Reader's Theater Scripts : Texas History [1 ed.] 9781425896041, 9781425810092

Citation preview

Levels

4 –7

Timothy Rasinski Debby Murphy Chase Young

Authors Timothy Rasinski, Ph.D. Debby Murphy, M.Ed. Chase Young, Ph.D.

Publishing Credits Evelyn Garcia, M.A.Ed.—Editor

Image Credits p. 131 The Granger Collection, New York; p. 15 LOC, LC-USZ62-125457; p. 67 LOC, LC-USW3-011625-D; p. 113 LOC, LCUSZ62-11714; p. 143 LOC, LC-USZ62-56439; p. 148 LOC, LC-USZ62-124428; pp. 46, 55 NASA Images; p. 90 Niday Picture Library / Alamy; all other images Shutterstock.

Standards © 2010 Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills (TEKS) © 2007 Teachers of English to Speakers of Other Languages, Inc. (TESOL) © 2007 Board of Regents of the University of Wisconsin System. World-Class Instructional Design and Assessment (WIDA).

Shell Education

5301 Oceanus Drive Huntington Beach, CA 92649-1030 http://www.shelleducation.com

ISBN 978-1-4258-1009-2

© 2015 Shell Educational Publishing, Inc.

The classroom teacher may reproduce copies of materials in this book for classroom use only. The reproduction of any part for an entire school or school system is strictly prohibited. No part of this publication may be transmitted, stored, or recorded in any form without written permission from the publisher.

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Table of Contents Introduction. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4

Why Use Reader’s Theater? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4



How to Use This Book. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6



Correlation to the Standards. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8

Lessons. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11

Big Tex and the 800-Year-Old Man. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11



Cinco de Mayo . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22



Cynthia Ann Parker. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 27



Henry Cisneros. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 33



History of the Cherokee. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 38



Rise of the Johnson Space Center. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 45



Inside the Johnson Space Center . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 51



Jim Bowie and William Travis at the Alamo. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 57



Just the Facts. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 64



Mirabeau B. Lamar. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 69



Oveta Culp Hobby. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 77



Rise of the Texas Rangers. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .86



Sam Houston: Father of Texas Independence . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 93



Six Flags. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 100

Spindletop. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 107

Texas Landmark Road Trip. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 114



Texas Longhorn Cattle. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 120



The Arrest of Stephen F. Austin . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 128



The Galveston Hurricane. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .139



The History of the Apache. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 146



The King of the Wild Frontier. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 152



The Legend of the Bluebonnet . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 158



The Many Firsts of Barbara Jordan . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 164



There’s a Pledge in Texas. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 170

References Cited. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 175

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Introduction

Why Use Reader’s Theater? Welcome to Reader’s Theater Scripts: Texas History. Whether you are a teacher of Texas history, a reading teacher, an intervention teacher, or a reading specialist, you will find this book invaluable in helping students revisit and learn the history of the Lone Star State through the voices and experiences of those who helped make Texas what it is today. Through the collection of scripts in this book, students will not only gain knowledge of Texas history but also achieve fluency in reading—an essential element in becoming a proficient reader—and build comprehension skills.

Fluency and Reader’s Theater Fluency is the critical link between word decoding (or phonics) and reading comprehension. When students learn to recognize words effortlessly, they can use their cognitive resources for making meaning—the ultimate goal of reading. Fluency reflects comprehension when readers read texts orally with a level of expression and phrasing that interprets the intended meaning of the passage. The review of research by the National Reading Panel (2000) and others (e.g., Rasinski and Hoffman 2003) confirms that fluency is absolutely essential to reading success. This book will help students achieve that success. One of the best ways to develop fluency is through guided repeated readings (National Reading Panel 2000) or rehearsal with the goal to be reading a text with appropriate expression or meaning (Rasinski 2003). We have found that reader’s theater scripts are one of the best text forms for rehearsed practice aimed at expression. In order for scripts to be performed expressively, they need to be practiced repeatedly, that is, rehearsed. The research on reader’s theater over the past 10 years has demonstrated consistently that when students engage in repeated readings through reader’s theater and eventually perform for an audience, they make substantial progress in reading fluency and overall reading achievement (Griffith and Rasinski 2004; Martinez, Roser, and Strecker 1999; Young and Rasinski 2009). In addition, students involved in reader’s theater develop a greater motivation for reading and are more successful in learning the content embedded in the scripts. When the practice is done using authentic and meaningful material (as found in this collection of scripts) and students are given opportunities to perform their selections for an audience, students will learn greater content, appreciate text genres beyond narration (stories) and exposition (informational texts), and develop a sense of confidence in themselves as readers and learners that is essential to their ultimate success in school and life.

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Introduction

History and Reader’s Theater History in school is most commonly taught through informational textbooks that students may find dry and uninteresting. The books are usually filled with facts related to history, but they seldom tell the inside story of the people and events that created history. Knowing how much students like the idea of performing orally for an audience, reader’s theater scripts are ideal vehicles for teaching students about history—in this case— Texas history. Through the scripts and accompanying activities in this book, students learn and share with others the stories of Sam Houston, Henry Cisneros, Barbara Jordan, the Alamo, Spindletop, the Galveston Hurricane, the Johnson Space Center, and many other people, places, and events that have shaped the history of Texas. Note: In some instances, the words and thoughts of real people have been fictionalized to illustrate true events. Students are sure to love learning about the history of Texas through the lively and engaging reader’s theater scripts.

Getting the Most Out of Reader’s Theater To get the most out of this resource, it is suggested that you devote about one week per script. Below is a suggested outline for implementing reader’s theater in each lesson.

Day 1—Assign a script to each small group of students in your class. (Either assign different scripts or have all students perform the same script.) Students rehearse their scripts in groups or engage in guided repeated reading directed by the teacher.



Day 2—With each group, read the script orally with meaning. Discuss the tone and expression of the characters.



Days 3 and 4—Students rehearse the script(s) independently. Their focus should be on fluency, expression, and meaning.



Day 5—Students perform the script(s) for classmates, parents, and others. You may wish to have students dress for their parts and use props.

By giving students multiple experiences with the scripts, you will not only help deepen their understanding of the content but you will also develop their reading and fluency skills. We wish you and your students all the best as you explore the wonderful history of the Lone Star State!

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Introduction

How to Use This Book Lesson Overview Each lesson focuses on one script that portrays a particular part of Texas history. The following information will help you implement the lessons.

The Background provides a brief overview of what the script is about.

Big Tex and the 800-Year-Old Man Background What happens when a man lives to be 800? Well, he gets to see how the Texas State Fair became what it is today. This is the story of three students who meet a Texan who lived 800 years. The Texan’s hero is Big Tex, a 52-foot-tall cowboy and icon of the fair. This script explains the history of Big Tex and the Texas State Fair.

Standards

The Standards state the Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills that students will focus on during the lesson.

The Vocabulary Words are words from the script that you may wish to discuss with students prior to beginning the lesson.

• The student understands important customs, symbols, and celebrations of Texas.

• The student understands traditional historical points of reference in Texas history.

Materials

• Big Tex and the 800-Year-Old Man script (pages 13–15)



• Big Tex Word Cards (pages 16–21)



• chart paper



• writing paper

Vocabulary Words You may wish to introduce the following vocabulary words prior to the lesson: • encampment

• grandstands • loyalty



• potential



• promoted



• tradition



• upheld

Script Study 1 . Distribute the Big Tex and the 800-Year-Old Man script (pages 13–15) to students. Have students scan the script and circle any words that are unfamiliar. Then, discuss the selected words as a class. 2 . Assign the character roles to students, and read the script together as a class. As students are reading the script, stop at the appropriate places of the text to provide a definition of each of the vocabulary words listed above. Encourage students to use context clues within the script to create a kid-friendly definition for each word.

The Materials indicate items that are necessary to have available to implement the lesson.

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3 . After the class is done reading the script, ask the following questions to engage students to think about the text:

• What are some of the problems during the history of the fairgrounds of Texas? Why do you think these problems began? • How has the fair changed through the years? • What do you think Big Tex symbolizes to fair goers? 4 . Reread the script as a class without stopping.

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#51009—Reader’s Theater Scripts: Texas History

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The Script Study offers step-by-step procedures for using the script with students. For a suggested weekly breakdown for using the scripts, see page 5.

© Shell Education

Introduction

How to Use This Book (cont.) Lesson Overview (cont.) The Word Study section focuses on practicing word-study skills, such as prefixes, suffixes, homophones, and inflectional endings.

Big Tex and the 800-Year-Old Man (cont.) Word Study 4 . Explain to students that homophones are two or more words that have the same pronunciation but have different meanings, origins, or spelling. Tell students that they will play a game with homophone word pairs from the script. 5 . Divide students into pairs, and distribute a set of the Big Tex Word Cards (pages 16–21) to each student pair. 6 . Tell students to turn all the cards facedown and take turns drawing two cards. When students turn up a pair of matching cards, they may keep the cards if they can use each one of the words correctly in a sentence that reflects that word’s meaning. If the student makes a correct match and presents the two sentences that show the words’ meanings, the student may draw again. For incorrect matches, the cards are turned back over and returned to play. The student with the most matches at the end of the game wins.

The Extension Activity provides ways to enhance the lessons. These optional activities help extend students’ knowledge about the history covered in each lesson.

The Recommended Resources section includes resources you may wish to have available while implementing the lesson. Students may use these resources to do research or simply to peruse throughout the week.

Extension Activity 1 . Divide the class into five groups. Distribute a sheet of chart paper to each group. Assign one of the five senses to each group—sight, hear, taste, touch, and smell. 2 . Explain to students that they will have 10 minutes to list everything found at the Texas State Fair that they would encounter with their particular assigned sense (e.g., smell—buttery popcorn popping, sweet corn roasting, spicy sausage grilling). 3 . When the time is up, distribute writing paper to students, and have each student write a descriptive paragraph explaining what they may encounter with their particular sense. 4 . After the students are through writing their paragraphs, recombine students into groups of five with each group having one student representing each of the five senses. Then, have them share their sensory paragraphs with their new groups. 5 . As a class, discuss how sensory details can help readers make a picture in their minds. Post each group’s senses chart for students to use as a word bank for any writing done during the time spent with the reader’s theater script.

Recommended Resources The following resources are available about fairs and fairgrounds: Enderle, Dotti. 2004. The Cotton Candy Catastrophe at the Texas State Fair. Gretna, LA: Pelican Publishing Company. ———. 2008. The Fat Stock Stampede at the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo. Gretna, LA: Pelican Publishing Company. Greenlaw, M. Jean. 1997. Welcome to the Stock Show. London, UK: Lodestar Books. Nelson, Derek. 2004. The American State Fair. Minneapolis, MN: Motorbooks International. 12

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__

________________

________ _ Date: ________

________________

____ Name: ____________

Big Tex Word Ca

aloud

allowed

bare

bored

Sentence with Verb

Change the Verb Using -sion

n Sentence with Nou

and cut apart the set of cards below. that verb in a sentence d column, use that the suffix a verb. In the secon into a noun using first column, write n, change the verb colum Directions: In the third the . In of the word. y formed noun reflects the meaning that reflects the newl n, write a sentence -sion. In the last colum

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#51009—Reader’s

Texas Theater Scripts:

History

bear

board

break

brake

capital

capitol

ceiling

sealing

Verb

Each lesson includes activity cards and/or activity sheets. Students will work with the cards and activity sheets on their own, with partners, or in groups. Be sure to read the directions on these pages to ensure that you make the appropriate copies.

rds (cont.)

udy ord St Teacher Direction s: Copy

Cinco de Mayo W

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#51009—Reader’s Theater Scripts: Texas History

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Introduction

Correlation to the Standards Shell Education is committed to producing educational materials that are research and standards based. As part of this effort, we have correlated all of our products to the academic standards of all 50 states, the District of Columbia, the Department of Defense Dependents Schools, and all Canadian provinces.

How To Find Standards Correlations To print a customized correlation report of this product for your state, visit our website at http:// www.shelleducation.com and follow the on-screen directions. If you require assistance in printing correlation reports, please contact our Customer Service Department at 1-877-777-3450.

Purpose and Intent of Standards Legislation mandates that all states adopt academic standards that identify the skills students will learn in kindergarten through grade twelve. Many states also have standards for Pre–K. This same legislation sets requirements to ensure the standards are detailed and comprehensive. Standards are designed to focus instruction and guide adoption of curricula. Standards are statements that describe the criteria necessary for students to meet specific academic goals. They define the knowledge, skills, and content students should acquire at each level. Standards are also used to develop standardized tests to evaluate students’ academic progress. Teachers are required to demonstrate how their lessons meet state standards. State standards are used in the development of all of our products, so educators can be assured they meet the academic requirements of each state.

Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills (TEKS) Standards The lessons in this book are built upon the Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills social studies and science standards. The chart on the following pages will note which titles fall under which standards.

TESOL and WIDA Standards The lessons in this book promote English language development for English language learners. The standards support the language objectives presented throughout the lessons.

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#51009—Reader’s Theater Scripts: Texas History

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Introduction

Correlation to the Standards (cont.) Standards Chart Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills Standards 4.1 History—The student understands the origins, similarities, and differences of Indian American groups in Texas and North America before European exploration 4.2 History—The student understands the causes and effects of European exploration and colonization of Texas and North America 4.3 History—The student understands the importance of the Texas Revolution, the Republic of Texas, and the annexation of Texas to the United States

Lessons History of the Cherokee, p. 38; The History of the Apache, p. 146 Cinco de Mayo, p. 22; Six Flags, p. 100; The Arrest of Stephen F. Austin, p. 128

Jim Bowie and William Travis at the Alamo, p. 57; Mirabeau B. Lamar, p. 69; Rise of the Texas Rangers, p. 86; Sam Houston: Father of Texas Independence, p. 93 4.4 History—The student understands the political, economic, and Cynthia Ann Parker, p. 27; Just the social changes in Texas during the last half of the 19th century Facts, p. 64; Texas Longhorn Cattle, p. 120 4.5 History—The student understands important issues, events, Henry Cisneros, p. 33; Inside the and individuals of the 20th century in Texas Johnson Space Center, p. 51; Oveta Culp Hobby, p. 77; The Galveston Hurricane, p. 139 4.17 Citizenship—The student understands important customs, Big Tex and the 800-Year-Old Man, symbols, and celebrations of Texas p. 11; Texas Landmark Road Trip, p. 114; There’s a Pledge in Texas, p. 170 4.21 Science, Technology, and Society—The student understands Rise of the Johnson Space Center, p. 45 the impact of science and technology on life in Texas 5.17 Citizenship—The student understands important symbols, Texas Landmark Road Trip, p. 114; customs, celebrations, and landmarks that represent American The King of the Wild Frontier, p. 152 beliefs and principles and contribute to our national identity 5.23 Science, Technology, and Society—The student understands Spindletop, p. 107 the impact of science and technology on society in the United States 7.1 History—The student understands traditional historical points Big Tex and the 800-Year-Old Man, of reference in Texas history p. 11; Just the Facts, p. 64; Six Flags, p. 100; There’s a Pledge in Texas, p. 170 7.2 History—The student understands how individuals, events, Cinco de Mayo, p. 22; History of the and issues through Mexican National Era shaped the history of Cherokee, p. 38; The Arrest of Stephen Texas F. Austin, p. 128; The History of the Apache, p. 146; The Legend of the Bluebonnet, p. 158 7.3 History—The student understands how individuals, events, Jim Bowie and William Travis at the and issues related to the Texas Revolution shaped the history of Alamo, p. 57; The King of the Wild Texas Frontier, p. 152

© Shell Education

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Introduction

Correlation to the Standards (cont.) Standards Chart Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills Standards 7.4 History—The student understands how individuals, events, and issues shaped the history of the Republic of Texas and early Texas statehood 7.6 History—The student understands how individuals, events, and issues shaped the history of Texas from Reconstruction through the beginning of the 20th century 7.7 History—The student understands how individuals, events, and issues shaped the history of Texas during the 20th and early 21st centuries 7.13 Economics—The student understands the interdependence of the Texas economy with the United States and the world 7.18 Citizenship—The student understands the importance of effective leadership in a democratic society 7.19 Culture—The student understands the concept of diversity within unity in Texas 7.20 Science, Technology, and Society—The student understands the impact of scientific discoveries and technological innovations on the political, economic, and social development of Texas TESOL and WIDA Standards English language learners communicate for social, intercultural, and instructional purposes within a school setting. English language learners communicate information, ideas, and concepts necessary for academic success in the area of language arts. English language learners communicate information, ideas, and concepts necessary for academic success in the area of social studies.

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#51009—Reader’s Theater Scripts: Texas History

Lessons Mirabeau B. Lamar, p. 69; Rise of the Texas Rangers, p. 86; Sam Houston: Father of Texas Independence, p. 93 Cynthia Ann Parker, p. 27; Inside the Johnson Space Center, p. 51; Texas Longhorn Cattle, p. 120 Henry Cisneros, p. 33; Oveta Culp Hobby, p. 77; The Galveston Hurricane, p. 139 Spindletop, p. 107 The Many Firsts of Barbara Jordan, p. 164 The Legend of the Bluebonnet, p. 158 Rise of the Johnson Space Center, p. 45

Lessons All Lessons All Lessons

All Lessons

© Shell Education

Big Tex and the 800-Year-Old Man Background What happens when a man lives to be 800? Well, he gets to see how the Texas State Fair became what it is today. This is the story of three students who meet a Texan who lived for 800 years. The man’s hero is Big Tex, a 52-foot-tall cowboy and icon of the fair. This script explains the history of Big Tex and the Texas State Fair.

