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In Tune, In Texas		 IT,IT Exploring and Colonizing Texas
Indianola | Sail Cortez | Texas River Song | Texian Boys

Lesson Links
Brian Burns
Texas Online Handbook:
Indianola
Alonso de Leon
San Marcos River
San Marcos, Texas
Texas Online Handbook:
Coronado
Cabeza de Vaca
Fray Marcos
Esteban
Pineda
Moscoso
 

 

 Celebrating Texas Chapter 5, 7, and 8
Students will study reasons for, and locations of, Spanish and French expeditions to develop lasting settlements. An analysis of the Spanish Mission system will be a focus. Early life in Spanish Texas and the process of Mexico's gaining independence from Spain will be addressed as well as the impact of filibusters and emperasios such as Stephen F. Austin. Students will differentiate Spanish and Anglo purposes for settlement in Texas.  (Community of Learners, CFB-ISD)

Lesson:  Remembering La Salle
Song: Indianola
Artist: Brian Burns
CD Title: Heavy Weather

TEKS

Social Studies
(7.2). History. The student understands how individuals, events, and issues prior to the Texas Revolution shaped the history of Texas
(B.) identify important individuals, events, and issues related to European exploration and colonization of Texas, including the establishment of Catholic missions;
Language Arts
(7.8.) Reading/variety of texts. The student reads widely for different purposes in varied sources.
(C). read for varied purposes such as to be informed, to be entertained, to appreciate the writer's craft, and to discover models for his/her own writing (4-8)
(7.15). Writing/purposes. The student writes for a variety of audiences and purposes and in a variety of forms.
(C.) write to inform such as to explain, describe, report, and narrate (4-8);

Materials:

  • Indianola song and lyrics (See Brian Burns web page for lyrics.)
  • Texas Online Handbook: Indianola
  • Texas Online Handbook: San Marcos and San Marcos River

Procedures:

  1. Read and discuss Texas Online Handbook: Indianola for background information.
  2. Listen to Brian Burns's Indianola.
  3. Allow students time to read the lyrics.
  4. Assign partners or small groups to discuss (and list) the results of La Salle's exploration mentioned in the lyrics.
  5. Challenge the students to solve the following analogy. (Classes familiar with Thinking Maps can use the Bridge Map.)
    Sieur de La Salle was to Indianola as ___________ was to San Marcos.
  6. Allow students time to read Texas Online Handbook: San Marcos and San Marcos River in order to complete the analogy (or Bridge Map.)
  7. Discuss reading and direct students to the conclusion that Alonso de Leon was to San Marcos as Sieur de La Salle was to Indianola because San Marcos grew up where de Leon explored as Indianola grew where La Salle explored.
  8. Listen to Indianola again.
  9. Assign students to respond to the following writing prompt:
    The commercial success of Mr. Burns's Indianola has caused record labels to want more songs paying tribute to European explorers to Texas. You have been hired by "Uvalde Records Inc" to write the lyrics of a song honoring Alonso de Leon's exploits and the subsequent development of city of San Marcos.

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Lesson:  Personality of an Explorer
Song: Sail Cortez
Artist: Terry Allen

TEKS

Social Studies
(7.2). History. The student understands how individuals, events, and issues prior to the Texas Revolution shaped the history of Texas
(B.) identify important individuals, events, and issues related to European exploration and colonization of Texas, including the establishment of Catholic missions;
Language Arts
(7.12.) Reading/text structures/literary concepts. The student analyzes the characteristics of various types of texts
(F). analyze characters, including their traits, motivations, conflicts, points of view, relationships, and changes they undergo
(7.15). Writing/purposes. The student writes for a variety of audiences and purposes and in a variety of forms.
(C.) write to inform such as to explain, describe, report, and narrate (4-8);

Materials:

Procedures:

  1. Discuss and brain storm character traits of explorers.
  2. Listen to and read the lyrics to Sail Cortez.
  3. Have students to work in groups to complete Explorer Personality Worksheet for Cortez. Directions: Have students write adjectives for Cortez in the outer circles. Students then write the evidence that suggest the adjectives on the two lines beside each outer ciricle.
  4. Extension: Add circles if needed.
  5. Research a Spanish explorer who traveled to Texas and write an original lyric or poem about him.

Download: Sail Cortez Lyric/Worksheet (doc) | Explorer Fact Sheet (doc)

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Moving Across Texas
Song: Texas River Song (traditional)
Artist: Lyle Lovett from Step Inside This House
Artist: Townes Van Zandt from Rearview Mirror Volume 2

TEKS

Social Studies
(7.2). History. The student understands how individuals, events, and issues prior to the Texas Revolution shaped the history of Texas
(B.) identify important individuals, events, and issues related to European exploration and colonization of Texas, including the establishment of Catholic missions;
Language Arts
(7.10.) Reading/comprehension. The student uses a variety of strategies to comprehend a wide range of texts of increasing levels of difficulty.
(F). determine a text's main (or major) ideas and how those ideas are supported with details (4-8);
(7.15). Writing/purposes. The student writes for a variety of audiences and purposes and in a variety of forms.
(D.) write to entertain such as to compose humorous poems or short stories (4-8);

Materials:

  • Texas River Song song and lyrics

Procedures:

  1. Read the lyrics to the Texas River Song.
  2. Discuss the concept of implied idea
  3. Pass out Texas River Worksheets and allow students to work in partner teams to answer questions.
  4. Discuss possible answers.

Extension

Write the lyrics to a song about the Old 300 and their experiences during the first year of Texas settlement.

Downloads

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Pioneer Life
Song: Texian Boys (traditional)
Artist: John A. Lomax Jr.
CD Title: Cowboy Songs on Folkways

TEKS

Social Studies
(7.2). History. The student understands how individuals, events, and issues prior to the Texas Revolution shaped the history of Texas
(B.) identify important individuals, events, and issues related to European exploration and colonization of Texas, including the establishment of Catholic missions;
Language Arts
(7.10.) Reading/comprehension. The student uses a variety of strategies to comprehend a wide range of texts of increasing levels of difficulty.
(F). determine a text's main (or major) ideas and how those ideas are supported with details (4-8);
(7.15). Writing/purposes. The student writes for a variety of audiences and purposes and in a variety of forms.
(D.) write to entertain such as to compose humorous poems or short stories (4-8);

Materials:

  • Texian Boys song and lyrics

Procedures:

  1. Brain storm a list of what pioneer life was like
  2. Read the lyrics to the Texian Boys and listen to the song.
  3. Make a list of what pioneer life was like based on the lyrics of the song.
  4. Compare the before and after lists.
  5. Why does the song warn Louisiana gals not to marry Texas boys?

Extension

Have individual students write original couplets that depict pioneer life. Combine the individual couplets to make one class poem about Texas pioneer life.

Downloads