Since I’m using a free site to upload my lessons, I have found that by now things are getting harder and harder to find. This page will provide you with the sequence I teach the history TEKS along with links to lessons/materials. As I add materials, I will add more links.
* means a daily grade is taken
** means this is taken as a test grade
I am required to take at least eight daily grades and have two test grades each grading period. You will see that I either don’t take grades on items from the last week of each grading period, or I carry them over to the next grading period. This is less stress for everyone because it gives time for corrections and allows time for students who are absent.
TEKS are listed on each individual post. I have been slowly moving my TEKS to the new revision that we will be using in the future. If it is a TEKS that we need for this year only, then I will note that.
Start by ordering materials for the year here.
First Grading Period– (24 days)
Day One–Compass Rose *
Day Two–Map Legends*
Day Three–Using a map grid
Day Four–Map Scale*
Day Five–Elevation Map of Texas*
Day Six–Region Vocabulary
Day Seven–Coastal Plains*
Day Eight–North Central Plains*
Day Nine–Great Plains*
Day Ten–Mountains and Basins*
Day Eleven–Regions Map* As of 08/24/19, I’m having some trouble with the map link and test below. I’m working to resolve this soon.
Day Twelve–Regions Map Test**
Days Thirteen-Fifteen–Regions Brochure**
Day Sixteen–Declaration of Independence (Freedom Week)
Day Seventeen-Nineteen–Constitution Week Play
Day Twenty–Bill of Rights Hand Signals
Day Twenty One–Twenty Four–First Four Native American Videos with Notes
Second Grading Period– (23 Days)
Day One–Four–Watch the Remaining Five Native American Videos with Notes*
Day Five–Native American Map*
Day Six–Native American Map Test**
Day Seven–Native American Writing Test**
Day Eight–God, Gold, and Glory and Pineda*
Day Nine–Cabeza de Vaca*
Day Ten–Coronado*
Day Eleven–LaSalle*
Days Twelve-Fifteen–Explorer Choice Board*
Days Sixteen-Nineteen–Mission Project*
Day Twenty–Mexico’s War for Independence * (save grade for next grading period)
Day Twenty-One–The meaning of the Mexican Flag * (save grade for next grading period)
Day Twenty-Two–Color the flag *(save grade for next grading period)
Day Twenty-Three–Postcard Quick Test (optional)
Third Grading Period– (15 days) This is often a short and busy grading period. I try to limit social studies a little bit just to make sure I can get all the writing in around all the parties and field trips.
Day One-Jane Long *
Day Two–Moses Austin *
Day Three–Stephen. F. Austin *
Day Four–Martin de León*
Day Five–Green DeWitt *
Day Six–Nine–Empresario Project**
Day Ten–Fifteen–Mexico Choice Board **
Fourth Grading Period–(22 days)
Day One– Causes of the Revolution
Day Two–Battle of Gonzales*
Day Three- Goliad and the Siege of Bexar*
Day Four–Chapter One of The Boy in the Alamo
Day Five–Chapter Two
Day Six–Learn about David Crockett*
Day Seven–Chapter Three
Day Eight–Learn about William Travis*
Day Nine–Chapter Four
Day Ten--Layout of the Alamo
Day Eleven–Learn about James Bowie*
Day Twelve–Chapter Five
Day Thirteen–Learn about James Bonham * and Juan Seguin*
Day Fourteen–Chapter Six ** learn about test here
Day Fifteen–Learn about Santa Anna*
Day Sixteen–Chapter Seven
Day Seventeen-Chapter Eight
Day Eighteen–Chapter Nine
Day Nineteen–Washington-On-The-Brazos
Day Twenty–Chapter Ten
Day Twenty-One–Chapter Eleven
Day Twenty-Two–Chapter Twelve** learn about the test here
Fifth Grading Period–(22 Days)
At some point around this time period, we usually celebrate the birthday of Texas. Find out more about how we celebrate Texas Independence Day here.
Day One–Learn about what happened to the people at the Alamo
Day Two–Learn about Susanna Dickinson*
Day Three-Learn about Sam Houston*
Day Four–Learn about James Fannin*
Day Five-Runaway Scrape*
Day Six–The Middle Battles*
Day Seven–Chapter Thirteen
Day Eight–Chapter Fourteen
Day Nine–Chapter Fifteen
Day Ten–AR Test over The Boy in the Alamo, Test over people and battles from the Revolution**
Day Eleven–Flags of the Revolution and Republic*
Day Twelve–Presidents of the Republic
Day Thirteen–Capitals of the Republic
Day Fourteen–Annexation
Day Fifteen–Mexican-American War
Day Sixteen–State Seal*
Day Seventeen–Reverse State Seal*
Day Eighteen–U.S. Flag*
Day Nineteen–U.S. Government
Day Twenty–Texas Government
Day Twenty-One–Local Government–may take longer than the usual fifteen minutes
Day Twenty-Two–How a Bill Becomes a Law–will most certainly take longer than fifteen minutes, perhaps 45 minutes. Save this until after the writing test when things ease up a little.
Sixth Grading Period– (14 days) There are clearly way more days in this grading period. However, this is also a big field trip, party, field day time. Not only that, but our grades are often due two weeks before the end of the year. Many of these lessons will take longer than fifteen minutes, but I will also include ways to shorten them. I only teach writing, so I have some flexibility with my time at this point in the year. You may not have that luxury if you also teach reading. I hope to someday create some materials to help teach these things along with reading.
Day One–Civil War Overview*
Day Two–Civil War in Texas*
Day Three-Reconstruction*
Day Four–Civil War Flag*
Day Five–Texas Rangers*
Day Six–Cattle Industry*
Day Seven–Create Your Own Brand*
Day Eight–Study Symbols
Day Nine--Symbols Test **
Day Ten–Railroads*
Day Eleven–Red River War*
Day Twelve–Learn “Texas, Our Texas”
Day Thirteen–Reading Task Cards*
Day Fourteen–Sing Texas Our Texas with a group for a grade **
End of Year Activities–
About day eight of the last six weeks, I begin reading Paradise Called Texas to the class. I don’t take grades, and we only discuss when we feel like it. It is the time of year where a good book can really keep everyone focused and out of trouble. I read until it seems like I can feel the class slipping away from me, then we go onto another activity in either writing or social studies. In order to cover the final TEKS that I have clearly not had time for, we do end of year projects. You can find those here. I do not grade any of those.
Social Studies Topics I teach Only in Writing Class:
Here are links of STAAR writing materials that I use to teach some social studies topics I would otherwise never have time to cover.
Bluebonnet, LBJ and Lady Bird, Governor Hogg and the Pecan Tree
Austin Trip Information and Tips–
A Virtual Trip to Austin–from school version
A Virtual Trip to Austin–from home version (parent note here)
Substitute Information–
I plan on posting easy things to leave with a sub when you are out…at some point..some day hah!
Teaching Without Twitching 