Standards

• The student understands important customs, symbols, and celebrations of Texas.



• The student understands traditional historical points of reference in Texas history.

Vocabulary Words You may wish to introduce the following vocabulary words prior to the lesson: • encampment • grandstands • loyalty • promoted

Materials

• tradition

• Big Tex and the 800-Year-Old Man script (pages 13–15)

• upheld

• Big Tex Word Cards (pages 16–21) • scissors

• chart paper



• writing paper

Script Study

1. Distribute the Big Tex and the 800-Year-Old Man script (pages 13–15) to students. Have students scan the script and circle any words that are unfamiliar. Then, discuss the selected words as a class.

2. Assign the character roles to students, and read the script together as a class. As students are reading the script, stop at the appropriate places in the text to provide a definition for each of the vocabulary words listed above. Encourage students to use context clues within the script to create a kid-friendly definition for each word. 3. After the class is done reading the script, ask the following questions to engage students in thinking about the text:

• What are some of the problems during the history of the fairgrounds of Texas? Why do you think these problems began?



• How has the fair changed through the years?



• What do you think Big Tex symbolizes to fair goers?

4. Reread the script as a class, without stopping. © Shell Education

#51009—Reader’s Theater Scripts: Texas History

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Big Tex and the 800-Year-Old Man (cont.) Word Study

5. Explain to students that homophones are two or more words that have the same pronunciation but have different meanings, origins, or spelling. Tell students that they will play a game with homophone word pairs from the script.

6. Divide students into pairs, and distribute a set of the Big Tex Word Cards (pages 16–21) to each student pair. 7. Tell students to turn all the cards facedown and take turns drawing two cards. When students turn up a pair of homophones, they may keep the cards if they can use each one of the words correctly in a sentence that reflects that word’s meaning. If the student makes a correct match and presents the two sentences that show the words’ meanings, the student may draw again. For incorrect matches, the cards are turned back over and returned to play. The student with the most matches at the end of the game wins.

Extension Activity 1. Divide the class into five groups. Distribute a sheet of chart paper to each group. Assign one of the five senses to each group—sight, hear, taste, touch, and smell.

2. Explain to students that they will have 10 minutes to list things they might find at the Texas State Fair that they would encounter with their particular assigned sense (e.g., smell—buttery popcorn popping, sweet corn roasting, spicy sausage grilling).

3. When the time is up, distribute writing paper to students and have each student write a descriptive paragraph explaining what they may encounter with their particular sense. 4. After the students are through writing their paragraphs, recombine students into groups of five, with each group having one student representing each of the five senses. Then, have them share their sensory paragraphs with their new groups. 5. As a class, discuss how sensory details can help readers make a picture in their minds. Post each group’s senses chart for students to use as a word bank for any writing done during the time spent with the reader’s theater script.

Recommended Resources The following resources are available about fairs and fairgrounds: Enderle, Dotti. 2004. The Cotton Candy Catastrophe at the Texas State Fair. Gretna, LA: Pelican Publishing Company. ———. 2008. The Fat Stock Stampede at the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo. Gretna, LA: Pelican Publishing Company. Greenlaw, M. Jean. 1997. Welcome to the Stock Show. London, UK: Lodestar Books. Nelson, Derek. 2004. The American State Fair. Minneapolis, MN: Motorbooks International. 12

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Big Tex and the 800-Year-Old Man Characters Texan, the 800-Year-Old Man  Student 2 Student 1  Student 3 Student 1:

Are you really 800 years old?

Texan:

Darn tootin’. But don’t go calling me old, because I feel like I was born yesterday. (Do a little dance.)

Student 2:

Wow, were you born in Texas?

Texan:

That doesn’t matter because I am here now. We don’t care how you get here folks, just get here! I can’t remember where I heard that, but it’s true about Texas. It’s the best state in the world.

Student 3:

You liked it more than living around knights who upheld faith, loyalty, courage, and honor?

Texan:

I’ll tell you who my knight in shining armor is . . . .

Student 1:

Who?

Texan:

Big Tex.

Student 1:

(looking confused) Again, who?

Texan:

You can trust a man who weighs 25,000 pounds.

Student 2:

I second that!

Student 3:

Was he a heavyweight wrestling champion?

Texan:

No.

Student 1:

Why? Was he fired from being a wrestler?

Texan:

No, he was never a wrestler; he is an icon.

Student 2:

Oh, so he was promoted from being a wrestler to Big Tex. That makes sense. Why do they call him Big Tex?

Texan:

Well, he is 55-feet tall.

Student 3:

That makes a lot of sense. He has a good name, but those are some really big shoes!

Texan:

A size 90, as a matter of fact! And like a true Texan, Big Tex wears denim jeans and a 95-gallon hat.

Student 1:

That’s a lot of water.

Texan:

[angry] You wouldn’t be poking fun at old Big Tex, would you?

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#51009—Reader’s Theater Scripts: Texas History

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Big Tex and the 800-Year-Old Man (cont.)

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Student 1:

[scared] Um . . . no sir. I just like water.

Texan:

Anyway, you can visit Big Tex at the State Fair of Texas. He’s my knight in shining plaid.

Student 2:

I love fairs—rides, games, concerts, food, fun, family, and a shortage of parking spots!

Student 3:

Yes, the State Fair has it all. Has Big Tex been there since the beginning?

Texan:

No, but I have—all the way back to 1886 when the first 80 acres of fairgrounds were purchased.

Student 1:

You sound like you really love the State Fair.

Texan:

Only our State Fair of Texas. The first event on the grounds was a Fourth of July celebration. About 25,000 of us attended. There was all sorts of entertainment, races, and free barbecue, and we danced all night.

Student 2:

Yes, we saw your dancing.

Student 3:

I bet that you were really popular.

Texan:

Don’t make me bust a move.

Student 1:

Actually, could you just continue the story?

Texan:

You best be respecting your elders. The first State Fair was not until October 26, 1886. By then, there was a fine racetrack, some grandstands, and plenty of shopping. This time over 100,000 people attended. There was even a Comanche War dance.

Student 2:

That sounds awesome, but I prefer rides and games.

Texan:

Well, it did take some time to turn into what it is today. There were many troubles. The grandstands broke in 1900, and a couple of years later, the main exhibit building burned down.

Student 3:

Did the people rebuild it?

Student 1:

Of course they did. I went to the State Fair last year.

Texan:

They sure did, but during World War I, the fair was not exactly filled with fun and games.

Student 2:

Great, still no games? What did kids do for fun?

Texan:

Trust me, it was not a whole lot of fun because during that time, the fairground was converted into an army encampment.

#51009—Reader’s Theater Scripts: Texas History

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Big Tex and the 800-Year-Old Man (cont.) Student 3:

Wow! The fairground was once an army base. Did the army use it again during World War II?

Student 1:

Was Big Tex part of the army?

Texan:

No, Big Tex did not arrive at the fairground until 1952. Plus, nothing happened on the fairground during the war.

Student 2:

I bet people were very unhappy.

Texan:

About nine million people showed up in 1949. I think they missed the State Fair just a little.

Student 3:

The Cotton Bowl is on the fairground. When did people create the tradition of the Texas-Oklahoma University football game?

Student 1:

Hook ’em Horns!

Student 2:

Boomer Sooners!

Student 3:

Red Raiders!

Student 1:

[look at Student 3] What?

Texan:

Ahem! They added the Cotton Bowl in 1930. One year after that, the first annual Texas-Oklahoma football game was held at the Fair.

Student 3:

So how long is the State Fair?

Texan:

It lasts 24 days here in Dallas. The fair has rides, concerts, races, rodeos, extreme sports, food, games, shows…

[All students walk away.] Texan:

Where y’all goin’?

All Students: To the State Fair! Texan:

But I’m not done telling you about Big Tex!

Student 1:

Big deal, everything’s big in Texas.

© Shell Education

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Big Tex Word Cards Teacher Directions: Copy and cut apart the set of cards.

16

aloud

allowed

bear

bare

bored

board

break

brake

capital

capitol

ceiling

sealing

#51009—Reader’s Theater Scripts: Texas History

© Shell Education

Big Tex Word Cards (cont.)

cent

scent

die

dye

dual

duel

feat

feet

flea

flee

forth

fourth

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Big Tex Word Cards (cont.)

18

great

grate

heal

heel

hole

whole

knead

need

lesson

lessen

loan

lone

#51009—Reader’s Theater Scripts: Texas History

© Shell Education

Big Tex Word Cards (cont.)

mind

mined

overdo

overdue

pause

paws

praise

prays

principal

principle

shone

shown

© Shell Education

#51009—Reader’s Theater Scripts: Texas History

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Big Tex Word Cards (cont.)

20

sight

cite

stake

steak

tail

tale

their

they’re

threw

through

too

two

#51009—Reader’s Theater Scripts: Texas History

© Shell Education

Big Tex Word Cards (cont.)

vain

vein

wade

weighed

weak

week

who’s

whose

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Cinco de Mayo Background We celebrate Cinco de Mayo in honor of the Battle of Puebla. The battle occurred on May 5, 1862. The French were favored to win, but the Mexican Army defeated the French in the unlikely victory. It marked the turning point in the war, leading to Mexico’s independence from the French. This script takes you into the Battle of Puebla.

Standards

• The student understands the causes and effects of European exploration and colonization of Texas and North America.



• The student understands how individuals, events, and issues through Mexican National Era shaped the history of Texas.

Vocabulary Words You may wish to introduce the following vocabulary words prior to the lesson: • artillery • invasion • negotiated • occupy

Materials

• raged

• Cinco de Mayo script (pages 24–25)

• seize

• Cinco de Mayo Word Study (page 26)

• stormed



• chart paper



• blank paper



• colored pencils or markers

Script Study

1. Distribute the Cinco de Mayo script (pages 24–25) to students. Have students scan the script and circle any words that are unfamiliar. Then, discuss the selected words as a class.

2. Assign the character roles to students, and read the script together as a class. As students are reading the script, stop at the appropriate places in the text to provide a definition for each of the vocabulary words listed above. Encourage students to use context clues within the script to create a kid-friendly definition for each word. 3. After the class is done reading the script, ask the following questions to engage students in thinking about the text:

• Why did the French invade Mexico?



• What does the phrase marked a turning point mean?



• Why is Cinco de Mayo still celebrated today?

4. Reread the script as a class, without stopping.

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Cinco de Mayo (cont.) Word Study 5. Discuss the multiple meanings of the words stormed and raged (rage). Locate these words in the script, and use the context to help students discover the best meaning for each word based on how it is used in this text. 6. Have students brainstorm sentences for at least one other meaning for each word. Record student responses on the board or on a sheet of chart paper. 7. Explain to students that the suffix -sion can be added onto the end of some verbs to create a noun. When adding the suffix -sion, drop the final e on the verb and add the suffix. 8. Distribute the Cinco de Mayo Word Study activity sheet (page 26) to students. In the first column, have students write a verb (e.g., revise, invade, provide, divide, decide, televise, collide). In the second column, have them use that verb in a sentence to reflect the meaning of the word. In the third column, students should change the verb into a noun using the suffix -sion. In the last column, students should use the newly formed noun in a sentence to reflect the meaning of the noun. 9. As a class, discuss how the meanings of each pair of verbs and nouns are related.

Extension Activity 1. Have students use the website in the Recommended Resources section, the script, and any other references as they work in small groups to plan their own Cinco de Mayo celebration. 2. Instruct students to create advertisements for the celebration. Be sure they highlight what they are celebrating and the reasons they are celebrating it. 3. Using the resources, have each group plan several appropriate games and/or activities for an imaginary celebration. 4. If desired, have students also plan and publish menus for authentic holiday meals for celebrating Cinco de Mayo.

Recommended Resources The following resources are available about Cinco de Mayo: Doering, Amanda. 2006. Cinco de Mayo: Day of Mexican Pride. North Mankato, MN: Capstone Press. Flanagan, Alice K. 2003. Cinco de Mayo. Minneapolis, MN: Compass Point Books. Lowery, Linda. 2005. Cinco de Mayo. Minneapolis, MN: First Avenue Editions. Menard, Valerie. 2000. The Latino Holiday Book: From Cinco de Mayo to Dia de los Muertos—The Celebrations and Traditions of Hispanic-Americans. South Boston, MA: De Capo Press. Spoonful. “Cinco de Mayo Party Ideas.” n.d. http://holidays.kaboose.com/cinco-de-mayo/

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Cinco de Mayo Soldier 1  Soldier 2  Soldier 3  Soldier 4 

Characters General Zaragoza Narrator 1 Narrator 2 Narrator 3

Narrator 1: In 1861, the French decided to seize and occupy Mexico. Narrator 2: Their first invasion was a success. The French chose a new leader for Mexico. This leader would help the French keep control of Mexico. Narrator 3: The Mexican people would not give up their fight for freedom ​ from France. Soldier 1:

General Zaragoza, the French have twice as many men as we do.

Soldier 2:

We have no supplies.

Soldier 3:

The French have everything they need.

Soldier 4:

If we fight them, they will destroy us! The French have not been defeated for 50 years.

Zaragoza:

We will fight, and we will win.

Narrator 1: General Ignacio Zaragoza was born on March 25, 1829 in the Mexican state of Coahuila y Tejas [kōah-WE-lah ee TAY-has]. Narrator 2: He was born in the city now known as Goliad, Texas. Narrator 3: Zaragoza had fought the French before and lost. Soldier 1:

The General is right. We cannot let the French invade farther into Mexico.

Soldier 2:

We must take a stand right here in Puebla de Los Angeles.

Soldier 3:

Why couldn’t the French leave us alone?

Soldier 4:

Britain and Spain agreed to leave.

Zaragoza:

Yes, but France wants its money back from Mexico now. Instead, they will get a fight.

Narrator 1: Mexico had borrowed money from Spain, Britain, and France. Narrator 2: Spain and Britain negotiated with Mexico and withdrew their troops. Narrator 3: But France demanded payment and stormed into Mexico. 24

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Cinco de Mayo (cont.) Soldier 1:

It looks like the French have 6,000 men.

Soldier 2:

Whoa! And we have…?

Soldier 3:

Just about 2,000, but they all are very loyal to Mexico.

Soldier 4:

What’s our strategy, General?

Zaragoza:

To win.

Narrator 1: The battle lasted from sunup to sundown. Narrator 2: The French gave up after losing 500 soldiers. Narrator 3: The Mexican forces lost fewer than 100. Soldier 1:

The French are retreating!

Soldier 2:

Take your fancy artillery, and get out of Mexico!

Soldier 3:

The Battle of Puebla is ours!

Soldier 4:

¡Viva México!

Zaragoza:

The war is now turned in our favor.

Narrator 1: In the General’s honor, Puebla de Los Angeles was renamed Puebla de Zaragoza. Narrator 2: Although this war raged on for six more years, the Battle of Puebla marked a turning point for the Mexican Army. Narrator 3: The unlikely victory at the Battle of Puebla happened on May 5, 1862. An annual celebration of this victory continues today and is known as Cinco de Mayo.

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Name: __________________________________ Date: ����������������������������������

Cinco de Mayo Word Study

Verb

Sentence with Verb

Change the Verb Using -sion

Sentence with Noun

Directions: In the first column, write a verb. In the second column, use that verb in a sentence that reflects the meaning of the word. In the third column, change the verb into a noun using the suffix -sion. In the last column, write a sentence that reflects the newly formed noun.

26

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Cynthia Ann Parker Background The Comanche took a very young Cynthia Ann Parker captive in the early 1800s. She grew up with the Comanche and adopted their culture. She married a Comanche and had children. During an attack on the Comanche, the American soldiers returned Cynthia to her original home. This script takes you into the mind of Cynthia as she transitions from her old to her new life.

Standards

• The student understands the political, economic, and social changes in Texas during the last half of the 19th century.



• The student understands how individuals, events, and issues shaped the history of Texas from Reconstruction through the beginning of the 20th century.

Materials • Cynthia Ann Parker script (pages 29–31)

• Cynthia Ann Parker Sentence Strips (page 32)

• scissors • glue

• writing paper

Vocabulary Words You may wish to introduce the following vocabulary words prior to the lesson: • adapted • assimilated • captors • cringed • defense • harsh • original • smallpox • succumbed • voluntarily

Script Study

1. Distribute the Cynthia Ann Parker script (pages 29–31) to students. Have students scan the script and circle any words that are unfamiliar. Then, discuss the selected words as a class.

2. Assign the character roles to students, and read the script together as a class. As students are reading the script, stop at the appropriate places in the text to provide a definition for each of the vocabulary words listed above. Encourage students to use context clues within the script to create a kid-friendly definition for each word. 3. After the class is done reading the script, ask the following questions to engage students in thinking about the text:

• What significant event happened to Cynthia Ann Parker when she was eleven or twelve years old? How did this event change her life?



• Why did Cynthia Ann choose to remain with the Comanche when she could have found a way to rejoin her own people?



• How did another significant event change Cynthia Ann Parker’s life in 1860?

