Curated OER
The Great Military: Map of Texas
The battle at the Alamo may be one of the most famous military campaigns in Texas history, but it is by no means the only one. As part of their study of the military history of Texas, class members research less-well-known sites, locate...
Briscoe Center for American History
Mary Maverick and Texas History - Part 2
To conclude their investigation of the life of Mary Maverick and to demonstrate their ability to analyze primary source documents, groups use the SOAPS questioning method to examine Maverick's account of events in early Texas history.
Briscoe Center for American History
Mary Maverick and Texas History - Part 1
What's the difference between a diary and a memoir? Young historians explore the ramifications of this question as they learn how to use primary source materials to gain an understanding of life on the Texas frontier.
Curated OER
Land and Liberty: The Saga of Sam McCulloch
The struggles of Sam McCulloch, a free black man, to be recognized as a citizen entitled to own land in Texas are the focus of research project that ask groups to examine a series of primary source documents and piece together...
Curated OER
Texas History Math
Seventh graders practice math skills while they become familiar with Texas' Boom & Bust economy and the natural history of the east Texas Piney Woods.
Curated OER
The Question of Annexation
Students examine the sequence of events that led up to the annexation of Texas to the United States. They create a timeline of significant events, analyze primary source letters from this time period, and write a letter from the point of...
Curated OER
African American Women Before and After the Civil War: Slavery and Freedom
Learners listen to data on African American women in Texas before the Civil War. In this Civil War lesson, students compare and contrast the lives of slave and free women, and discuss case studies, locating areas on a map. Learners...
Curated OER
Texas History
Learners explore the history of Texas. Through researching factual books and folktales, students share their information about Texas. They discuss the Trail of Tears, Davy Crockett, the flags of Texas, and Sam Houston. Learners write a...
Curated OER
(Texas) Capitol Visitors Center, Post-Visit Lesson Plan, Grades 7 and 8
Students discuss the importance of commemorative monuments. They review Texas monuments and identify the reasons a monument dedicated to certain events or individuals. They design another Texas monument and explain why they...
US House of Representatives
Hispanic Congressional Representation in the Era of U.S. Continental Expansion, 1822–1898
New ReviewFrom the Louisiana Purchase to the Spanish-American War, the history of the United States is intertwined with the story of Hispanic Americans. Using an article about Hispanics in Congress during the 1800s, learners research their lives...
Curated OER
Celebrate Texas!
Students explore social studies by completing a U.S. history research project. In this Texas lesson plan, students utilize almanacs, encyclopedias and the Internet to research the history of Texas and create a presentation based on a...
Curated OER
Let's Discover Texas!
Students begin the instructional activity by taking a pre-test on their prior knowledge of the state of Texas. In groups, they participate in various activities to examine the geography, history, climate and vegetation of the state and...
Curated OER
Texas Kid Writes Book About Presidents
Arranged into small groups, learners read a paragraph of the news story "Texas Kid Writes Book About Presidents." As one reads, others mark the text (underlining important information and writing notes in the margin of the story). After...
Curated OER
Inventions Over Time
Explore the inventions of the past with a project on ancient tools. After reading an article about hunting during the Archaic period, the Late Prehistoric period, and the Historic period, kids fill in a cause-and-effect chart about the...
Curated OER
Sides of a Texas Quarter
Pupils study the meaning, symbolism, and value of U.S. coins, especially the quarter. They research Texas symbols online and create a design for the obverse and reverse sides a Texas quarter in a choice of media.
Curated OER
Port of Entry
Students research patterns of immigration throughout American history. The focus is on the process of how immigrants came through Ellis Island. Students reflect upon the topic to develop critical thinking skills.
The Alamo
A Lesson in Citizenship
What does it mean to be an American citizen? Lieutenant Colonel Commander William Barret Travis believed that it meant honor to country first—even above one's own life. Middle and high schoolers read his final letters from the Alamo that...
Curated OER
Lorenzo de Zavala Online: Empresario, Statesman and Texas Revolutionary
Seventh graders study Lorenzo de Zavala's role in the Texas Revolution as politician and statesman. They determine his contributions to the establishment of a government as Texas fought for its independence. While completing research,...
Curated OER
Living on a Cotton Farm: Mexican Americans Life In Texas
Seventh graders are introduced to the processes of cotton farming in the early 20th century. In groups, they examine the role of Mexican Americans on the farms and the impact of a boom and bust economy on cotton. They identify the...
Curated OER
Building Texas: the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Lesson Plan
Seventh graders study the engineering projects that the US Army Corps of Engineers initiated during the development of Texas. They examine primary source documents that are in digital and print form, and identify US Army Corp of Engineer...
Curated OER
Texas
Seventh graders are introduced to the characteristics of the state of Texas. In groups, they research one of the twelve regions of Texas and write a letter to each major town in the region to gather more information. Once information...
Curated OER
Plants in Texas: Then and Now
Seventh graders discuss continuity and change, identify various plant materials, and compare and contrast ways in which early people used plants in Texas in prehistoric times with ways that modern man in Texas uses plants today.
Curated OER
Tejanas and LULAC
Seventh graders explore the Latino Civil Rights Movement. In this civil rights lesson, 7th graders discover the role of the League of United Latin Citizens (LULAC) as well as the women's arm of the organization and write essays that...
Curated OER
A "State of the Arts" Coin
Students study the historical figures depicted on the quarter and explore how symbols of U.S. patriotism were used in its various designs. They research symbols of Texas and choose one to draw in a design for a Texas
quarter. in...