Curated OER
Spreading the Word
Fourth graders research and discuss the importance of Gail Borden and his printing press to the history of Texas. They write a newspaper article from Gail Borden's viewpoint.
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Manifest Destiny and Westward Expansion
Pupils discover how manifest destiny and westward expansion are related. Using the Internet, they research the beginnings of the movement of manifest destiny and how it influenced people moving westward. They discuss the expectations and...
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Celebrate Hispanic Heritage Month!
Students use information from the U.S. Bureau of the Census to create a bar graph, a picture graph, or a circle graph showing the country of origin of U.S. Hispanics.
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The Life and Work of Jackson Pollock
By discussing Jackson Pollock's painting techniques, students can engage in an exploration of what makes art, art.
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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,...
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The West in Brochures
Students explore the daily life of the American Cowboy in the 1800's and compare it to the life of the Native Americans.
Constitutional Rights Foundation
Guest-Worker Program
The U.S. Guest-Worker Program and the H-2A visa are the focus of a social studies activity. First, class members assume the role of advisors who must present the president with four proposals that would amend the visas given to...
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Coming to California
Fourth graders read excerpts from Juan Bautista de Anza's diaries. They analyze the impact of primary sources. They write journal entries for characters in stories they have read during the year.
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The Kanaka Village at Fort Vancouver: Crossroads of the Columbia River
Students study the interaction between Native American and European cultures in the Pacific Northwest in the 1800s. They focus their study on the Hudson's Bay Company and Fort Vancouver.
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Lone Stars and Gun Smoke
Seventh graders assess the significance of the Texas Ranger Frontier Battalion Company 'D' in maintaining law and order along the Texas-Mexico border. They study the importance of Ranger actions and utilize primary sources and maps to...
Council for Economic Education
Trade in Colonial America / NAFTA
Learners learn the how trade impacted the colonial economy. They analyze the the benefits of NAFTA and learn the advantages to both the United States and Mexico.
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Stealing Home: Chavez Ravine
Students research the Chavez Ravine community of Los Angeles and the displacement of residents for the construction of Dodger Stadium. They discuss Chavez Ravine in terms of property rights versus eminent domain.
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Island of the Blue Dolphins Jigsaw
Fourth graders research three topics from the book, either Village Life, Sea Life, or San Nicholas Island. They research independently and meet in a jigsaw format to share what they learned. As group they create a poster for class...
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Border Forum
Students read, analyze, and synthesize news reports on a current border issues. They prepare an oral presentation and written support documents which must clearly and accurately explain an issue to an audience which may be unfamiliar...
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Immigration to America
Students examine reasons for immigration to the United States in the 19th century. They role play as immigrants asked to write accounts of their immigrant experiences.
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Border to Border
Young scholars use the Internet to gather information on the country of Mexico. They also discover the culture of their people and compare them with the United States population. They take a virtual tour of some of Mexico's most...
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A Child's Journey through Medicine
Students experience a variety of activities that relate to human physiology and their functions. They create graphs and charts after testing their heart rates and blood pressure They conduct a survey of the student body and create ...
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The Study of the Spanish-Speaking People of Texas: Immigration
Students identify the meaning of the following terms: immigrant, immigration, migrate, and assimilation. They identify reasons that immigrant groups came to Texas and explain where groups settle and the influence these groups have on...
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Quest for Freedom
Fourth graders examine and discuss the Texas Revolution and the founding of Texas as a Republic. They read about the major events of the Revolution, research the events online, and complete a chart to present to the class.
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Book: Latino Economics in the United States: Job Diversity
Students, after reading Chapter 1 in the book, "Latino Economics in the United States: Job Diversity," write an essay that compares the cultural as well as the historical factors (experiences with jobs, discrimination, education, etc.)...
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Los Californios
Fourth graders research the culture of Los Californios through primary sources. They examine maps and draw timelines of California historical dates. They investigate deeds and s of ranches and simulate property transactions.
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Hidalgo's Fight for the Independence of Mexico
Tenth graders study and examine the life of Miguel Hidalgo while working to identify major themes. Small groups create sequence of event chains, analyze and label maps of Hidalgo's travels, and work together to create giant chalk maps...
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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...
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The Revolt of Juan "Cheno" Cortina
Tenth graders examine the social and cultural impact of immigrant groups and the oppression of ethnic minorities with a focus on the role of Juan Cortina in Mexico. In small groups they discuss what a revolutionary is, read and discuss...