4. Reread the script as a class, without stopping. © Shell Education

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Cynthia Ann Parker (cont.) Word Study 5. Explain to students that the word construct in the script is made from the Latin root stru/struct, which means “to build.” 6. Distribute the Cynthia Ann Parker Sentence Strips activity sheet (page 32) to students. Tell students that they will create word chains containing the stru/struct base by cutting apart the strips and gluing the ends together. 7. Provide students with time to find as many words as they can find in other texts that contain the stru/struct base. When they find a word, have them write a sentence on one of the paper strips that incorporates the selected word and reflects the word’s meaning. 8. When students have completed the activity, have them compare the length of their word chains with a neighbor, noting the number of words they discovered that are derived from each base. Examples include: construction, reconstruct, destruction, construe, instruction, structure, obstruct, and restructure.

Extension Activity 1. Have students pretend that they have an opportunity to interview Cynthia Ann Parker for a front page newspaper article on the day after the 1860 attack by the Texas Rangers on the Comanche tribe, when she was returned to her original people. 2. Tell students to write four questions to ask Cynthia Ann Parker in their interviews that would give readers insight into her life and her feelings at the time. 3. Once students have written their questions, have them exchange their questions with partners and write answers to their partners’ interview questions by pretending they are Cynthia Ann Parker.

Recommended Resources The following resources are available on Cynthia Ann Parker and the Comanche: Ditchfield, Christin. 2006. The Comanche. Chicago, IL: Children’s Press. Egan, Tracie. 2003. Cynthia Ann Parker: Comanche Captive. New York, NY: Rosen Publishing Group. Facts for Kids: Comanche Indians (Comanches). 1998. “Comanche Indian Fact Sheet.” http://www.bigorrin.org/comanche_kids.htm Lund, Bill. 1997. The Comanche Indians. Mankato, MN: Bridgestone Books. Meyer, Carolyn. 1992. Where the Broken Heart Still Beats: The Story of Cynthia Ann Parker. Atlanta, GA: Gulliver Books Paperbacks. Robson, Lucia St. Clair. 1985. Ride the Wind. New York, NY: Ballantine Books. Yacowitz, Caryn. 2003. Comanche Indians. Portsmouth, NH: Heinemann. 28

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Cynthia Ann Parker Characters Narrator 1  Narrator 2  Narrator 3  Narrator 4  Narrator 5

Narrator 6 Cynthia Ann Parker Texas Ranger Peta

Narrator 1: Cynthia Ann Parker looked at her three children, Quanah, Pecos, and Topsannah. She loved her family and the life she had known for the last twenty-five years. Narrator 2: She thought of her husband, Peta. He honored her greatly by only taking one wife, unlike the other Comanche warriors who took many. Narrator 3: Cynthia Ann Parker had lived with the Comanche for nearly all her life. It was the only life she had known for a long time. Narrator 4: She did not fully remember the life that she once had before the Comanche. Narrator 5: She tried to think back to her first family, a family almost forgotten. Narrator 6: People were unsure of when Cynthia Ann was born, but her date of birth was probably some time in 1824 or 1825. Narrator 1: Cynthia Ann Parker was born in Illinois, and her family moved to central Texas soon after. Narrator 2: Cynthia Ann’s family helped build a fort later named Fort Parker. Her original family helped to construct the high walls of the fort that were aimed to protect the people inside from American Indian attacks. Narrator 3: Regardless of the settlers’ preparations, the Caddo, Comanche, and Kiowa attacked Fort Parker, killing some of the people within and taking five captives. Narrator 4: One of the captives was Cynthia Ann Parker. She was taken in 1836. She must have been eleven or twelve years old. Narrator 5: Cynthia Ann cringed as she recalled how difficult her new life was in the beginning. She was often beaten by her captors.

© Shell Education

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Cynthia Ann Parker (cont.) Narrator 6: Slowly, the mistreatment ended, and life with the Comanche tribe turned into a new world for Cynthia Ann. As time passed, she slowly forgot her “white ways” and adapted to the Comanche lifestyle. Narrator 1: Before long, Cynthia could only be described as Comanche, not by her physical appearance but because she had assimilated into this band of Americans Indians in all other ways. Narrator 2: A Comanche couple raised Cynthia Ann and treated her as their own child. Narrator 3: Cynthia Ann remembered several times when she could have left the tribe and returned to her old life, but for some reason, she could not leave the life she had known for such a long time. Narrator 4: Cynthia Ann stayed with the Comanche. Narrator 5: Her language was Comanche. Her life was Comanche. Narrator 6: In 1848, Cynthia Ann told some European settlers that she would never leave the Comanche voluntarily, and the tribe would protect her right to stay at all costs. She would have to be taken away by force. Narrator 1: On this day, December 18, 1860, Cynthia Ann Parker wished she had not been so harsh with the settlers. Peta:

Cynthia Ann, the settlers are coming, and it looks like they are ready for battle.

Cynthia:

They have come for me, Peta!

Peta:

Stay here with Topsannah. The boys and I are going to join the defense.

Cynthia:

Are the Texas Rangers coming to fight us as well?

Peta:

I think so. If our defense weakens, surrender. It is important for you to stay alive.

Narrator 2: Under the command of Laurence Sullivan Ross, the Texas Rangers attacked the Comanche at Mule Creek. Narrator 3: Peta was wounded during the raid, but he managed to escape with his two sons, Quanah and Pecos. Cynthia:

My husband and sons are dead. My life will never be the same.

Narrator 4: Cynthia believed the worst for her sons and husband. She was unaware that they had escaped. However, she was right; her life would never be the same. 30

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Cynthia Ann Parker (cont.) Narrator 5: After the raid, the Texas Rangers came upon a pale, blue-eyed woman. She dressed and spoke as if she were a Comanche. Ranger:

What is your name?

Cynthia:

Cynthia Ann Parker.

Ranger:

Are you Comanche?

Narrator 6: Cynthia Ann replied in her native tongue—Comanche. Cynthia:

I am Comanche.

Ranger:

I’d better let Colonel Isaac Parker know that we may have found his niece, taken so long ago by the Comanche.

Cynthia:

You can take my daughter and me for now, but we will find a way to return to our people.

Narrator 1: Cynthia stayed true to her word. She attempted to reunite with her people many times. All her attempts failed. Narrator 2: Cynthia had assimilated as a young girl to the Comanche ways, but she was never able to go back to the European way of life she had known so many years ago. Cynthia:

I miss my family. I miss my people. I miss my home!

Narrator 3: Near the end of her life, Cynthia Ann received word that one of her sons had died of smallpox. Shortly after that, her daughter died of a high fever. Narrator 4: Cynthia Ann could not get used to the ways of the settlers. She had lived with the Comanche for too long. Narrator 5: Cynthia Ann spent the rest of her days in a life that was now foreign to her. Narrator 6: Cynthia Ann Parker succumbed to influenza at the age of 43, never seeing the Comanche again.

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Name: __________________________________ Date: ����������������������������������

Cynthia Ann Parker Sentence Strips Directions: Find words that contain the stru/struct base. Write the words you find below, one on each strip. Then, write a sentence that incorporates the selected word. Finally, cut and glue the ends of the strips to create word chains.

Word: ________________________ Sentence: ���������������������������������� ������������������������������������������������������������������������ Word: ________________________ Sentence: ���������������������������������� ������������������������������������������������������������������������ Word: ________________________ Sentence: ���������������������������������� ������������������������������������������������������������������������ Word: ________________________ Sentence: ���������������������������������� ������������������������������������������������������������������������ Word: ________________________ Sentence: ���������������������������������� ������������������������������������������������������������������������ Word: ________________________ Sentence: ���������������������������������� ������������������������������������������������������������������������ Word: ________________________ Sentence: ���������������������������������� ������������������������������������������������������������������������ Word: ________________________ Sentence: ���������������������������������� ������������������������������������������������������������������������ 32

#51009—Reader’s Theater Scripts: Texas History

© Shell Education

Henry Cisneros Background In this script, Talex Rebek, the host of Peppardy, stops the show to inform the not-so-amazing contestants of the importance of Henry Cisneros’s political career.

Standards

• The student understands important issues, events, and individuals of the 20th century in Texas.



• The student understands how individuals, events, and issues shaped the history of Texas during the 20th and early 21st centuries.

Vocabulary Words You may wish to introduce the following vocabulary words prior to the lesson: • category • contestant

Materials • Henry Cisneros script (pages 35–36)

• Making and Writing Words (page 37)



• blank paper



• colored pencils or markers

Script Study

1. Distribute the Henry Cisneros script (pages 35–36) to students. Have students scan the script and circle any words that are unfamiliar. Then, discuss the selected words as a class.

2. Assign the character roles to students, and read the script together as a class. As students are reading the script, stop at the appropriate places in the text to provide a definition for each of the vocabulary words listed above. Encourage students to use context clues within the script to create a kid-friendly definition for each word. 3. Ask the following questions to engage students in thinking about the text:

• What accomplishments did Cisneros achieve?



• Why was Cisneros’s election to the Good Government League significant?



• How do you know Cisneros was a popular mayor in San Antonio?

4. Reread the script as a class, without stopping.

Word Study 5. Distribute the Making and Writing Words activity sheet (page 37) to students. Have them record the vowels a, i, i, i, and o and the consonants c, l, n, p, t (list in alphabetical order) in the appropriate boxes on the chart. 6. Ask students to write the dictated words from the chart on page 34 in the numbered boxes, using the given letters. Discuss the meaning of each targeted word by reading the sentence provided. Note: The transfer words (T1 to T6) may use other letters than those provided by the lesson, but must build on the patterns presented in the original list of 15 words. © Shell Education

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Henry Cisneros (cont.) 7. Have students use the transfer boxes on their activity sheets to write the T1 to T6 words from the chart that utilize patterns presented in the original words recorded. Word 1. nail 2. pail 3. pain 4. paint 5. plain 6. plant 7. panic 8. optic 9. topic 10. tonic 11. action 12. caption 13. capital 14. optician 15. politician T1 piano T2 patio T3 initial T4 topical T5 capitol T6 reaction

Sentence Do you need this nail to hold the shelf in place? Shelby filled the pail with sand to build her sand castle. He felt the pain in his finger when he hit his hand with the hammer. “I need more paint to cover this wall,” shouted Mark. The flat, grassy plain was home to the buffalo. What kind of plant will grow from that seed? Panic set in as the man realized that his car would not start in the icy storm. Your optic nerve travels from your eye to your brain and helps you to see. The topic of this article is helping homeless animals. Grandma prepared her special tonic to help cure her headache. Rex loved all the action scenes in the movie. The caption under the photograph explained the details of the photograph. Austin is the capital of Texas. The optician helps you find the right glasses to wear so you can see better. Henry Cisneros was a politician and the first Hispanic mayor of a large city. Marco played a rock song on the piano. Can we eat dinner outside on the patio tonight? The first initial of my name is D. This is a topical burn cream meant to put on your skin; do not eat it! The capitol building in Austin contains a large dome. I loved her reaction when I told her that I had tickets to the circus.

Extension Activity 1. Have students create short cartoon strips about Cisneros’s achievements. What are some things that Cisneros might have said when he accomplished some of his goals? 2. When students have completed their cartoon strips, divide them into small groups, and have them share their work. Encourage students to brainstorm any similarities and differences they discovered.

Recommended Resource The following resource is available about Henry Cisneros: Jerome, Kate Boehm. 2011. San Antonio and the State of Texas: Cool Stuff Every Kid Should Know (Arcadia Kids). Charleston, SC: Arcadia Publishing. 34

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Henry Cisneros Characters Talex Rebek  Contestant 1 

Contestant 2 Contestant 3

Talex Rebek: Hi, I am Talex Rebek. Welcome to Peppardy. Let’s meet our contestants. Contestant 1: I am Contestant Number One, and I am from Denver, Colorado. Contestant 2: I am Contestant Number Two from Southern California. Contestant 3: I am Contestant Number Three, and I am a native Texan. Talex Rebek: Please choose a category, Contestant Number One. Contestant 1: I choose video games for 500, please, Talex. Talex Rebek: The answer is Neversoft. Contestant 2: (make buzzer sound) Who was the developer of Guitar Hero III: Legends of Rock®? Talex Rebek: And Contestant Number Two, your category? Contestant 2: Famous Texans for 400. Talex Rebek: The answer is Henry Cisneros. Contestant 3: (make buzzer sound) Who was the developer of Guitar Hero III: Legends of Rock®? Talex Rebek: Um, no. Anyone else? Anyone? Anyone? Contestant 1: Who was the developer of Rock Band®? Contestant 2: Who likes to play Rock Band®? Talex Rebek: Stop the show! Listen up contestants. This is more important than Peppardy. Henry Cisneros is a Mexican American from San Antonio. Does that help? Contestant 3: Oh yes, he was the youngest person elected to the Good Government League. Contestant 1: Wasn’t the Good Government League a group of people that ran the city of San Antonio? Talex Rebek: Yes, but do you know why it was so amazing that Cisneros was elected? Contestant 2: He was the first Latino voted into the Good Government League? © Shell Education

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Henry Cisneros (cont.) Talex Rebek: Exactly. And do you know what he did after that? Contestant 3: I do. Henry Cisneros became the first Hispanic mayor of a large United States city. Contestant 1: He was elected three more times after that. He was mayor for a long time in San Antonio. But Cisneros did not stop there. Talex Rebek: That’s right. Does anyone know what he did next? Contestant 2: (make buzzer sound) Oops, I mean, yes, I do. After a short break from politics, Cisneros was appointed Secretary of Housing and Urban Development by President Bill Clinton. Contestant 3: Wow, Henry Cisneros went from being an Aggie from Texas A&M University to being appointed by the president of the United States? Talex Rebek: Yes, I hear they have a great education system out in Texas. Contestant 1: Hey Talex, you always seem to have the answers. What does the Secretary of Housing and Urban Development—the HUD—do? Talex Rebek: The HUD helps people who cannot afford a place to live. Contestant 2: Like elementary students who want to own their own homes? Talex Rebek: No, but sometimes for their parents. Contestant 3: Henry Cisneros was once a student like us, and he grew up to become a politician, a businessman, and a community leader. Talex Rebek: Yes, you can do anything that you put your mind to. I am very happy we stopped the show to talk about such an important man from Texas. In fact, I am going to send all three of you home with $5,000 because you took the time to listen. Contestants: Really? Talex Rebek: No, not really.

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Name: __________________________________ Date: ����������������������������������

Making and Writing Words Directions: Write the vowels and consonants your teacher provides for you in the corresponding boxes below. Then, write the words your teacher says in the numbered boxes. Vowels

Consonants



1.



6.

11.



2.



7.

12.



3.



8.

13.



4.



9.

14.



5.

10.

15.

Transfer Words T1

T3

T5

T2

T4

T6

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History of the Cherokee Background The story begins with six Cherokee living comfortably in their community, and it ends with the present state of the Cherokee Nation. This script follows the six Cherokee through the happiness and hardships endured by the Cherokee people.

Standards

• The student understands the origins, similarities, and differences of Indian American groups in Texas and North America before European exploration.



• The student understands how individuals, events, and issues through Mexican National Era shaped the history of Texas.

Materials

Vocabulary Words You may wish to introduce the following vocabulary words prior to the lesson: • assume • inhabited • civilized

• nation

• democracy

• native

• exposed

• reservation

• honorary

• weapons

• History of the Cherokee script (pages 40–43)

• Word Hunt (page 44)

Script Study

1. Distribute the History of the Cherokee script (pages 40–43) to students. Have students scan the script and circle any words that are unfamiliar. Then, discuss the selected words as a class.

2. Assign the character roles to students, and read the script together as a class. As students are reading the script, stop at the appropriate places in the text to provide a definition for each of the vocabulary words listed above. Encourage students to use context clues within the script to create a kid-friendly definition for each word. 3. After the class is done reading the script, ask the following questions to engage students in thinking about the text:

• What were the characteristics of the early Cherokee homes?



• What were the roles of the War Chief and the Peace Chief?



• How did the Cherokee interactions with the Europeans and American settlers impact these American Indians over time?



• Why do you think the move of the Cherokee nation to the west was called The Trail of Tears?

4. Reread the script as a class, without stopping.

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History of the Cherokee (cont.) Word Study 5. Explain to students that the prefix ex- means “out.” The Latin base pos/posit means “put, place.” Ask students how knowing the meaning of these roots can help them understand the meaning of the word exposed. 6. Distribute the Word Hunt activity sheet (page 44) to students. 7. Have students look through the script and other texts for examples of words that include the listed roots. Tell students to write the words they find on the appropriate chart and identify the meaning of any known roots. Then, have them write the text sentence that includes that word. In the last column, have them write what they think the word means.

Extension Activity 1. Tell students to use the script to locate significant events in Cherokee history. The books and website listed in the Recommended Resources section below can be used as references for students to locate additional important events and dates. 2. Divide students into pairs or small groups to create a minimum of five slides for a PowerPoint® slide show. Each slide should give the date and a short description of that date’s event. Students can use clip art or photographs/graphics from teacher-approved websites to illustrate each slide. 3. Provide students with opportunities to present their slide shows. Another option is to have the class list all the dates/events that they want to include in a class slide show about the history of the Cherokee. Then, assign each student or student pair one date and event to research and to create a slide for a class slide show.

