Texas



Carrie Anne Beard
First/Second Grade
Geography

Purpose: The purpose of this thematic unit encompasses many things. Not only should this unit enrich the students’ knowledge and understanding of Texas, but it will span over many different content areas as well.

Connection to the National Geographic Standards:

    Knows and understands the physical and human characteristics of places. This means that the students will understand the placement of Texas and understand some history behind the people who live there.
    Knows and understands the networks of economic interdependence. The students will understand how each group or thing works together and can assist in the success of the whole.
    Knows and understands that culture and experience influence people’s perceptions of places and experiences. The students will see that different people can have different views about the same thing, and that is acceptable and expected due to their differing backgrounds.
Applicable Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills:
    The student understands various physical and human characteristics of the environment.
    The student communicates in written, oral, and visual forms.
    The student uses basic geographic tools such as maps and photographs.
    The student understands how humans use the environment.
Objectives List:

Students will demonstrate their ability to…

      Draw the outline of the Lone Star State
      Label the State signs…(bird, flower, tree)
      Sing the State song
      Write and journal
      Find information on the internet and complete a worksheet on the website


Overview of presentation:

There are so many wonderful and interesting things that we can learn about Texas. Anyone who has even limited background knowledge can learn much about Texas, and rather painlessly.

Texas is something that can be expanded upon in many different avenues. The state is so large, and encompasses so much, that almost anything can be linked and related. It is also especially fun for those living in Texas. It creates a sense of pride in their state.


Day 1:
    Sponge Activity: There will be a large map of Texas at the front of the room. Students will need to draw the outline of the state, and then color it in, using their best coloring skills. This will be a good opportunity for the teacher to see if the students even recognize what they are drawing. The teacher will be able to see what kind of background the students have over the basic shape of the state. Whether or not a student recognizes the shape will tell the teacher a great deal about his/her experience with maps.
    Opening: Today, the students will be learning the Texas state song. We will begin by listening to it on the tape player. The students will then copy all of the words for the song from on the board. Once the words are copied, we will practice singing the song together several times with the tape. This is a great way to carry the Texas theme across all curriculum areas. It is also an important thing for the children to now. The state song will give them a great sense of pride.
    Guided Practice: This is included in with the opening. The singing together of the song will be considered the guided practice. The students will all be learning the song together. This task will ensure that all of the students have been able to hear the song and sing through it. It is also positive because the students who do not already know the song will not feel as though they are in the spotlight. This will build confidence within the students.
    Independent Practice: This is included in the opening as well. As the students copy the words from the board, they will be working independently to learn the song. This is a great time for students to be listening to the recording again. They will see that many things compose a song, and that words play a vital role in the telling of the story within the song.
    Evaluation: This project does not include much in the way of assessment. You could assess the students’ handwriting on their written copy of the words to the song. You could also assess understanding on whether or not they can sing the song with the group.
    Closure: Have the students sing the song all together, but without using the tape. Students will feel a great deal of pride in the fact that they can sing the State song on their own.

Day 2
    Sponge Activity: Have the students look through books about Texas that the teacher has checked out from the library.
    Opening: Today the students will be learning about the state flower…the bluebonnet. We will begin by looking at several pictures of bluebonnets including photographs, magazines, and textbooks. We will then read the story The Legend of the Bluebonnet. This will give the students a bit of history so that they can better understand about their state flower.
    Guided Practice: The class will be making bluebonnets today. We will, all together, trace the outlines of our bluebonnets onto light blue paper. We will then take the time to color the leaves green. Once these things have been completed, we will move into the passing out of the colored popcorn.

    Materials Needed: Light Blue Construction Paper
    Colored Popcorn
    Glue
    Pencils
     

    Independent Practice: The students will work on their own to glue the popcorn onto their outline. They will need to pay close attention to the placement of the different shades of the flower. For example, the dark blue needs to be placed on the bottom, and the white near the top.
    Evaluation: The students will be evaluated on the neatness of their bluebonnets. They should have stayed in the lines of the pattern they have drawn. The glue should also have been kept to a minimum.
    Closure: The students will share their bluebonnets with the rest of the class, and we will revisit the story read earlier.

