Curated OER
Mexican Cessation
Eighth graders create a propaganda poster. In this US history instructional activity students research the various sides during the Mexican-American War. They present their poster and their position for or against the war.
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Comparing Visual Interpretations and Actual Events: War & Battle
A Venn Diagram is used to compare artistic and historical representations of a single event. Young analysts view the provided images, read textbook descriptions, and discuss the validity of each representation in terms of bias and...
Smithsonian Institution
Conflicting Voices of the Mexican War
Americans wanted to fulfill Manifest Destiny, and this pattern continued with the Mexican War. The resource specifically teaches about the Mexican War through a variety of exercises including a research project, group work, brainstorming...
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...
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Tejana Military Members in World War II
Seventh graders discover who the Tejanas were and how they contributed to World War II. In this World War II lesson, 7th graders listen to their instructor discuss who the Tejanas were prior to researching the contributions of three of...
Curated OER
The Study of the Spanish-Speaking People of Texas: Overcoming Adversity
Young scholars examine the photographs of Russell Lee and identify the obstacles faced by Mexican-Americans in Texas during the early and mid-20th century. They discuss the ways they overcame these obstacles and relate it to obstacles...
Curated OER
Corridos About the Mexican Revolution
Students explore the meaning behind Mexican corridos. In this Mexican Revolution lesson, students discover details about the war and its leaders as they read, analyze, and write their own corridos.
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Alamo
Students access a variety of Alamo and Mexican-American War related resources on the Internet. They take a 360 degree virtual tour of the Alamo site, view photos and timelines, read first-person accounts, and view the flags from the...
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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...
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
Mexican and American Views of Texas
Learners study the territorial status of Texas in 1830, 1840, and 1846 and interpret an historical timeline. They develop a general statement of Mexican and American views of Texas.
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Lincoln's Spot Resolutions
High schoolers take a closer look at historical relations between the United States and Mexico. In this Texas annexation lesson plan, students examine primary documents authored by Zachary Taylor, James Polk, and Abraham Lincoln to...
PBS
Extranjeros and Expansion
A three-part lesson gives light to the Unites States expansion from the view of Texans, New Mexicans, and Californians. Through videos and written activities, scholars work collaboratively to research specific individuals and their...
Curated OER
Getting the Point!
Learners explore the American cattle industry history. In this United States history and reading comprehension cross curriculum activity, students read an article about the history of longhorn cattle, then answer comprehension questions...
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Failed Diplomacy: The Zimmerman Telegram
Seventh graders continue their examination of World War I. In groups, they read a copy of the famous Zimmerman telegram and discuss its effect on Americans. To end the instructional activity, they discuss how public opinion changed...
Curated OER
Presidential Election 2004: Five Presidents' Calls for War
Students examine five president's reasons for entering into a war. Using the text, they answer questions and discuss their answers with the class. They also examine President Bush's reasons for going to war in Iraq and how that...
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Remember the Alamo
Eighth graders comprehend how the siege of the Alamo and the Texas revolution laid the groundwork for the United States-Mexican War. They discuss how westward expansion led to Texas Independence. Students complete the "Remeber the...
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Manifest Destiny and Westward Expansion
Learners explore the economic, political, racial, and religious roots of Manifest Destiny. They read articles and analyze how the concept influenced the nation's westward expansion. Students discover the motivations and expectations of...
Curated OER
Manifest Destiny Lesson Plan
Learners examine how Americans justified Westward Expansion. In this American history instructional activity, your historians will watch a Manifest Destiny Powerpoint presentation and discuss each slide then participate in...
Curated OER
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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Get the Point!
First graders, after reading about cattle drives, measure the width of the horns on drawings of longhorn cattle and then convert the measurements from inches to centimeters and from inches to feet. Ranching and the American cattle...
Curated OER
GET THE POINT!
The student will measure the width of the horns on drawings of longhorn cattle and then convert the measurements from inches to centimeters and from inches to feet.1. Review with students the steps required to measure an item and to...
Curated OER
Learning Landscapes
Fifth graders analyze a landscape depicting Yosemite during the time of the Wild West. They compare their perceptions of the West from film and television to this representation. They observe the use of scale and color to depict size and...