Recommended Resources The following resources are available for the history and stories of the Cherokee: Bruchac, Joseph. 1998. The First Strawberries. London: Puffin. Cherokee Nation. “History.” n.d. http://www.cherokee.org/AboutTheNation/History.aspx Curry, Jane Louise. 2003. Hold Up the Sky and Other Native American Tales from Texas and the Southern Plains. New York, NY: Margaret K. McElderry. Erdoes, Richard, and Alfonso Ortiz. 1985. American Indian Myths and Legends. New York, NY: Pantheon. Roop, Peter. 1998. If You Lived With the Cherokees. New York, NY: Scholastic. Santella, Andrew. 2000. The Cherokee. New York, NY: Children’s Press.

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History of the Cherokee Characters Cherokee 1  Cherokee 2  Cherokee 3  Cherokee 4

Cherokee 5 Cherokee 6 Narrator

Cherokee 1: There is nothing like hunting and farming. Farming and hunting—it is a great life. Cherokee 2: You have that right. We are lucky to be Cherokee. Cherokee 3: Yes, I really like this town. There are only about fifty of us, and we all work well together. Cherokee 4: And we get to live down by the river. Cherokee 5: I just love my mud hut. It’s a perfect home. Those wooden frames really hold together. My hut is close to the town square, too. Cherokee 6: Yeah, yeah, stop bragging. We all know you have the nicest mud house in the river bottom. Give it a rest and smell that fresh air. Narrator:

This scene looks very similar for over a thousand years. However, the story begins to change in 1540 with the arrival of the Spanish explorers.

Cherokee 1: Who is that? Cherokee 2: I think his name is Hernando de Soto. Cherokee 3: Cool name. What is he doing here? Cherokee 4: He is here with his explorers. Cherokee 5: Oh, yeah? What do explorers do? Cherokee 6: I am pretty sure that they explore. Cherokee 1: Do you think they will want to talk with our War Chief or our Peace Chief? Cherokee 2: I suppose that depends on the reason why they are here. Cherokee 3: If they are here for war, then I would assume the War Chief will handle it. Hopefully, they are here to speak with our Peace Chief. Cherokee 4: Either way, we will still have our say. That is the beauty of our democracy. Cherokee 5: Yes, it is best when everyone works together to decide. 40

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History of the Cherokee (cont.) Cherokee 6: I will bet that they are just passing through; it is nothing to worry about. Narrator:

Wrong. The Spanish people stayed, and they caused big changes in the lives of the Cherokee. At this time, the Cherokee inhabited much of the southeastern United States. Now, we fast-forward to the eighteenth century, when the Cherokee were exposed to many more European settlers.

Cherokee 1: Wow, these guys sure know how to wear out their welcome. Cherokee 2: It’s not all bad. We still get to play stickball! Cherokee 3: (In a sarcastic tone) Yes, I just love watching you run around with a stick with a net attached to the end. Cherokee 4: My favorite part of the game is counting how many times you miss the target on top of the pole. Maybe you should try playing with a bigger ball. Cherokee 5: You can always tell a stickball player. It is a rough sport, so broken bones are a sure sign. Cherokee 6: We may not all play stickball, but look at what you are wearing now. Cherokee 1: A good point for the change brought by the settlers! Pants and shirts are new. Cherokee 2: Plus, we now get to hunt for more than just food. Cherokee 3: That is true. The Europeans love to trade for animal skins. Cherokee 4: Exactly. That is how most of us got all our weapons. Cherokee 5: Hunting with their weapons is a lot easier. Cherokee 6: Not to mention that they brought all these useful tools that make farming easier. Narrator:

Around this time, the Cherokee moved into the Blue Ridge Mountains because the European population grew so much. More people brought more disease that began to wipe out the Cherokee.

Cherokee 1: I think I’m ready to go home now. Cherokee 2: Me, too. Cherokee 3: Me, three. Cherokee 4: We had to sign most of our land over to the Europeans. © Shell Education

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History of the Cherokee (cont.) Cherokee 5: I suppose that is why we keep getting forced farther and farther west. Cherokee 6: I am not so sure what to think of these guys anymore. Narrator:

In the early 1800s, the Cherokee became a nation. There was a chief and a vice chief. They also elected 32 council members.

Cherokee 1: I am feeling much better. Cherokee 2: It is good to be a part of the Cherokee Nation. Cherokee 3: The Europeans call us a civilized tribe. Cherokee 4: Yes, but they call us civilized only because we are becoming just like them. Cherokee 5: I suppose it is because we have lived side by side for so many years. Cherokee 6: Smell that fresh nation air. Narrator:

The happiness of the Cherokee Nation did not last long. The Indian Removal Act of 1830 forced the Cherokee from their native lands toward Texas.

Cherokee 1: I am not quite sure what is happening here. Cherokee 2: They want us to do what? Cherokee 3: They want us to leave our native lands. Their president, Andrew Jackson, made it a law. Cherokee 4: Why? Cherokee 5: Does the law have something to do with protecting us? I am not sure. It seems like the Americans just want our land. The land has attracted many new settlers. Cherokee 6: I know that some Cherokee are refusing to leave. Others are hiding in the wilderness and the mountains. Cherokee 1: Too much has changed now. I suppose none of us can brag about our mud houses now. Cherokee 2: So many of us have died from disease. Cherokee 3: I miss our rivers and mountains. Cherokee 4: I can’t believe it. We even fought for the Americans in the War of 1812. Cherokee 5: Where are we heading now? Cherokee 6: Wherever the guys with guns tell us to go. 42

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History of the Cherokee (cont.) Narrator:

At gunpoint, the Cherokee were forced to leave their lands. Many died from cold and hunger on the long way to their new home. This terrible move of the Cherokee Nation to the west later became known as the Trail of Tears.

Cherokee 1: So this is the Republic of Texas. Cherokee 2: Snazzy name. Cherokee 3: I can’t believe that people wanted us to fight in the Texas Revolution. Cherokee 4: Thank goodness Sam Houston stepped in and negotiated a treaty. I’m glad we made him an honorary Cherokee. Cherokee 5: Of course, if history repeats itself, we will probably be moving again someday. Cherokee 6: Regardless, I am still proud to be Cherokee. Narrator:

© Shell Education

The Cherokee suffered a great deal, and eventually moved to a reservation in Oklahoma, but they have always remembered their times of change and the horrid Trail of Tears.

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Name: __________________________________ Date: ����������������������������������

Word Hunt Directions: Look through the script and other texts for examples of words that include the roots below. Write the words in the appropriate columns, and identify the meanings of any known roots. In the last column, write what you think the word means. Words with prefix ex-

Word parts that I know

What I think the word means

Word parts that I know

What I think the word means

extend

Words with Latin root pos/posit deposit

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Rise of the Johnson Space Center Background After the launch of the Russian satellite Sputnik, Lyndon B. Johnson gets down to business. His efforts resulted in the Johnson Space Center. This script follows Lyndon B. Johnson as he tackles the many obstacles in convincing the United States to engage in the “space race.” Note: You may wish to further the reader’s theater experience by doing a paired reading activity with the script in the next lesson, Inside the Johnson Space Center along with the Script Study questions below.

Standards

• The student understands the impact of science and technology on life in Texas.



• The student understands the impact of scientific discoveries and technological innovations on the political, economic, and social development of Texas.

Materials • Rise of the Johnson Space Center script (pages 47–49)

• Words “Among” the Script (page 50)



• blank paper



• colored pencils or markers

Vocabulary Words You may wish to introduce the following vocabulary words prior to the lesson: • aeronautics

• analyze

• draft • impact • intercontinental • launching • opposition • posed • satellite • technology

Script Study

1. Distribute the Rise of the Johnson Space Center script (pages 47–49) to students. Have students scan the script and circle any words that are unfamiliar. Then, discuss the selected words as a class.

2. Assign the character roles to students, and read the script together as a class. As students are reading the script, stop at the appropriate places in the text to provide a definition for each of the vocabulary words listed above. Encourage students to use context clues within the script to create a kid-friendly definition for each word. 3. After the class is done reading the script, ask the following questions to engage students in thinking about the text:

• Whose dreams were realized with the creation of NASA and the Manned Spacecraft Center?



• When and why did the United States become serious about space exploration?



• Name two purposes for the Lyndon B. Johnson Space Center.

4. Reread the script as a class, without stopping. © Shell Education

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Rise of the Johnson Space Center (cont.) Word Study 5. Explain to students that the prefix inter- means “among” or “between.” Ask students how knowing the meaning of this prefix can help them understand the meaning of the word intercontinental. 6. Distribute the Words “Among” the Script activity sheet (page 50) to students. 7. Have students look through the script and other texts for examples of words that include the prefix inter-. Tell students to write the words they find in the chart on the activity sheet, and identify the meaning of any known roots. Then, have them write what they think the word means.

Extension Activity 1. After reading the script, have students research the history of NASA using their official website (http://www.nasa.gov). 2. Tell students to create cause and effect flip books by determining the relationships in the history of NASA and the Johnson Space Center (e.g., Cause—The Soviet satellite Sputnik was launched by Russia; Effect—Lyndon B. Johnson asked General Doolittle to put an emphasis on developing manned space flight).

Recommended Resources The following resources are available for the history and current events at NASA and the Johnson Space Center: Hansen, Rosanna. 2006. Mysteries in Space: A Chapter Book. New York, NY: Children’s Press. NASA. “Astronauts.” n.d. http://www.nasa.gov/astronauts/#.U301Guldums NASA. “NASA Education for Students.” n.d. http://www.nasa.gov/audience/forstudents/#.Us4puJHnkw4 NASA. “NASA Kids Club.” n.d. http://www.nasa.gov/audience/forkids/kidsclub/flash/index.html#.Us4p15Hnkw4 Tocci, Salvatore. 2004. NASA. Danbury, CT: Franklin Watts.

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Rise of the Johnson Space Center Characters Narrator 1  Narrator 2  Narrator 3  Narrator 4  Johnson:

Narrator 5 Dr. Bush Lyndon B. Johnson General Doolittle

I was at my ranch in Texas when the news of Sputnik flashed across the globe . . .

Narrator 1: . . . said Senator Lyndon Baines Johnson after realizing the impact of the Soviets launching the first satellite into outer space. Narrator 2: Lyndon B. Johnson took action immediately. Narrator 3: Johnson’s actions would eventually result in the creation of NASA’s Johnson Space Center in Houston, Texas. Johnson:

We have to analyze our position on space flight. The Soviet satellite is not a mere “scientific trick.” Their technology could produce an intercontinental missile. It is time to get serious.

Narrator 4: Johnson became the director of a committee brought together to analyze how prepared the United States was for launching satellites and missiles. They called it the Preparedness Subcommittee. Narrator 5: The launch of Sputnik posed possible severe military issues for the United States. The committee knew they did not have much time to act, so they gave many speeches to gain support and consulted experts in the field. Narrator 1: One of those experts was Dr. Vannevar Bush. Johnson:

Dr. Bush, we are in a crisis and need your help.

Dr. Bush:

The process of launching satellites and launching missiles is very similar.

Johnson:

Unfortunately, our president claims the two projects are very different.

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Rise of the Johnson Space Center (cont.) Dr. Bush:

This is not the time for arguments. You must convince the opposition that we need to put these arguments aside and work together.

Johnson:

Agreed. I will consult General James Doolittle on this matter as well.

Narrator 2: General James Doolittle was the chair of the National Advisory Committee for Aeronautics. This group would later be known as NASA. Johnson:

General Doolittle, how did Russia launch a project like Sputnik? How did this happen?

Doolittle:

The Soviets began working on missile development at least seven years before we did.

Johnson:

But how did they launch Sputnik so quickly?

Doolittle:

They seem to care more about science than we do.

Johnson:

How do you know?

Doolittle:

They pay their scientists a great deal more than we do. Scientists who do well with their research are rewarded. Then again, those scientists who do not perform well are destroyed. Not the best system, but it obviously got them where they wanted to be.

Johnson:

What can we do?

Doolittle:

We have to put more of a national emphasis on science.

Narrator 3: The United States government listened to the advice. Narrator 4: The United States became very interested in rocketry. Narrator 5: Many teams began working in different places. Narrator 1: The National Aeronautics and Space Administration was born. NASA became the most important agent for manned space flight. Narrator 2: The United States military and other task forces joined together to form the Manned Spacecraft Center in Houston, Texas. 48

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Rise of the Johnson Space Center (cont.) Narrator 3: Johnson’s committee met for three long months trying to draft a report to continue to influence the growth of space flight. Johnson had this to say: Johnson:

It is apparent that we have the technical skill, the resources, and the necessary enthusiasm among our technicians to build any missile that we need and to build it on time. What we have been lacking are hard, firm decisions at high levels.

Narrator 4: NASA and the government did not delay any further. Narrator 5: After one failed attempt, the United States successfully launched the satellite, Explorer I, on January 31, 1958. Narrator 1: The Special Committee on Space and Astronautics was formed, and Lyndon B. Johnson was named chairman. Johnson:

There is something out there in space.

Narrator 2: Because of all of the tireless hours that Johnson spent fighting for space flight, the Manned Spacecraft Center in Houston was renamed in Johnson’s honor. Narrator 3: However, he was not alive to witness this change. Narrator 4: Johnson impacted the beginning of American space travel and the continuing support for the space program. Narrator 5: We remember him for not just his belief in “something out there . . . ” Narrator 1: We remember Lyndon B. Johnson for his powerful actions that backed up his belief in the future of his country.

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Name: __________________________________ Date: ����������������������������������

Words “Among” the Script

Word with prefix inter-

Other word parts that I know

What I think the word means

Directions: Look through the script and other texts for words that include the prefix inter-. Write the words you find on the chart. Identify the meaning of any known roots within each word. Then, write what you think each word means. Now, add additional words that you know or can find in other texts that use the prefix inter-.

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Inside the Johnson Space Center Background Although there is one complainer, many of the visitors to the Johnson Space Center enjoy their tour. In this script, the tour guide shows the eager visitors around the impressive Johnson Space Center. Note: You may wish to further the reader’s theater experience by doing a paired reading activity with the previous script, Rise of the Johnson Space Center. You can use the questions from the Script Study in that lesson for both of the scripts.

Standards

• The student understands important issues, events, and individuals of the 20th century in Texas.



• The student understands how individuals, events, and issues shaped the history of Texas from Reconstruction through the beginning of the 20th century.

Vocabulary Words You may wish to introduce the following vocabulary words prior to the lesson: • aliens • international

• astronauts

• monitors

• buoyancy

• remodeling

• donated

• weightlessness

• instigating

Materials • Inside the Johnson Space Center script (pages 53–55)

• Going “Back” to the Script (page 56)



• writing paper

Script Study

1. Distribute the Inside the Johnson Space Center script (pages 53–55) to students. Have students scan the script and circle any words that are unfamiliar. Then, discuss the selected words as a class.

2. Assign the character roles to students, and read the script together as a class. As students are reading the script, stop at the appropriate places in the text to provide a definition for each of the vocabulary words listed above. Encourage students to use context clues within the script to create a kid-friendly definition for each word. 3. After the class is done reading the script, ask the following questions to engage students in thinking about the text:

• How did the United States government honor Lyndon Johnson’s contributions to the space program?



• How does NASA use a swimming pool to train astronauts?



• What does the Mission Control Center do?

4. Reread the script as a class, without stopping. © Shell Education

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Inside the Johnson Space Center (cont.) Word Study 5. Explain to students that the prefix re- means “again” or “back.” Ask students how knowing the meaning of this prefix can help them understand the meaning of the words remodeling, repainting, and renamed. 6. Distribute the Going “Back” to the Script activity sheet (page 56) to students. 7. Have students look through the script for examples of words that include the prefix re-. Tell students to write the words they find on the chart and identify the meaning of any known roots. In the third column, they are to write the sentence from the text where they found the word. Then, have them write what they think the word means.

Extension Activity 1. Have students find information about the life of an astronaut at the Johnson Space Center and on actual space missions on the NASA Education for Students website below. 2. After exploring the site, especially the journal entries of real astronauts, have students compose imaginary short stories, journal entries, or letters home from the point of view of a real astronaut in today’s space program.

Recommended Resources The following resources are available for the history and current events at NASA and the Johnson Space Center: Hansen, Rosanna. 2006. Mysteries in Space: A Chapter Book. New York, NY: Children’s Press. NASA. “Astronauts.” n.d. http://www.nasa.gov/astronauts/#.U301Guldums NASA. “NASA Education for Students.” n.d. http://www.nasa.gov/audience/forstudents/#.Us4puJHnkw4 NASA. “NASA Kids Club.” n.d. http://www.nasa.gov/audience/forkids/kidsclub/flash/index.html#.Us4p15Hnkw4 Tocci, Salvatore. 2004. NASA. Danbury, CT: Franklin Watts.

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Inside the Johnson Space Center Characters Tour Guide  Visitor 1  Visitor 2 

Visitor 3 Visitor 4 Visitor 5

Tour Guide: Ladies and gentleman, boys and girls, astronauts and aliens, I will be your tour guide today. Please try not to get lost, feel free to ask questions, and enjoy the wonders of the Lyndon B. Johnson Space Center. Visitor 1:

I’ve got to use the restroom.

Tour Guide: That will be our first stop. Visitor 2:

This place is huge!

Visitor 3:

You’ve got that right.

Tour Guide: The Johnson Space Center sits on 1,620 acres. Visitor 4:

That is a whole lot of Houston.