Day 3

    Sponge Activity: The students will be looking at books and pictures depicting life in the pioneer days. They will need to pay special attention to the dress, and travel.
    Opening: The students will see that there is a large covered wagon in the back of the room. We will read a story about a young girl and her life traveling west in a covered wagon to settle in Texas. The class as a whole will sit inside the wagon while we read the story. This will give the children a more realistic feel for what it was like to travel west in a covered wagon.
    Guided Practice: The class as a group will discuss how they think people felt and what they thought they saw while they were traveling west in a covered wagon. The teacher will make a large list at the front of the class. This is a great time for all of the students to feel successful. All of the student responses should be recorded in some way on the board.
    Independent Practice: The students will be given a piece of paper on which it looks as though you are looking out the back of a wagon. They will be asked to draw what they think they would see if they were sitting in the wagon and looking out. After this, they will journal about what they saw and felt while on their journey.

    Materials Needed: Paper

    Pencils

    Crayons

    Markers (?)

    Evaluation: Students will be assessed on the neatness of their picture, as well as the content of their journal entry. Was it written in first person? Have they included detail in describing what they saw and did?
    Closure: Those who wish to do so will be allowed to share their pictures and journal entries with the rest of the class.

Day 4

    Sponge Activity: The students will list as many things as they can think of in which we use cotton.
    Opening: The students will share their ides about cotton with the rest of the class. We will discuss how cotton is planted, where it grows the best, and the many ways that we use cotton today. This will allow for the class to share what they already know and what they have learned so far in the lessons. You will also be able to see what needs to be taught to the class. The teacher will have pictures depicting some of the more common answers, and when those answers are given, the teacher will hare the pictures. This is also a good time to have the students draw up pictures of their own to share with the class.
    Guided Practice: The students will need to revise their lists of how we use cotton. We will then make our own cotton bolls. (Instructions provided in back)
    Independent Practice: Students will journal the life of their cotton boll. They will make up a fictional story, being sure to name their boll, and tell of its adventures.
    Assessment: The students will not be assessed on this day necessarily, but you can assess their stories based on grammar or content.
    Closure: The students who would like to will share their stories and their homemade bolls with the rest of the class.
Day 5
    Sponge Activity: Students will be making a list of all of the things they think we can learn about Texas from the Internet.
    Opening: Students will go through several sites in which they can learn more about the state of Texas. The teacher will guide this. This is a great opportunity to discuss the uses of the Internet. Students need to value their resources and realize that with the computer, they are unlimited.
    Guided Practice: The students will then each be assigned a site on the Internet, and the class will go to the lab.
    Independent Practice: Each student will look at his or her site, and answer the questions on the worksheet about their site. (questions will be the same for all students)
    Assessment: Students will receive a grade on their worksheet. Basically, is the sheet complete? Neat? Thorough?
    Closure: Any student who found something extremely interesting can share with the class.


Other books

Armadillo Rodeo…………..Jan Brett

T is for Texas………………Anne Bustard

The Legend of the Bluebonnet………….Tomie dePaola

Tex the Cowboy………Sarah Garland

Rattlesnake Stew………….Lynn Rowe Reed

Trail Drive……………….James Rice

The Alamo………Lynda Sorenson

Website List





 HYPERLINK http://numedia.tddc.net/sa/alamo http://numedia.tddc.net/sa/alamo
 http://numedia.tddc.net/sa/alamo

 HYPERLINK http://HeatofSanAntonio.com/ http://HeatofSanAntonio.com/
 http://HeartofSanAntonio.com/
 HYPERLINK http://members.aol.com/AACTchrOz/Texas.html/ http://members.aol.com/AACTchrOz/Texas.html/
 http://members.aol.com/AACTchrOz/Texas.html/
 HYPERLINK http://www.crpc.rice.edu/CRPC/GT/jholzapf/Gulf/Galveston.html http://www.crpc.rice.edu/CRPC/GT/jholzapf/Gulf/Galveston.html
 http://www.crpc.rice.edu/CRPG/GT/jholzapf/Gulf/Galveston.html
 HYPERLINK http://www.geobop.com/Eco/TX.htm http://www.geobop.com/Eco/TX.htm
 http://www.geobop.com/Eco/TX.htm
 HYPERLINK http://tsl.state.tx.us/lobby/treasures http://tsl.state.tx.us/lobby/treasures

 HYPERLINK http://hotx.com/hot/hotspots/nuhotindex.nclk http://hotx.com/hot/hotspots/nuhotindex.nclk
 

Created 4-27-99

Return to Lesson Plans and Research Papers, 1999