California Historical Attire or Expert Word Costumes

This presentation will cover the following periods of California: Native Californian, Spanish, Mexican, gold rush and the United States (up to statehood). Encourage your students to dress in historical attire (appropriate to region/time period) or in a creative costume that represents their assigned Expert Word card. This will help your class become a part of living history and builds excitement among students and parents. This can be done in class or with the help of the student’s family at home. We strongly encourage creativity (and advocate that families do not spend money on costumes). We do not sell or provide costumes.

Students should be able to comfortably sit in their attire or costumes!

Helpful Hints:

• Inform your students that historical attire or costumes don’t have to be store-bought or elaborate.
• Attire can be made from items at home or inexpensive materials purchased at craft, fabric or consignment stores.
• Give students and parents ample time to plan and create. The more time they have to prepare, the more creative their attire or expert word costumes can be! (Some of our favorites have been costumes based on expert word cards. We’ve had missions, rivers, aqueducts and even gold nuggets grace our stage!)
• Consider brainstorming about historical attire with your class for the presentation. Do you have students with heritage from one of the people groups that have contributed to California and would like to represent their heritage in historical dress? Do you have students with creative flare who would like to design expert word costumes for themselves or others? Brainstorming will generate ideas, bring about content discussions and help students get excited for their big day!
• Showcase books and websites about California including contributions of the original inhabitants and other people groups who have immigrated to the state to foster inclusion. 
• Don’t forget your camera!  Walk Through photographs are great for yearbooks, bulletin boards and class newsletters.  Be sure to take a group shot!