G4S4C5PO2
G7S4C6PO1
Science
Describe the difference between
primary and secondary sources.
G7S6C2
Understand processes acting on the
earth (erosion, floods, earthquakes,
volcanoes, forest fires) and evidence
of their occurrence.
G4S3C3PO2,PO3
Grade 7:Formulate questions that
can be answered by historical study
and research.
G4S6C2
Describe the relationship between a
primary source document and a
secondary source document.
Analyze cause and effect
relationships between and among
individuals and/or historical events.
Describe two points of view on the
same historical event.
Suggested Learning
Strategies
Determine trends pertaining to
earthquakes in the United States,
regions, and/or individual states.
Connect the reason for San
Francisco’s population growth and
type of population to knowledge of
immigration at this time in American
History.









Examine the reasons why people
emigrated from their homelands to
settle in the United States during the
late 19th century.
Analyze the impact of
industrialization on the United States
rural to urban migration.
Describe the consequences of
natural hazards (e.g., Dust Bowl
hurricanes, droughts, earthquakes).

Discuss with students the nature
of the population and population
distribution of those living in San
Francisco at the time of the San
Francisco Earthquake.
Examine how the population
changes may have contributed to
the devastation.
Have students imagine they are
in San Francisco and the time of
the earthquake. Have them write
a letter to a relative living in
another part of the US from the
point of view of a person who
survived the earthquake.
Students imagine they are news
reports sent to interview
earthquake survivors of the San
Francisco earthquake and write a
news report based on their
research of the event, cause and
effect of the earthquake,
incorporate quotes from survivors
using primary source documents.
Teach or reinforce with students
the causes for earthquakes
(based on grade level the depth
of instruction will change).
After students can relate to the
destructive force of an
earthquake by learning about the
San Francisco earthquake,
students learn about earthquake
preparedness and potential for
earthquakes in region of US
Familiarize students with safety
precautions that should be used
in a variety of natural disasters.
Students will complete a reading
on environmental hazards and
safeguards, take notes, and
create a safety booklet..
Nature in the News: Post a map of
the world and encourage
students to read newspapers and
newsmagazines for current event
articles about natural disasters.
Students then post the articles
near the map and mark the
location of each event with a
color-coded map sticker to
indicate each type of disaster.
Encourage students to look for
various regional patterns.
Students learn about the causes
for earthquakes then use a map
of earthquakes in the U.S. to look
for trends and draw conclusions.
Suggested
Assessment
Strategies
See individual lessons from
Arizona Geographic Alliance
lessons.
Assess the letter using 6 Traits
Rubric for ideas and content
(historical accuracy), voice,
and organization (format of
letter), and word choice (the
event comes to life through the
letter).
Assess the news article for
incorporation of primary and
secondary sources. Use of
quotes from survivors.
Knowledge of the cause and
effect of the earthquake.
Links to Other
Resources
The Best Source:USGS
– a great site for all the
background information
about the San Francisco
Earthquake.
http://earthquake.usgs.gov/r
egional/nca/1906/18april/in
dex.php
LOC Learning Page lesson:
http://lcweb2.loc.gov/amme
m/ndlpedu/collections/sffilm
/
Virtual Museum of San
Francisco-Eyewitness
accounts
http://www.sfmuseum.org/1
906/ew.htm
Arizona Geographic
Alliance GeoLiteracy lesson
:When Nature Strikes:
Natural Hazards Safety
Booklet”
http://alliance.la.asu.edu/az
ga/
http://www.naturalhazards.o
rg/ information on
different natural hazards
http://geohazards.cr.usgs.g
ov/ geological hazards
(earthquakes, landslides)
http://earthquake.usgs.gov/f
aq/prepare.html
(frequently asked questions
about earthquake
preparedness)
Arizona Geographic
Alliance GeoMath lesson:
“Earthquakes in Ohio?
Earthquake Risk in the
U.S.”
http://alliance.la.asu.edu/az
ga/
Describe ways geographic features
and conditions influence history.
Relate plate tectonics to the resulting
landforms and earthquakes
Teaching with Primary Sources - Annotated Resource Set
3