My name is Damian Bacich, and I am a native Californian and university professor with over 25 years of experience in the classroom. I am also passionate about the history of California and the West.
A few years ago, when my kids were in elementary school, I was looking for online resources about California history to share them. Unfortunately, I couldn’t find anything that was both easy to understand and as well-researched as I wanted.
Since I was already teaching and researching California history as a professor, I decided to create my own website, The California Frontier Project. My idea was to try and share what I knew in a more accessible way. In a short time, I saw that thousands of teachers, parents and students were using my articles for their own classrooms.
Soon elementary schools and homeschool groups were inviting me to talk to their students about California history. I saw that there was a lot of enthusiasm for the subject, but many teachers and parents were overwhelmed with so many responsibilities. They didn’t have the time to find or create all of the materials to teach California history/social studies as well as they would like.
With those teachers and parents in mind, I started California History Teachers. Through California History Teachers, members can access all the high-quality, no-prep lessons and activities they need, and new materials are continually added.
I believe it is essential for every fourth grader to have the best information available about California’s history, and I am doing my best to make that possible.
But I also believe that learning about California history — or history in general — should not stop in fourth grade. There is so much to learn about that one year is not enough. That is why so many adults continue to be fascinated by the rich tapestry of California’s past, and why so many support the California Frontier project.
I hope you will find our resources helpful. If you would like to know more, sign up for our mailing list below and get a sample of some of our teaching materials. You can also reach out to me through either website. I’m happy help.
Damian Bacich, Ph.D.
The California Frontier Project
California History Teachers