"Unique in American History"

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Most Americans are proud of the states they live in, but there's no question about it: California really is exceptional. It even says so in the state Department of Education's history and social science framework, which makes the case explicitly: "Students learn the story of their home state, unique in American history in terms of its vast and varied geography, its many waves of immigration beginning with pre-Columbian societies, its continuous diversity, economic energy, and rapid growth."

And when do students do this? In fourth grade, when they're ten and eleven years old. Everyone knows that kids this age have questing and challenging minds eager to explore the panoply that is California history. Most of these students are lucky to have fourth-grade teachers who are committed professionals who manage to balance the competing demands of testing, curriculum requirements, and classroom management. These teachers present a nuanced and thorough look at the state from its earliest residents right up to the twenty-first century. Unfortunately, a few focus only on the missions and the Gold Rush and then move on. Okay, we've done California, now it's …