Smithsonian's History Explorer new student interactive -- Van Valen's Gold Rush Journey -- encourages 6th – 8th graders to learn what life was like during the gold rush by investigating the journal of Alex Van Valen, a man who set sail in 1849 to stake his claim in the California gold fields. The website includes a rich set of primary sources to explore and analyze, an interactive guide where students can record, save and print their findings, as well as a teacher’s guide.