Visitor 5:

It sure is. There are a ton of buildings, too.

Tour Guide: There are over 100 buildings on our grounds. Visitor 1:

Wow, that restroom was super clean.

Visitor 2:

Can we go now?

Tour Guide: Welcome to NASA’s home for human spaceflight. Because of our focus on sending humans into space, it is also home to the United States Astronaut Corps. We train astronauts from all over the world. Visitor 3:

So, do you have a room that creates weightlessness?

Visitor 4:

We have got to try that.

Visitor 5:

Sounds good to me.

Tour Guide: No, I’m sorry. It is closed for remodeling; something about repainting it with warmer colors. Visitor 1:

Really?

Tour Guide: Not really. I’m very sorry, but we do not have a magical weightlessness room. Get over it. Shall we continue? Visitor 2: © Shell Education

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Inside the Johnson Space Center (cont.) Tour Guide: The JSC was officially opened in 1963 on land donated by Rice University. Visitor 3:

The JSC?

Visitor 4:

The Johnson Space Center.

Tour Guide: It was originally called the Manned Spacecraft Center. Visitor 5:

Fitting name.

Tour Guide: It was renamed in honor of Lyndon B. Johnson after his death in 1973. Visitor 1:

Why?

Visitor 2:

To honor his hard work in initiating the United States space program.

Visitor 3:

Texans are great.

Visitor 4:

What’s in there?

Tour Guide: Ah, yes. The JSC houses the Mission Control Center. It monitors and controls all manned space flight. It is also the primary communication for the International Space Station. Visitor 5:

That is amazing.

Visitor 1:

My stomach hurts.

Tour Guide: Drink some water. Anyway, let’s move to the historic Apollo Mission Control Center. Visitor 2:

Is that where they controlled the moon landing?

Tour Guide: Yes. In this room, they controlled all of the Gemini, Apollo, Skylab, and space shuttle missions up until 1998. Visitor 3:

This is a high tech room—and famous, too.

Tour Guide: Wait until you see the Sonny Carter Training Facility. Visitor 4:

Is that where you train the astronauts?

Visitor 5:

Are you sure they do not have a floating room?

Tour Guide: No, all of the rooms are safely grounded. Let’s head over and take a look. Visitor 1:

My feet hurt.

Tour Guide: This is what we use instead of magic to train our astronauts. 54

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Inside the Johnson Space Center (cont.) Visitor 2:

That is the biggest pool I have ever seen.

Tour Guide: You’re right. It is the largest pool in the world. It contains 6.2 million gallons of water. Visitor 3:

So that is how you do it.

Tour Guide: This is called the Neutral Buoyancy Lab. Visitor 4:

Oh, the water gives the feeling of weightlessness.

Tour Guide: Exactly, and this is where they practice any tasks that might be completed in space. Visitor 5:

It makes me want to go for a swim.

Tour Guide: I don’t think so. Visitor 4:

I can’t believe this is where all the famous astronauts have been trained.

Visitor 3:

Many people have walked through these halls before going into outer space.

Visitor 2:

I’ve got to take this tour again.

Visitor 1:

I’ve got a headache.

Tour Guide: I’ve got an idea. Go home, and take a nap.

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Name: __________________________________ Date: ����������������������������������

Going “Back” to the Script

56

named renamed

to name again; to give a different name

Other word parts that I know Words with prefix re-

What I think the word means

Directions: Look through the script and other texts for examples of words that include the prefix re-. Write the word on the chart, and identify the meaning of any known roots. Then, write what you think the word means.

#51009—Reader’s Theater Scripts: Texas History

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Jim Bowie and William Travis at the Alamo Background This script starts by introducing the important players in the Battle of the Alamo. After the introductions, narrators explain the sequence of events surrounding the famous battle.

Standards

• The student understands the importance of the Texas Revolution, the Republic of Texas, and the annexation of Texas to the United States.



• The student understands how individuals, events, and issues related to the Texas Revolution shaped the history of Texas.

Vocabulary Words You may wish to introduce the following vocabulary words prior to the lesson: • abandon

• besieged

• collapsed • mercy • mission

Materials • Jim Bowie and William Travis at the Alamo script (pages 59–60) • Inflectional Ending Cards -ed (pages 61–62)

• Inflectional Ending -ed (page 63)

• scissors

• chart paper



• index cards

• negotiate • reputation • resolution • salvation • sustain • unconditional

Script Study

1. Distribute the Jim Bowie and William Travis at the Alamo script (pages 59–60) to students. Have students scan the script and circle any words that are unfamiliar. Then, discuss the selected words as a class.

2. Assign the character roles to students, and read the script together as a class. As students are reading the script, stop at the appropriate places in the text to provide a definition for each of the vocabulary words listed above. Encourage students to use context clues within the script to create a kid-friendly definition for each word. 3. Ask the following questions to engage students in thinking about the text:

• Who was the original leader of the troops at the Alamo?



• Why did Travis end up totally in charge of the Alamo?



• Name at least two character traits that Travis and Bowie had in common. Support your thinking with examples from the text.



• What was the impact of the Battle of the Alamo on Texas history?

4. Reread the script as a class, without stopping. © Shell Education

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Jim Bowie and William Travis at the Alamo (cont.) Word Study 5. Explain to students that an inflectional ending is a group of letters added to the end of a word to change its function. Tell students that they will do an activity to help them note how the spelling and function of a word changes when the inflectional ending -ed is added to the end. 6. Distribute the Inflectional Ending -ed activity sheet (page 63) to students. Explain that when we add -ed to the end of a word, the spelling of the base word can change as well. Have students note the columns of their charts. Encourage students to brainstorm examples to share with the class. Record student responses on the board or on a sheet of chart paper. 7. Select student volunteers to choose an Inflectional Ending Card -ed (pages 61–62). Complete the chart together as a class. When the chart is completed, encourage students to skim the script to find additional words to add to their activity sheet.

Extension Activity 1. Using index cards, prepare a set of character trait/emotion word cards for students to use with the script. Have each student select a word and then find a character’s part in the script that reflects that emotion/trait. 2. Have students practice reading their parts with prosody until their reading is fluent. Then, have students share their selected reader’s theater parts with another student. Possible trait/emotion cards for students may include the following: pensive, reluctant, apprehensive, jubilant, repentant, proud, petulant, convicted, regretful, furious, contemplative, threatening, worried, proud, jealous, convincing, sorrowful, furious, and thoughtful.

Recommended Resources The following resources are available about Jim Bowie, William Travis, and the Alamo: Bredeson, Carmen. 1996. The Battle of the Alamo: The Fight for Texas Territory. Minneapolis, MN: Millbrook Press. Cuate, Melodie. 2006. Journey to the Alamo. Lubbock, TX: Texas Tech University Press. Garland, Sherry. 2004. Voices of the Alamo. Gretna, LA: Pelican Publishing. Jakes, John. 1990. Susanna of the Alamo: A True Story. Harpers Ferry, WV: Voyager Books. Lone Star Internet. “The Battle of the Alamo.” n.d. http://www.lone-star.net/mall/texasinfo/alamo-battle.htm Love, D. Anne. 2001. I Remember the Alamo. New York, NY: Yearling.

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Jim Bowie and William Travis at the Alamo Characters Jim Bowie  William Travis  James Neill

Narrator 1 Narrator 2

Jim Bowie: I made my fame and fortune in the land of Texas. I was often recognized by the famous knife I designed, the Bowie knife, but my fame was linked to Texas freedom and the Alamo. I was sent to San Antonio de Bexar by my friend and commander-in-chief of the military for Texas, Sam Houston. I arrived back in my home of San Antonio in January, 1836, to make sure Houston’s orders to Colonel James Neill were carried out: abandon the Alamo and destroy it. James Neill: We were glad to see Bowie! Bowie and I discussed the situation and decided to ignore Houston’s orders, keeping the mission at the Alamo safe from Santa Anna, the Mexican leader, and his army. Jim Bowie: The salvation of Texas depends in a great measure in keeping Bexar out of the hands of the enemy. Colonel Neill and I have come to the solemn resolution that we would rather die in these ditches than give it up to the enemy. James Neill: Bowie and I called for men and more supplies from the government. As we waited, I was forced to leave the Alamo to care for my sick family. I had to pick someone to be in command while I was gone. Travis: I was a colonel like Neill, and I was assigned to take my men to the Alamo. I was twenty-six years old and ready to show my worth in battle. I was not happy with my orders. I wrote the governor, “I am unwilling to risk my reputation by going off into the enemy’s country with such little means, so few men, and with them so badly equipped.” However, once I got to the Alamo, I changed my mind. I saw why Neill and Bowie wanted to keep the Alamo protected. It was the key to Texas. James Neill: I appointed Travis to take over for me since he was the senior regular army officer. I was afraid it was not a popular decision for Bowie and his men. Travis was young and eager to advance. I didn’t think that Bowie or his men liked Travis, but I had to go.

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Jim Bowie and William Travis at the Alamo (cont.) Travis: Jim Bowie:

Narrator 1: Narrator 2: Narrator 1: Travis: Jim Bowie:

Narrator 2: Travis:

60

We took a vote to see who the volunteers at the Alamo wanted to lead them. I was the leader of the cavalry and the regular army. But the men voted for me! I led the volunteers. All decisions had to be signed by both Travis and me. The circumstances were not ideal, and we kept getting reports of the advancing Mexican Army, which Travis did not believe. The people of San Antonio de Bexar believed the reports, especially when they received a messenger from Santa Anna that his army was planning to attack the next day. Most of the town fled. Some of the townspeople, mostly women, children, and several slaves, did not escape, but instead went into the Alamo for safety. Travis’s lookouts saw the red banner that the Mexican Army raised as they marched into town. They knew what it meant—no mercy and no prisoners. I ordered the firing of the eighteen-pound cannon. I showed Santa Anna that we would fight until death. I was shocked that Travis fired the cannon. I wanted to negotiate with Santa Anna and his enormous army that far outnumbered our own. I had Green Jameson take a white flag of peace out of the Alamo and carry a message to Santa Anna, asking him to negotiate with us. The only reply was “unconditional surrender.” There could have been a terrible fight between Travis and Bowie over the leadership of the Alamo, but suddenly Bowie fell ill. He collapsed, leaving Travis in charge of the Alamo. I wrote letters to Houston, begging him to send aid as soon as possible. To the people of Texas and all Americans, I wrote, “I am besieged by a thousand or more Mexicans under Santa Anna. The enemy has demanded a surrender . . . I have answered the demand with a cannon shot, and our flag still waves proudly from the walls—I shall never surrender or retreat. Then, I call on you in the name of liberty, of patriotism and everything dear to the American character, to come to our aid, with all dispatch . . . If this call is neglected, I am determined to sustain myself as long as possible and die like a soldier who never forgets what is due to his own honor and that of this country— VICTORY OR DEATH.”

#51009—Reader’s Theater Scripts: Texas History

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Inflectional Ending Cards -ed Teacher Directions: Copy and cut apart the cards.

recognize

design

link

arrive

carry

discuss

wait

force

escape

grab

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Inflectional Ending Cards -ed (cont.)

62

assign

protect

appoint

receive

collapse

beg

neglect

determine

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Name: __________________________________ Date: ����������������������������������

Inflectional Ending -ed

Add -ed

Drop the final e and add -ed

Change the final y to i and add -ed

Double the final consonant and add -ed

Directions: Complete the chart below by listening for the words chosen by your classmates. Then, skim the script to find any additional words to add to your chart.

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Just the Facts Background For this script, one must imagine Texas has a voice and is proudly spouting off facts about itself. We reckon y’all should read it with a mighty thick Texas accent.

Standards

• The student understands the political, economic, and social changes in Texas during the last half of the 19th century.



• The student understands traditional historical points of reference in Texas history.

Vocabulary Words You may wish to introduce the following vocabulary words prior to the lesson: • allies • boom

• colonized

• gross

Materials

• industry

• Just the Facts script (pages 66–67)

• regional



• The ABC of Vivid Verbs (page 68)

• trek

Script Study

1. Distribute the Just the Facts script (pages 66–67) to students. Have students scan the script and circle any words that are unfamiliar. Then, discuss the selected words as a class.

2. Assign the character roles to students, and read the script together as a class. As students are reading the script, stop at the appropriate places in the text to provide a definition for each of the vocabulary words listed above. Encourage students to use context clues within the script to create a kid-friendly definition for each word. 3. After the class is done reading the script, ask the following questions to engage students in thinking about the text:

• Why is Texas called the Lone Star State?



• What are some of the economic resources in Texas that cause the state to have the second‑highest gross state product?



• How did Texans honor Stephen F. Austin?

4. Reread the script as a class, without stopping.

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Just the Facts (cont.) Word Study 5. Explain to students that vivid verbs are used in writing to add spark and interest as well as to create a more exact image in the mind of a reader. For example, instead of using the verb said, vivid verbs such as holler, whisper, whine, and bellow can help the reader better comprehend the tone/emotion of the text. 6. Distribute The ABC of Vivid Verbs activity sheet (page 68) to students. Have students skim through the script and other texts to find vivid verbs in order to complete their activity sheet. When they have completed reviewing the texts, if there are any blank boxes, encourage them to review other texts or their own writing compositions from previous lessons.

Extension Activity 1. Have students use the scripts, their textbooks, and/or any of the resources listed below to create a “Top Ten” list of facts about Texas. Suggestions for a possible top ten list can include one of the following topics: Top Ten Important Facts About Texas, Top Ten Famous Texans, Top Ten Texas Natural Landmarks, Top Ten Texas Historic Landmarks, Top Ten Resources/ Products of Texas, Top Ten Texas Cities, Top Ten Texas Animals, and Top Ten Weird and Wonderful Texas Trivia Facts. 2. Have students work individually, in pairs, or small groups to develop PowerPoint® presentations or annotated murals of their top ten facts. Each fact must also include at least one sentence about why that fact was selected.

Recommended Resources The following resources are available about Texas facts: 50states.com. “Texas Facts and Trivia.” n.d. http://www.50states.com/facts/texas.htm#.UtNVbiTTHS8 Adams, Simon. 2003. Texas Eyewitness Book. New York, NY: DK Books. Bruun, Erik, and Rick Peterson. 2000. State Shapes: Texas. New York, NY: Black Dog and Leventhal Publishers. Crutchfield, James A. 1996. It Happened in Texas. Augusta, GA: TwoDot. McDonald, Archie P. 2007. Texas: A Compact History. Buffalo Gap, TX: State House Press. Munro, R. 2001. The Inside-Outside Book of Texas. San Francisco, CA: Chronicle Books. Sasek, Miroslav. 2006. This Is Texas. Milan: Universe. Texas.gov. “The Official Website of the State of Texas.” n.d. http://www.texas.gov/en/Pages/default.aspx © Shell Education

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Just the Facts Characters Texan 1  Texan 2  Texan 3  Texan 4 

66

Texan 5 Texan 6 Texan 7 Texan 8

Texan 1:

I am Texas. My name comes from tayshay, a Caddoan word for “friends” or “allies.”

Texan 2:

They call me the Lone Star State because I once had two stars on my flag, but when I split from Mexico I got rid of one star, leaving the lone star.

Texan 3:

I am the second biggest state in the U.S.A. I am huge, and I cover 268,820 square miles.

Texan 4:

As you travel from east to west, you trek through my pinewoods, oak forests, prairies, and finally the desert. That’s right, I have it all!

Texan 5:

My capital is Austin. It was named after Stephen F. Austin, who people call my “father” because he colonized the settlers here.

Texan 6:

Before I became my own country in 1836, I was a part of Spain, France, and Mexico.

Texan 7:

I was called the Republic of Texas for nine years, but I got a bit lonely and joined the United States as the 28th state in 1845.

Texan 8:

My culture is close to that of the American south. Because I was once owned by Mexico and Spain, I am sometimes called a southwestern-type state.

Texan 1:

However, many people who live here do not care about the regional labels. They call themselves Texans, and they live a Texan way of life.

Texan 2:

I am home to many cowboys because of my huge cattle industry.

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Just the Facts (cont.) Texan 3:

I am also famous for my oil supply. In the early 1900s, people came from all over to get some “black gold.” My oil brought a lot of people to me.

Texan 4:

The oil boom helped me advance into what I am today, with plenty of technology, medical research, and universities.

Texan 5:

In fact, my gross state product is the second highest in the nation.

Texan 6:

I have the second highest population in the nation as well.

Texan 7:

As I consider it, I suppose everything really is bigger in Texas.

Texan 8:

Especially my history and culture!

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Name: __________________________________ Date: ����������������������������������

68

X W V T

Z

S

Y

U

R Q P N M

O

L K J H G

I

F E D C B A

Directions: Complete the chart below by writing a vivid verb that starts with the letter of the alphabet in each box.

The ABC of Vivid Verbs

#51009—Reader’s Theater Scripts: Texas History

© Shell Education

Mirabeau B. Lamar Background When six students discuss whether they should go to college, one well-informed student shares information about Mirabeau B. Lamar. This script focuses on the many accomplishments of Mirabeau B. Lamar.

Standards

• The student understands the importance of the Texas Revolution, the Republic of Texas, and the annexation of Texas to the United States.



• The student understands how individuals, events, and issues shaped the history of the Republic of Texas and early Texas statehood.

