Curated OER
Planning a Railroad
Students use a topographical map to plan a route from Doknner Summit to Truckee, then compare it to the route selected by Theodore Judah.
Other
Sierra Club: Yosemite Glaciers
John Muir was in the Yosemite Valley in 1871. These notes describe his journey, explaining much about Yosemite glaciers and the progress they've made over time.
Other
Sierra Club: How Yosemite Was Formed
A lot of information on the glaciers that were once covering Yosemite. Be a detective and discover the evidence of glaciers in Yosemite. This is Chapter 11 from The Yosemite by John Muir, published in 1912.
University of California
University of California: Bampfa: Yosemite Winter Scene by Albert Bierstadt
Learn about different qualities of landscapes, such as degree of realism versus exaggeration, from this activity that pushes viewers to think about different aspects of Bierstadt's seasonal landscape titled Yosemite Winter Scene.
Curated OER
Educational Technology Clearinghouse: Maps Etc: Yosemite Valley, 1911
A contour map from 1911 of a typical portion of Yosemite Valley, showing cliffed margins, waterfalls, flat floor, and meandering stream.
Other
Kids Art's Art History Albert Bierstadt
This is an article about Bierstadt's painting of the western frontier. Also includes a copy of his painting "Yosemite Valley".
Curated OER
Web Gallery of Art: Yosemite Valley at Sunset
An image of "Yosemite Valley at Sunset", created by Albert Bierstadt in 1864 (Oil on cardboard, 30 x 49 cm).
National Endowment for the Humanities
Neh: Picturing America: Bierstadt: Looking Down Yosemite Valley [Pdf]
Information and analysis of a characteristic western landscape by Bierstadt communicates the essential qualities of his work.
Library of Congress
Loc: The Conservation Movement at a Crossroads
The debate over damming the Hetch Hetchy Valley in Yosemite National Park marked a crossroads in the American conservation movement. Until this debate, conservationists seemed fairly united in their aims. San Francisco's need for a...
PBS
Pbs: New Perspectives on the West
This in-depth resource presents a history of the American West from pre-Columbian times until World War I with profiles, documents, and images. It encourages visitors to link these into patterns of historical meaning for themselves....
Smithsonian Institution
Smithsonian American Art Museum: The Land Through a Lens
"The Land Through a Lens: Highlights from the Smithsonian American Art Museum," features 84 photographs from the early years of photography in the 1850s through the 20th century. Included in the collection are works by early, modern, and...
My Hero Project
My Hero: John Muir
Referred to as the "greatest Californian," John Muir was a writer and conservationalist. Use this site to learn about Muir's inspirational views about nature and the establishment of the United States National Park System.
US Geological Survey
Usgs: Virtual Tours of National Parks
Excellent site to discover the National Parks from the convenience of your computer. Click on each park for a virtual tour, many in 3D, many offering historic photos. Dig deep into our national geologic story.