Vocabulary Words You may wish to introduce the following vocabulary words prior to the lesson: • allotted • cruising

• merchant

• promoted • toured

Materials • Mirabeau B. Lamar script (pages 71–73)

• Inflectional Ending Cards -ing (pages 74–75)



• Inflectional Ending -ing (page 76)



• chart paper

• scissors

Script Study

1. Distribute the Mirabeau B. Lamar script (pages 71–73) to students. Have students scan the script and circle any words that are unfamiliar. Then, discuss the selected words as a class.

2. Assign the character roles to students, and read the script together as a class. As students are reading the script, stop at the appropriate places in the text to provide a definition for each of the vocabulary words listed above. Encourage students to use context clues within the script to create a kid-friendly definition for each word. 3. After the class is done reading the script, ask the following questions to engage students in thinking about the text:

• What are two things that Mirabeau B. Lamar did for Texas?



• Why was Lamar promoted to colonel in the Texas army?



• Why is Lamar known as the Father of Texas Education?

4. Reread the script as a class, without stopping.

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Mirabeau B. Lamar (cont.) Word Study 5. Explain to students that an inflectional ending is a group of letters added to the end of a word to change its function. Tell students that they will do an activity to help them note how the spelling and function of a word changes when the inflectional ending -ing is added to the end. 6. Distribute the Inflectional Ending -ing activity sheet (page 76) to students. Explain that when we add -ing to the end of a word, the spelling of the base word can change as well. Have students note the columns of their charts. Encourage them to brainstorm any examples to share with the class. Record student responses on the board or on a sheet of chart paper. 7. Select student volunteers to choose an Inflectional Ending Card -ing (pages 74–75). Complete the chart together as a class. When the chart is completed, encourage students to skim the script to find additional words to add to their activity sheet.

Extension Activity 1. Tell students that Mirabeau B. Lamar enjoyed writing. He wrote poetry about things that were important and meaningful to him in his life. Introduce students to a poetry form such as the acrostic poem, in which students choose names of people and then write short phrases beginning with each letter in the selected person’s name that describe him or her. 2. Have students work with partners to create acrostic poems for Lamar. Then, they can individually create acrostic poems using their own names or other famous Texas figures (see other scripts for suggestions) for the poem’s structure. The following is an example: Loved Texas with all his heart Acted courageously to win Texas freedom Made his future through his own determination Accepted leadership as the second president of the Texas Republic Reserved land to build a foundation for Texas schools

Recommended Resources The following resources are available about Mirabeau B. Lamar: Alter, Judy. 2005. Mirabeau B. Lamar: Second President of Texas. Buffalo Gap, TX: State House Press. Texas State Historical Association. “Lamar, Mirabeau Buonaparte.” n.d. https://www.tshaonline.org/handbook/online/articles/fla15 Texas State Library and Archives Commission. “Mirabeau B. Lamar.” n.d. https://www.tsl.texas.gov/treasures/giants/lamar/lamar-01.html

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Mirabeau B. Lamar Characters Student 1  Student 2  Student 3 

Student 4 Student 5 Student 6

Student 1:

I’ve been thinking about skipping college and cruising around the world for a little while.

Student 2:

No, I don’t think that’s a good idea.

Student 1:

I could see the sights and experience other cultures . . .

Student 2:

No, I just don’t think so.

Student 1:

. . . with nothing but a backpack and enough cheese popcorn to last a lifetime.

Student 2:

Bad idea!

Student 3:

Did you say you wanted to travel around the world? I’m in!

Student 2:

Yeah, no.

Student 4:

I want to go, too.

Student 2:

Don’t you think it’s a little too soon to be making these kinds of plans?

Student 1:

Good-bye, college; hello, world!

Student 3:

You had me at “cheese popcorn.”

Student 4:

At least we won’t have to pack for a few more years.

Student 2:

Go ahead, skip college just like that old Texan, Mirabeau B. Lamar.

Student 1:

Who?

Student 3:

That name sounds made up.

Student 5:

Actually, it’s not.

Student 2:

Yes, Mirabeau B. Lamar was from Texas, and he bit the ears of students who refused to go to college.

Student 3:

What?

Student 2:

Mirabeau B. Lamar never went to college. My parents said that he tried to save people from his mistake.

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Mirabeau B. Lamar (cont.)

72

Student 4:

So he followed students around biting their ears?

Student 5:

And you believe this?

Student 2:

Parents never lie about that kind of stuff.

Student 6:

Your parents are telling some of the truth. Mirabeau B. Lamar did not go to college.

Student 5:

Although he was invited to attend Princeton University.

Student 3:

I hear that Princeton is one of the best colleges.

Student 4:

It is.

Student 6:

But Lamar refused to go.

Student 2:

Yes, and then he started biting kids’ ears. I know.

Student 5:

Not really. Lamar tried to work as a merchant.

Student 2:

I bet he failed miserably.

Student 6:

Exactly. Then, he started a newspaper.

Student 1:

I’ve heard of that!

Student 5:

No you haven’t. He failed again.

Student 2:

Miserably. See what happens when you skip college?

Student 6:

Next, he became the private secretary to the governor of Georgia.

Student 3:

What did he do as a private secretary?

Student 5:

He toured the country with the governor as he gave speeches.

Student 1:

Sounds like a plan to me. How do I get to Georgia?

Student 2:

Keep listening—I bet Lamar’s life goes down from there.

Student 6:

Not really. He became a war hero after joining Sam Houston’s army in Texas in 1836.

Student 3:

Yes, who didn’t see that one coming?

Student 4:

I didn’t.

Student 1:

Sarcasm . . . .

Student 5:

Lamar rescued two Texans who were surrounded by the Mexican Army.

#51009—Reader’s Theater Scripts: Texas History

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Mirabeau B. Lamar (cont.) Student 6:

So, Lamar was promoted to colonel. The following day, he commanded the Texas troops in the Battle of San Jacinto.

Student 2:

I bet there was a ton of ear biting going on. That’s probably where he learned it!

Student 3:

You and your thing about ears is starting to creep me out!

Student 4:

What did Mirabeau B. Lamar do next?

Student 2:

Go to college?

Student 5:

No, the government promoted him again to the secretary of war of Texas.

Student 1:

Lamar must have performed some rescue of those two Texans . . .

Student 6:

. . . followed by an incredible victory . . .

Student 2:

. . . followed by a nip in the ear . . .

Student 5:

. . . followed by being the first vice president of the Republic of Texas . . .

Student 6:

. . . followed by being the second president of the Republic of Texas.

Student 4:

Easy enough—refuse to go to college and become a president. I can handle that.

Student 2:

I can’t stand people who do not value education.

Student 5:

Wrong again. People refer to Mirabeau B. Lamar as the father of education in Texas.

Student 6:

Lamar allotted the land to build Texas A&M, the University of Texas, and different schools in each Texas county. Many people say that he laid the foundation for Texas’s public education system.

Student 2:

Oh . . . .

Student 1:

It sounds like Lamar led a great life.

Student 5:

Yes, but Mirabeau B. Lamar died of a heart attack on December 19, 1859.

Student 2:

There! See what happens when you don’t go to college?

Student 5:

Actually, didn’t he finally go to law school?

Student 6:

Yes, he certainly did!

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Inflectional Ending Cards -ing Teacher Directions: Copy and cut apart the cards.

74

skip

cruise

make

bite

tell

listen

start

flip

let

promote

#51009—Reader’s Theater Scripts: Texas History

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Inflectional Ending Cards -ing (cont.)

develop

shop

elect

create

advance

clap

visualize

address

cultivate

personalize

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Name: __________________________________ Date: ����������������������������������

Inflectional Ending -ing

Add -ing

Drop the final e and add -ing

Double the final consonant and add -ing

Directions: Complete the chart below by listening for the words chosen by your classmates. Then, skim the script to find any additional words to add to your chart.

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Oveta Culp Hobby Background Would you work for a dollar? Oveta Culp Hobby did. Five students find out the many amazing accomplishments of Oveta Culp Hobby. This script follows her life from college graduation to the Department of Health and Education.

Standards

• The student understands important issues, events, and individuals of the 20th century in Texas.



• The student understands how individuals, events, and issues shaped the history of Texas during the 20th and early 21st centuries.

Materials • Oveta Culp Hobby script (pages 79–81)

Vocabulary Words You may wish to introduce the following vocabulary words prior to the lesson: • dire • executive

• parliamentarian

• pathetic • sarcasm • toll

• Oveta Culp Hobby Cards (pages 82–85) • scissors

• chart paper

Script Study

1. Distribute the Oveta Culp Hobby script (pages 79–81) to students. Have students scan the script and circle any words that are unfamiliar. Then, discuss the selected words as a class.

2. Assign the character roles to students, and read the script together as a class. As students are reading the script, stop at the appropriate places in the text to provide a definition for each of the vocabulary words listed above. Encourage students to use context clues within the script to create a kid-friendly definition for each word. 3. After the class is done reading the script, ask the following questions to engage students in thinking about the text:

• Name at least two accomplishments of Oveta Culp Hobby.



• How did the Women’s Army Corps help our country?



• How might Oveta Culp Hobby have impacted the role of women in America?

4. Reread the script as a class, without stopping.

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Oveta Culp Hobby (cont.) Word Study

5. Explain to students that homophones are two or more words that have the same pronunciation but have different meanings, origins, or spellings. Point out some homophones from the script such as need (knead), right (write), and their (there/they’re). Tell students that they will play a game with homophone word pairs.

6. Divide students into pairs, and distribute a set of the Oveta Culp Hobby Cards (pages 82–85) to each student pair. 7. Tell students to turn all the cards facedown and take turns drawing two cards. When students turn up a pair of matching cards, they may keep the cards if they can use each one of the words correctly in a sentence that reflects that word’s meaning. If the student makes a correct match and presents the two sentences that show the words’ meanings, the student may draw again. For incorrect matches, the cards are turned back over and returned to play. The student with the most matches at the end of the game wins.

Extension Activity 1. Have students use the Oveta Culp Hobby script, the script on The Many Firsts of Barbara Jordan (page 166–168), and the books and references from the accompanying lessons to create illustrated graphic organizers comparing and contrasting the life and accomplishments of each woman. Have students answer how both women influenced the role of women in America. 2. When students have completed their graphic organizers, have them share their findings with the class. Record student responses on the board or on a sheet of chart paper.

Recommended Resources The following resources are available about Oveta Culp Hobby: Bellafaire, Judith A. “The Women’s Army Corps: A Commemoration of Word War II Service.” n.d. http://www.history.army.mil/brochures/WAC/WAC.HTM Famous Texans. “Oveta Culp Hobby.” n.d. http://www.famoustexans.com/OvetaCulpHobby.htm Henderson, Aileen Kilgore. 2001. Stateside Soldier: Life in the Women’s Army Corps, 1944–1945. Columbia, SC: University of South Carolina Press. Williams, Vera S. 1997. WACs: Women’s Army Corps. Minneapolis, MN: Motorbooks International.

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Oveta Culp Hobby Characters Student 1  Student 2  Student 3

Student 4 Student 5

Student 1:

I found a dollar!

Student 2:

So?

Student 3:

You know, one of those little rectangular green things used to exchange for goods and services. I’m sure you’ve heard of them.

Student 4:

I just love sarcasm.

Student 5:

Did you just use sarcasm to describe sarcasm?

Student 4:

Um, no . . . .

Student 5:

And are you now using sarcasm to respond to my question about sarcasm?

Student 2:

We get it—it was sarcastic.

Student 3:

Can we move on?

Student 1:

Yes, to more important things, like my recent discovery of a piece of paper with purchasing power.

Student 4:

The dollar was not worth the work of bending over to pick it up.

Student 1:

I beg to differ. Did you know that some people work an entire year for just a dollar?

Student 2:

Now you’re just making stuff up. It’s pathetic.

Student 3:

Actually, as much as I hate to admit it, it’s true.

Student 1:

It is? I mean, it is. Okay, you were right—I was just making stuff up.

Student 4:

I don’t think I would work for a dollar a year.

Student 3:

Many people do. These people care more about their work than rewards.

Student 2:

Give me one example of someone with such a heart of gold and no desire for money.

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Oveta Culp Hobby (cont.)

80

Student 5:

That sounds like my grandmother.

Student 3:

Well . . . Oveta Culp Hobby is a great example.

Student 5:

Oh, wow, that is my grandmother.

Student 4:

Your grandmother is Oveta Culp Hobby?

Student 1:

And she worked for a dollar?

Student 5:

Yes, good old Grandma Hobby. She was a great woman.

Student 2:

So, what did she do for one dollar?

Student 4:

Wash dishes?

Student 5:

Oveta Culp Hobby was an executive in Washington, D.C., in charge of the War Department’s Women’s Interest Section. She was the director of the Women’s Army Auxiliary Corps.

Student 4:

I see.

Student 1:

You do?

Student 4:

Actually, I don’t.

Student 5:

The Women’s Army Auxiliary Corps was later renamed the Women’s Army Corps.

Student 3:

World War II took its toll on a lot of people and resources. It was a long war, and our troops were in dire need of supplies.

Student 2:

Oh, so the ladies in the Women’s Army Corps built and shipped supplies?

Student 5:

Exactly, and it was all done under the leadership of my Grandma Hobby.

Student 1:

For a dollar? She must have been a real Texan—good-hearted people live in Texas.

Student 3:

She was born in Killeen, Texas. In fact, her first position after she graduated from the University of Texas law school was as a parliamentarian in the Texas House of Representatives.

Student 5:

There, she met my Grandpa Hobby. He used to be the governor of Texas.

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Oveta Culp Hobby (cont.) Student 2:

Did he make a dollar a year, too?

Student 3:

No—after being governor, Grandpa Hobby became a publisher for the Houston Post newspaper.

Student 4:

I bet he published a ton of information about his wife.

Student 5:

I bet a headline most likely read, Women’s Army Corps Recruits over 150,000 to Support Troops Overseas.

Student 1:

Did the women get to wear uniforms?

Student 3:

They sure did.

Student 5:

Most people were much less willing to accept women wearing military uniforms.

Student 3:

It just didn’t seem right to them.

Student 1:

Who cares? I bet the women and Grandma Hobby really helped.

Student 2:

They did. I heard the U.S.A.’s resources were almost gone—

Student 5:

That is, before Oveta Culp Hobby and her team took action. Good old Grandma!

Student 3:

The Women’s Army Corps’ help was so appreciated that Oveta Culp Hobby was awarded the Distinguished Service Medal.

Student 4:

All in a life’s work.

Student 5:

No, she did more. Last I remember, she was the head of the Department of Heath and Education. She had to quit in 1955 to take care of my grandpa because he was really sick.

Student 4:

Oveta Culp Hobby led an amazing life.

Student 3:

She died in 1995, and she is remembered as an amazing Texan who served both her state and country honorably.

Student 1:

If Oveta Culp Hobby were still alive, she could definitely have this dollar I found. She deserves it much more than I do!

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Oveta Culp Hobby Cards Teacher Directions: Copy and cut apart the cards. Distribute one set to each student pair.

82

need

knead

weak

week

ate

eight

aloud

allowed

dear

deer

guessed

guest

#51009—Reader’s Theater Scripts: Texas History

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Oveta Culp Hobby Cards (cont.)

hear

here

break

brake

cents

sense

do

due

night

knight

plain

plane

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Oveta Culp Hobby Cards (cont.)

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our

hour

right

write

seen

scene

theirs

there’s

weather

whether

hole

whole

#51009—Reader’s Theater Scripts: Texas History

© Shell Education

Oveta Culp Hobby Cards (cont.)

knot

not

steal

steel

your

you’re

one

won

peek

peak

shone

shown

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Rise of the Texas Rangers Background Big Foot Wallace and Samuel H. Walker were among the many Texas Rangers who served our state after being commissioned by Stephen F. Austin. In this script, Wallace, Walker, and other Texas Rangers are remembering the old times while faced with a difficult situation.

Standards

• The student understands the importance of the Texas Revolution, the Republic of Texas, and the annexation of Texas to the United States.



• The student understands how individuals, events, and issues shaped the history of the Republic of Texas and early Texas statehood.

Vocabulary Words You may wish to introduce the following vocabulary words prior to the lesson: • ambush

• assembled

• conventional

• crucial

Materials

• draw

• Rise of the Texas Rangers script (pages 88–90)

• enforcement

• Noun, Verb, or Adjective Cards (page 91)

• expedition

• Noun, Verb, or Adjective Placemat (page 92)

• gallivant

• scissors



• glue

• invasion

• posters

• mobile



• ranging

• colored pencils or markers

• guerilla warfare

• recruits

Script Study

1. Distribute the Rise of the Texas Rangers script (pages 88–90) to students. Have students scan the script and circle any words that are unfamiliar. Then, discuss the selected words as a class.

2. Assign the character roles to students, and read the script together as a class. As students are reading the script, stop at the appropriate places in the text to provide a definition for each of the vocabulary words listed above. Encourage students to use context clues within the script to create a kid-friendly definition for each word. 3. After the class is done reading the script, ask the following questions to engage students in thinking about the text:

• How did the Texas Rangers’ style of fighting change over time?



• Why were the Texas Rangers important to Texas?



• In the script, what was the significance of drawing a white or a black bean?

4. Reread the script as a class, without stopping. 86

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Rise of the Texas Rangers (cont.) Word Study 5. Tell students that they will use a variety of words from the script to create a parts-of-speech word-sort activity. Distribute the Noun, Verb, or Adjective Cards (page 91) to students. Tell students to cut the cards apart. 6. Once students have cut their cards apart, have them locate each word in the script and then classify each one into one of three groups according to the part of speech the word was used as in the script—noun, verb, or adjective. Distribute the Noun, Verb, or Adjective Placemat activity sheet (page 92) to students. Have students glue their cards in the correct boxes. 7. After gluing the words onto their activity sheets, have students play a sentence-building game by selecting one card from each category and sharing an original sentence using the three words they chose. Nouns: soldiers, years, regiment, Mexico, agency, decisions, guys, weapons, lesson, invasion, warfare, safety Verbs: draw, turned, recall, sneak, paid, served, complain, gallivant, exist, decided, elected, talking Adjectives: strangest, toughest, oldest, crucial, ranging, brave, newer, incredible, small, conventional, special, effective

Extension Activity 1. Have students use the script and other resources to develop advertisement posters to recruit candidates for the Texas Rangers. Tell them to include at least three characteristics that would be desirable in a person applying to be a Texas Ranger and describe at least three possible responsibilities that a new Texas Ranger could expect to have in this job. Have them add illustrations to catch the attention of someone who might apply as a Texas Ranger. 2. Have students share their advertisement posters with the class.

Recommended Resources The following resources are available about the Texas Rangers: Cox, Mike. 1992. The Texas Rangers: Men of Valor and Action. Fort Worth, TX: Eakin Press. Cox, Mike. 1996. Texas Ranger Tales: Stories That Need Telling. Lanham, MD: Republic of Texas. Lone Star Junction. 1995. “The Texas Rangers.” http://www.lsjunction.com/facts/rangers.htm Spradlin, Michael. 2008. Texas Rangers: Legendary Lawmen. London: Walker Books for Young Readers. The Official Texas Ranger Hall of Fame and Museum in Waco, Texas. “Texas Ranger Hall of Fame and Museum.” n.d. http://www.texasranger.org/ © Shell Education

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Rise of the Texas Rangers Characters Big Foot Wallace  Texas Ranger 1 Narrator  Texas Ranger 2 Samuel H. Walker  Texas Ranger 3 Stephen F. Austin Texas Ranger 1: Draw a bean? Texas Ranger 2: What do you mean by draw a bean? Texas Ranger 3: Hey, Big Foot Wallace! What are these Mexican soldiers talking about? Narrator:

Big Foot Wallace turned toward Samuel H. Walker, a fellow Texas Ranger.

Wallace:

I think they mean “draw a bean.” You know, take a bean out of the jar. What do you say, Walker?

Walker:

I suppose we should. But I must say, this is by far the strangest thing I have ever done in all of my years as a Texas Ranger.

.

Texas Ranger 1: If I recall, and I do, in 1823, Stephen F. Austin said, Austin:

“Bring me ten men!”

Texas Ranger 1: He did not say, Austin:

“Get ready to choose a bean.”

Texas Ranger 2: Yes, I am fairly sure we were assembled to protect Texans from the Comanche, Tonkawa, and Karankawa, not to draw beans! Texas Ranger 3: Yet, here we are on the Mier Expedition, invading Mexico.

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Wallace:

Rangers, we don’t complain. We are the toughest regiment in North America.

Walker:

Not to mention the oldest law enforcement agency in North America!

Narrator:

The Texas Rangers were referred to as men who could not be stampeded. They were the toughest of the tough, and they could make crucial decisions in the blink of an eye.

#51009—Reader’s Theater Scripts: Texas History

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Rise of the Texas Rangers (cont.) Texas Ranger 1: For being the toughest, you would think we would get paid more than fifteen dollars a month! Texas Ranger 2: Yes, and even that is paid out as land. Texas Ranger 3: What are we going to do with land if all we do is gallivant around saving the country? Texas Ranger 1: No, the government decided to pay us $1.25 a day. Texas Ranger 2: Like that is enough for protecting the country! Texas Ranger 3: And, we still have to supply all of our own horses and weapons. That is where most of my money goes. Wallace:

Walker, I can’t listen to this anymore. I wish our brave Captain Jack were here to straighten out these newer guys of ours.

Narrator:

John Coffee Hays, known as Jack, only served in the Rangers for three years before they realized his incredible bravery. He was elected as the Texas Rangers’ captain soon after.

Walker:

It’s okay, Big Foot; I will teach them a lesson. These new recruits lack our experience and skill, but mostly our attitude.

Narrator:

The Texas Rangers had evolved from engaging in the European‑type battle style into a more fitting style—a ranging style.

Walker:

You men are lucky that you are with us now. You would have hated our style in the beginning.

Texas Ranger 1: And what style was that? Texas Ranger 2: We fought like everyone else. Texas Ranger 3: You mean with drummers, lines, and marching? Walker:

Exactly.

Wallace:

When we faced a different type of war called guerilla warfare, something had to change.

Texas Ranger 1: What is guerilla warfare? Texas Ranger 2: I think it is when people sneak up on you in small groups, and they move so quickly that you’re dead before you know it. © Shell Education

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Rise of the Texas Rangers (cont.) Walker:

Fighters who use guerilla warfare don’t follow the conventional rules of war. They prefer to raid villages and ambush troops.

Wallace:

That is how the Texas Rangers got their name. We became just as mobile as our enemies.

Texas Ranger 3: Well, whatever caused it, we sure are effective now. Texas Ranger 1: Very effective. Texas Ranger 2: The most effective. Wallace:

Now, you are talking like Rangers.

Walker:

Now, you can draw a bean. Mine is white.

Wallace:

White.

Texas Ranger 1: White. Texas Ranger 2: I drew a white one, too. Texas Ranger 3: I must be special; I drew a black one. Narrator:

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The Rangers who were captured during the invasion of Mexico were ordered to draw a bean. Those who drew a white bean lived, and those who drew a black bean were executed. Though some Rangers gave their lives along the way like the ones who drew the black bean that day, the Texas Rangers still exist, protecting the safety of others.

#51009—Reader’s Theater Scripts: Texas History

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Noun, Verb, or Adjective Cards Directions: Cut apart the cards. Then, glue each card into the correct column of the Noun, Verb, or Adjective Placemat activity sheet.

soldiers

small

paid

effective

years

turned

agency

incredible

talking

recall

newer

toughest

weapons

crucial

brave

lesson

safety

regiment

oldest

draw

sneak

exist

decisions

strangest

Mexico

served

gallivant

warfare

elected

conventional

ranging

complain

decided

guys

invasion

special

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Name: __________________________________ Date: ����������������������������������

Noun, Verb, or Adjective Placemat Directions: Glue the Noun, Verb, or Adjective Cards into the correct boxes below. Nouns

Verbs

Adjectives

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Sam Houston: Father of Texas Independence Background This script narrates the life of Sam Houston. During his political career, he saw Texas as an independent nation, then as one of the United States of America, only to see them break free from the union again.

Standards

• The student understands the importance of the Texas Revolution, the Republic of Texas, and the annexation of Texas to the United States.



• The student understands how individuals, events, and issues shaped the history of the Republic of Texas and early Texas statehood.

Vocabulary Words You may wish to introduce the following vocabulary words prior to the lesson: • accomplish • advocate

• circumstances

Materials • Sam Houston: Father of Texas Independence script (pages 95–98) • Rewriting Sam Houston (page 99)

• chart paper



• state maps of Texas and Tennessee

• annexation • defective

• dissolved • duration • influential • perish • secede • staunch • tyranny

Script Study

1. Distribute the Sam Houston: Father of Texas Independence script (pages 95–98) to students. Have students scan the script and circle any words that are unfamiliar. Then, discuss the selected words as a class.

2. Assign the character roles to students, and read the script together as a class. As students are reading the script, stop at the appropriate places in the text to provide a definition for each of the vocabulary words listed above. Encourage students to use context clues within the script to create a kid-friendly definition for each word. 3. After the class is done reading the script, ask the following questions to engage students in thinking about the text:

• Why did Sam Houston oppose the secession of Texas and civil war?



• Name three important events in Sam Houston’s life. Explain your choices.



• How did Houston’s relationship with the Cherokee Indians impact his life?

4. Reread the script as a class, without stopping. © Shell Education

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Sam Houston: Father of Texas Independence (cont.) Word Study 5. Tell students that they will rewrite Sam Houston’s parts (the italicized portions) from the script in the language and vocabulary that Houston might use if he were talking to students today. 6. Distribute the Rewriting Sam Houston activity sheet (page 99) to students. Have students find and underline Sam Houston’s first part in the script. Model for students on the board or on a sheet of chart paper how to simplify the sentence structure and vocabulary to make Houston more understandable. For example, Sam’s first quote is the following: I would not be gotten into a schoolhouse until I was eight years old. Nor did I accomplish much after I started. I doubt if I had gone to school six months in all when my father died. I was fourteen at the time. If rewritten, Sam’s first quote may be the following: I didn’t go to school until I was eight. I didn’t do much in school. I probably went for a total of six months when my father died. I was fourteen. 7. Have students share with the class their rewritten Sam Houston parts when they have finished their activity sheets.

Extension Activity 1. Distribute a state map of Texas and Tennessee to students. Using the resources listed below and the Internet, have students find and label cities, counties, monuments, memorials, museums, and universities named after Sam Houston or representing important places in Houston’s life. 2. Have students share their findings with the class.

Recommended Resources The following resources are available about Sam Houston: Fritz, Jean. 1998. Make Way for Sam Houston. New York, NY: Putnam Juvenile. Harkins, Susan Sales, and William H. Harkins. 2007. Sam Houston. Newark, DE: Mitchell Lane Publishers. Wade, Mary Dodson. 2008. Sam Houston: Standing Firm. Houston, TX: Bright Sky Press. Wikipedia: The Free Encyclopedia. “Sam Houston.” n.d. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sam_Houston

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Sam Houston: Father of Texas Independence Characters Reader 1  Reader 2 

Reader 3 Sam Houston

Reader 1:

Sam Houston, governor of two states, president of the Republic of Texas, U.S. senator, and military hero, was one of the most colorful figures of 19th-century America.

Reader 2:

Sam was born near Lexington, Virginia, on March 2, 1793. He grew up in Tennessee and was raised by his mother, who was a widow.

Sam Houston: I would not be gotten into a schoolhouse until I was eight years old. Nor did I accomplish much after I started. I doubt if I had gone to school six months in all when my father died. I was fourteen at the time. Reader 3:

As a youth, Sam spent much of his time with the Cherokee Indians and developed close ties with them.

Reader 2:

Sam joined the army. He served under fellow Tennessean Andrew Jackson in the Creek Wars in 1813 and 1814.

Reader 1:

In 1818, Houston left the army, and afterwards, he studied law for a few months.

Sam Houston: It is a matter of great satisfaction to me to hope that my children will be in circumstances to receive a good education. Mine was defective and I feel the inconvenience, if not the misfortune of not receiving a classical education. Knowledge is the food of genius, and my son, let no opportunity escape you to treasure up knowledge. Reader 3:

© Shell Education

After his brief time studying law, Sam Houston was elected attorney general for Nashville and appointed adjutant general of Tennessee. #51009—Reader’s Theater Scripts: Texas History

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Sam Houston: Father of Texas Independence (cont.) Reader 1:

From 1823 to 1827, Sam represented Tennessee in the United States Congress.

Reader 2:

In 1827, Sam was elected governor of Tennessee.

Reader 3:

While governor, Houston married Eliza Allen on January 1, 1829. For unexplained reasons, however, the marriage was dissolved almost immediately, and Houston, under pressure from the influential Allen family, resigned his office.

Reader 1:

For the next six years, Houston lived with Cherokee Indians in the Indian Territory of what is now Oklahoma. He married a Cherokee woman, Tiana Rogers, and became a Cherokee citizen. The marriage ended when Houston moved to Mexican Texas and Tiana chose to stay in their cabin in Kansas.

Reader 3:

Sam was a trader, an advisor, and a special envoy for the tribe on several occasions.

Sam Houston: I preferred measuring deer tracks. I liked the wild liberty of the Red men better than the tyranny of my brothers. I am aware that in presenting myself as the advocate of the Indians and their rights, I shall stand very much alone.

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Reader 3:

While working for the Cherokee, Sam went to Texas, which was then under Mexican rule, for the first time.

Reader 2:

By 1835, Houston had moved to Texas. Sam settled in Huntsville, Texas, because the hills there reminded him of his boyhood home in Tennessee.

Reader 1:

That was the same year that the Texas Revolution began. Sam was named the commanding general of the revolutionary army.

Reader 2:

In March of 1836, Houston was a delegate to the convention that declared Texas an independent republic. His command was reconfirmed, and he led the Texas army to a brilliant victory over Santa Anna in the Battle of San Jacinto on April 21, 1836.

#51009—Reader’s Theater Scripts: Texas History

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Sam Houston: Father of Texas Independence (cont.) Sam Houston: We view ourselves on the eve of battle. We are nerved for the contest, and must conquer or perish. It is vain to look for present aid: none is at hand. We must now act or abandon all hope! Rally to the standard, and be no longer the scoff of mercenary tongues! Be men, be free men, that your children may bless their father’s name. Reader 3:

Houston served as the first president of the new republic of Texas from 1836 to 1838 and was later elected to a second term from 1841 to 1844.

Sam Houston: Texas will again lift its head and stand among the nations. It ought to do so, for no country upon the globe can compare with it in natural advantages. Reader 1:

Sam married Margaret Lea in Alabama in 1840. He had eight children with his third wife.

Reader 2:

After the annexation of Texas by the United States in 1845, Sam Houston was elected to the U.S. Senate, serving from 1846 to 1859.

Reader 3:

In the Senate, Houston was known for his staunch support of the union and his friendship with the Indians.

Reader 2:

Unhappy that Texas seemed to be moving toward secession from the United States, Sam successfully ran for governor of Texas as an independent Unionist in 1859.

Sam Houston: To secede from the Union and set up another government would cause war. In the name of the constitution of Texas, which has been trampled upon, I refuse to take this oath. I love Texas too well to bring civil strife and bloodshed upon her. Reader 1:

© Shell Education

Sam was a soldier, and as a soldier, he knew the hardships that a civil war would bring.

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Sam Houston: Father of Texas Independence (cont.) Sam Houston: If you go to war with the United States, you will never conquer her, as she has the money and the men. If she does not whip you by guns, powder, and steel, she will starve you to death. It will take the flower of the country—the young men. Reader 3:

Despite his efforts, however, the people of Texas voted to secede from the United States, and he was forced out of office in March, 1861.

Sam Houston: All new states are invested, more or less, by a class of noisy, second-rate men who are always in favor of rash and extreme measures. But Texas was absolutely overrun by such men. Reader 2:

A man who saw the creation of a new nation also saw it remove itself from the United States. And he knew the agony it would cause his people.

Sam Houston: I declare that civil war is inevitable and is near at hand. When it comes, the descendants of the heroes of Lexington and Bunker Hill will be found equal in patriotism, courage, and heroic endurance with the descendants of the heroes of Cowpens and Yorktown. For this reason I predict the civil war, which is now at hand, will be stubborn and of long duration.

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Reader 2:

Sam Houston died in his home in Huntsville on July 26, 1863. The city of Houston, Texas, was named for him.

Reader 1:

He was seventy years old.

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Name: __________________________________ Date: ����������������������������������

Rewriting Sam Houston Directions: Find and underline three Sam Houston parts from the script. Then, simplify the sentence structure and vocabulary to reflect how Houston might say his part today.

Sam Houston: ����������������������������������������������������� ����������������������������������������������������������������� ����������������������������������������������������������������� ����������������������������������������������������������������� Rewritten: �������������������������������������������������������� ����������������������������������������������������������������� ����������������������������������������������������������������� ����������������������������������������������������������������� Sam Houston: ����������������������������������������������������� ����������������������������������������������������������������� ����������������������������������������������������������������� ����������������������������������������������������������������� Rewritten: �������������������������������������������������������� ����������������������������������������������������������������� ����������������������������������������������������������������� ����������������������������������������������������������������� Sam Houston: ����������������������������������������������������� ����������������������������������������������������������������� ����������������������������������������������������������������� ����������������������������������������������������������������� Rewritten: �������������������������������������������������������� ����������������������������������������������������������������� ����������������������������������������������������������������� �����������������������������������������������������������������

© Shell Education

#51009—Reader’s Theater Scripts: Texas History

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Six Flags Background Six Flags is not just a theme park; it represents the long history of Texas being a part of many different nations. In this script, three students head back in time to see why Texas has flown six flags in the past.

Standards

• The student understands the causes and effects of European exploration and colonization of Texas and North America.



• The student understands traditional historical points of reference in Texas history.

Vocabulary Words You may wish to introduce the following vocabulary words prior to the lesson: • annex • scams • fluorescent

• scenario



• latitude

• seceded

• mammoth

• witness

Materials



• wormhole

• Six Flags script (pages 102–105)

• revolution

• priority

• Rooting Along (page 106)

• map of Six Flags over Texas

Script Study

1. Distribute the Six Flags script (pages 102–105) to students. Have students scan the script and circle any words that are unfamiliar. Then, discuss the selected words as a class.

2. Assign the character roles to students, and read the script together as a class. As students are reading the script, stop at the appropriate places in the text to provide a definition for each of the vocabulary words listed above. Encourage students to use context clues within the script to create a kid-friendly definition for each word. 3. After the class is done reading the script, ask the following questions to engage students in thinking about the text:

• What are the six flags that have flown over Texas?



• Which flag flew over Texas right after the Spanish flag?



• Who was the United States president at the time Texas was annexed?



• Why did the Confederate flag fly over Texas?



• Why do you think early explorers from France and Spain came to Texas?

4. Reread the script as a class, without stopping.

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Six Flags (cont.) Word Study 5. Explain to students that the Latin root spec/spect/spic means to “look at” or “watch.” Ask students how knowing the meaning of this root can help them understand the meaning of the word spectacular from the script. 6. Distribute the Rooting Along activity sheet (page 106) to students. Tell students that they will examine other words that are derived from this Latin root and think about how the meaning of this root, along with the context of the sentence, helps them figure out the meaning of the words. 7. After students have completed their activity sheets, have them share their findings.

Extension Activity 1. Download a map from the amusement park Six Flags Over Texas (https://www2.sixflags.com/ overtexas/plan-your-visit/park-map). Ask students to consider the following questions:

• Why do you think this amusement park is named Six Flags Over Texas?



• Locate the different sections of the park. How do the sections of the park reflect the six flags that flew over Texas?



• Are the rides—the types of rides and the names of the rides—impacted by the section of the park where they are found?

2. Have students select one section of the park and design a new ride for the section that is somehow reflective of that particular country or a Texas explorer/historic figure attached to that country. Tell students to sketch the ride they created and describe why it would fit well in the section of the park they chose.

Recommended Resources The following resources are available about the Texas flags and historic figures included in the script: Center for Texas Studies. “Celebrating All that Makes Texas Distinctive.” http://www.texasstudies.com/EducationResources-Flags.htm Maberry, Robert, Jr. 2001. Texas Flags. College Station, TX: Texas A&M University Press. Texas State Historical Association: A Digital Gateway to Texas History. “Browse the Handbook of Texas.” n.d. http://www.tshaonline.org/handbook/online/browse/index.html The Story of Texas. “Curriculum Resources/Educators Guides.” n.d. http://thestoryoftexas.com/schools-and-educators/curriculum-resources

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Six Flags Characters Alonso Alvarez de Piñeda  Rene-Robert Cavelier  Sam Houston  Stephen F. Austin  President John Tyler  Sieur de La Salle Antonio Lopez de Santa Anna Student 1: Student 2: Student 1: Student 3: Student 2: Student 1: Student 3: Student 1: Student 2: Student 3: Student 2: Student 1: Student 3: Student 2: Student 1: Student 3: Student 2: 102

Spaniard Student 1 Student 2 Student 3 Advisor

Hey, what are you doing? Working on my time machine. Of course, I should have guessed. That is what most people do in their spare time. Whoa, what are you two doing in here? I am learning that our friend has been building a time machine behind our backs. Actually, I’ve been building it in my room. I was going to tell you . . . maybe. So, does this time machine work? It should. I just finished. Nice! Where are we going first? Let’s go back to 10,000 B.C., and wrestle a mammoth! No! Let’s go back to a week ago and remind me to study for my social studies test that we have tomorrow. For some reason, it has not been a priority. I’ve got a better idea. How about we go back in time and witness the events in history that will be on our test? This scenario sounds familiar. It’s a great idea; I could use a vacation. The test is about the six flags of Texas. All we need to know is that it has the best rides. Not if you want to pass the test. We need to know where the name, Six Flags, comes from.

#51009—Reader’s Theater Scripts: Texas History

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Six Flags (cont.) Student 1: Student 3: Student 2: Student 1: Student 3: Student 2: Student 1: Student 3: Student 2: Student 1: Piñeda: Spaniard: Piñeda: Spaniard: Student 1: Student 3: Student 2: Student 1: Cavelier: de La Salle: Cavelier: de La Salle: Cavelier: de La Salle: Cavelier: © Shell Education

Hop in. First stop will be Texas in the year 1519. So, no mammoths to wrestle? It might be worth it to watch you try, but for now, I have to study. Okay, we are here. I was expecting something a bit more spectacular. Maybe some cool lights, futuristic sounds, or a long, fluorescent wormhole? Welcome to the year 1519. Not much around here. Wait, here we go. We’ve got people. I think they are from Spain. It must be Alonso Alvarez de Piñeda, the Spanish explorer. We claim this land for Spain! I like it, mostly because it is ours. Yes, ours forever. And ever. Let’s visit 1685 to prove them wrong. They don’t have a time machine, but they will find out soon enough that Texas is quite the popular place. Get ready for another not-so-spectacular time-traveling session! Where are we now? East Texas, 1685. There is Rene-Robert Cavelier and Sieur de La Salle. It is good to be back at the mouth of the Mississippi River. I am so glad King Louis of France agreed to let us settle out here; he is a saint. Let’s name it Fort Saint Louis. Interesting. This is not exactly how I remember it. Now that you mention it, this may not even be the mouth of the Mississippi. La Salle, you always do this! It’s not my fault. We had no idea where we were last time. Did you even think to check the latitude? Oh, yeah? Who was in charge of the maps? How did we get so messed up? #51009—Reader’s Theater Scripts: Texas History

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Six Flags (cont.) Forget it! Wherever we are, this land is now claimed for France. Reminds me of my last family vacation. So now we know one flag was for Spain and another for France, even if it was an accident. Who’s next? Student 1: We are off to the year 1821. Student 2: It still looks old. No fast food—I could sure use a mammoth steak right about now. Student 1: You’ll get your chance. Student 3: Who is that? Student 1: Antonio Lopez de Santa Anna. Student 2: People sure had really long names in the past! Santa Anna: I knew the Mexican War for Independence was a good idea. It gives us a bit more elbow room. Austin: Yes, but I’m not so sure about it now. Santa Anna: Stephen F. Austin, you will get used to the idea. Austin: Actually, revolution does have a nice ring to it. We may have one of our own in the near future. Santa Anna: Until then, this land remains part of Mexico. Student 3: This is a popular state. Everybody wants a piece of Texas. Student 1: Yes, including Texas! Hop in; we’re off again. Student 2: This time looks almost the same. Student 3: It feels like 1836. Student 1: You’re right. Student 3: Lucky guess. Spain owned Texas, France owned Texas, and Mexico owned Texas. Now, it’s time for Texas to own Texas. Student 2: That makes sense. Hey, there is Stephen F. Austin again. Austin: General Sam Houston, what a pleasant surprise! Houston: Surprise? You’re surprised to see a general after the Texas Declaration of Independence? We may just have to take this land from Mexico. Austin: Good point. Houston: I’ve got to run. The people need me at a place called the Alamo. Student 2: Spain, France, Mexico, and now the Republic of Texas. We’ve covered four flags. de La Salle: Student 2: Student 3:

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Six Flags (cont.) Student 1: Student 3: Advisor: President: Advisor: President: Student 2: Student 3: Student 2: Student 1:

Student 3: Student 2: Student 3: Student 1: Student 2: Student 1: Student 3: Student 2: Student 3:

© Shell Education

Next stop, 1845. It looks a little different. President Tyler, we’d like you to sign this. I sign nothing before I read it. I’ve learned my lesson from those crazy scams. Sir, this document is to annex Texas into the United States of America. We can’t have the United States without Texas. Do you have a pen? I don’t get it. That is only five flags. You really do need to study more. Do you recall something about the Civil War? Oh yes, much of the southern United States seceded into the Confederate States of America. Exactly. Texas seceded in 1861. The Confederacy did not last long. In fact, the last battle of the Civil War happened in Texas four years later. Texans were, once again, part of the United States of America. There is your sixth flag. Texas was owned by Spain, France, Mexico, Texas, the Confederate States of America, and the United States of America. Why didn’t we travel to witness the Civil War? Well, we only have time for one more stop, and it is rather important . . . Whoa, where are we now? What is that? It’s a mammoth. Welcome to 10,000 B.C. That thing is huge. It’s monstrous! It’s— Mammoth? On second thought, I could settle for a nice salad.

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8. The soldier stood straight and tall and saluted to show his respect to the general in charge of the troops.

7. Inspect the tires on the car carefully before you drive it to make sure that none of them are flat.

6. In retrospect, Maria knew that she should have studied harder for the test if she wanted to make a good grade.

5. Tim hid his dog’s treat in a conspicuous place so his dog would be sure to find it.

4. The prospect of a vacation next week excited the students.

3. She speculated on the consequences of her actions if she disobeyed her parents.

2. That specific point in the president’s speech made everyone sit up and listen.

1. Grandpa put on his spectacles so he could see the tiny print on the bottle.

Sentence

Word

Meaning

Name: __________________________________ Date: ����������������������������������

Rooting Along

Directions: The Latin root spec/spect/spic means to “look at” or “watch.” Read each sentence below. Then, examine the word in italics in each sentence. Use the context of each sentence to help you figure out what each word means.

© Shell Education

Spindletop Background In this script, Anthony Lucas and his crew drill oil at Spindletop. Anthony and his men have no idea how important their work is until they strike oil on January 5, 1901. Their find changes Texas forever.

Standards

• The student understands the impact of science and technology on society in the United States.



• The student understands the interdependence of the Texas economy with the United States and the world.

Vocabulary Words You may wish to introduce the following vocabulary words prior to the lesson: • bit • geyser • calculations • produce

• derrick

• rig

• easing



Materials

• erupting

• slop

• Spindletop script (pages 110–113)



• spew

• expert

• salt dome

• Making and Writing Words (page 37)

• chart paper

• markers

• writing paper

Script Study

1. Distribute the Spindletop script (pages 110–113) to students. Have students scan the script and circle any words that are unfamiliar. Then, discuss the selected words as a class.

2. Assign the character roles to students, and read the script together as a class. As students are reading the script, stop at the appropriate places in the text to provide a definition for each of the vocabulary words listed above. Encourage students to use context clues within the script to create a kid-friendly definition for each word. 3. After the class is done reading the script, ask the following questions to engage students in thinking about the text:

• How did the American Indians utilize the oil they found in the area around Spindletop?



• Name a character trait that would best describe Anthony Lucas. Find evidence in the text to support your trait selection.



• What were some of the possible effects of the Spindletop oil strike?

4. Reread the script as a class, without stopping.

© Shell Education

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Spindletop (cont.) Word Study 5. Distribute the Making and Writing Words activity sheet (page 37) to students. Have them record the vowels a, e, i, and o and the consonants d, l, n, p, p, s, t (list in alphabetical order) in the appropriate boxes on the chart. 6. Ask students to write the dictated words from the chart below in the numbered boxes, using the given letters. Discuss the meaning of each targeted word by reading the sentence provided. Note: The transfer words (T1 to T6) may use other letters than those provided by the lesson but must build on the patterns presented in the original list of 15 words. 7. Have students use the transfer boxes on their activity sheets to write the T1 through T6 words from the chart that utilize patterns presented in the original words recorded. Word 1. opt 2. let 3. leapt 4. diet 5. idle 6. slit

Sentence If you opt to go to the park, you will not have time to go swimming as well. Let everyone have a turn to try to hit the ball with the bat. Two deer leapt out of the underbrush when the hunters entered the forest. Without a special diet, the pandas would not grow and be healthy. He just wanted to sit and be idle rather than go to his piano lesson. When the party invitation arrived, Lucy eagerly slit open the envelope to see all the details of the special event. 7. silt The silt deposited at the end of the stream eventually backed up the water, creating a small pond. 8. solid One state of matter is a solid. 9. point What was the most important point of the science lesson? 10. inlet The quiet inlet of the lake was his favorite place to fish. 11. toiled That farmer toiled from dawn to dusk to get the crops in before the freeze. 12. toppled Her baby let go of the edge of the table and toppled to the floor. 13. deposit Do not deposit all your dirty clothes on the floor! 14. splinted Dr. Ramsey splinted the dog’s broken leg until the swelling went down. 15. Spindletop Spindletop erupted and spewed oil up into the sky. T1 lend Can you lend me enough money to buy Mom a birthday present? T2 bridle Bring the bridle for the horse, but be careful that he doesn’t nip you as you put it over his head. T3 recoiled She recoiled from the sight of the horrible car wreck. T4 rippled The water rippled gently as the duck paddled through the lake. T5 stipend Jeff received a stipend from the financial aid office to pay for the books that he would need for school. T6 redeposited Marnie redeposited the money that she had taken out of her bank account in case she needed it for her trip.

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Spindletop (cont.) Extension Activity 1. Have students pretend that they were observing Spindletop on the day that the well erupted. Divide students into small groups of four or five, and distribute a sheet of chart paper along with markers. 2. Have students make five columns on their chart paper, and label each column with one of the five senses—seeing, hearing, smelling, tasting, touching. Tell each group to brainstorm sensory words or phrases to depict the images of that unique day, and then write those words or phrases in the appropriate column on the chart. 3. Once students have completed their charts, have each group present its imagery charts to the class. Then, distribute writing paper to students and have them choose one of the following writing experiences to compose a text about Spindletop. Remind students to use rich sensory details to paint a picture in the minds of their readers.

• You are a worker at Spindletop. Write a letter home to your friend describing the day that Spindletop erupted.



• You are a newspaper reporter. Write a short article that tells everyone in Texas about the exciting discovery at Spindletop.



• You are Anthony Lucas. Write a postcard to your financial backers in Pittsburgh describing the events of the day that you struck oil at Spindletop.

Recommended Resources The following resources are available about Spindletop and the discovery of oil: Bredson, Carmen. 1996. The Spindletop Gusher: The Story of the Texas Oil Boom. Minneapolis, MN: Millbrook Press. Farndon, John. 2007. Oil. New York, NY: DK Children. Spindletop.org. “What is Spindletop?” n.d. http://www.spindletop.org/ Texas State Historical Association. “Spindletop Oilfield.” n.d. http://www.tshaonline.org/handbook/online/articles/dos03

© Shell Education

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Spindletop Characters Anthony Lucas  Worker 1  Worker 2

110

Worker 3 Worker 4

Worker 1:

Anthony! Anthony Lucas!

Worker 2:

He can’t hear you. He’s over by the oil rig.

Worker 3:

He sure does work hard.

Worker 1:

Yeah, but for what? He has been working here since October of 1900, and he has not hit big yet.

Worker 4:

Well, maybe it’s his lucky day.

Worker 2:

What day is it?

Worker 3:

January 10, 1901.

Worker 1:

I doubt if we will ever produce more oil than Pennsylvania.

Lucas:

Yes, we will. They have been number one for far too long. It is our time!

Worker 4:

I love that positive mental attitude, Anthony. That is why I work for you.

Worker 2:

I heard the American Indians knew about this place long before we did. They used the oil to treat diseases.

Worker 3:

Gross, they used to drink it?

Worker 4:

I think so. You want to try it next time that you have a bellyache?

Lucas:

No, I would prefer to sell it. It is worth more that way.

Worker 1:

Speaking of which, you are not going to believe this. The first time the Spanish noticed oil in Texas, they used the stuff to waterproof their boots!

Worker 2:

You mean that they spent millions of dollars just keeping their feet dry?

Worker 3:

Sure did. That was back in 1543. A lot has changed since then.

#51009—Reader’s Theater Scripts: Texas History

© Shell Education

Spindletop (cont.) Lucas:

Texas has produced some oil, but we are far from the best.

Worker 4:

The first big oil field in Texas was Corsicana, but we will be known as the biggest ever.

Lucas:

That will be hard to do if we just stand around here talking.

Worker 1:

What are you trying to say, boss?

Worker 2:

I think he wants us to sit down and talk.

Worker 1:

That’s what I thought he meant.

Worker 3:

I don’t know. The ground is kind of dirty.

Worker 4:

He means get to work!

Worker 2:

We know.

Lucas:

What a great idea! Let’s start drilling.

Worker 1:

How deep should we lower the bit?

Worker 2:

As deep as the oil.

Worker 3:

How far is that?

Worker 4:

What do you think, boss?

Lucas:

Let’s go for over a 1,000 feet.

Worker 2:

Will that be enough?

Worker 1:

Too much?

Lucas:

Trust me.

Worker 4:

All right crew, start drilling!

Worker 2:

We are at 1,000 feet.

Worker 3:

1,100!

Worker 4:

Approaching 1,139 feet.

Worker 1:

We hit mud!

Worker 2:

It is erupting everywhere!

© Shell Education

#51009—Reader’s Theater Scripts: Texas History

111

Spindletop (cont.)

112

Worker 3:

Nasty!

Lucas:

Fall back! Get to a safe distance, and we will see what happens next. This mud should be followed by oil.

Worker 4:

The mud is still shooting out of the derrick.

Worker 1:

It looks like it is easing up.

Worker 2:

Yes, it is slowing down.

Worker 3:

It stopped.

Lucas:

Wait for it . . . Wait for it . . .

Worker 4:

Nothing.

Lucas:

Head back to the rig, and get it cleaned up.

Worker 1:

We are going to be like everyone else who has drilled out here—leaving just a bunch of dry holes.

Worker 2:

Have faith, Anthony will make us rich. He is an expert on salt dome formations.

Worker 3:

Yes, experts lead us to salt domes, and salt domes lead us to oil. That is why they handpicked Anthony for this job.

Worker 1:

I know that. I also know that he ran out of money at around 500 feet of drilling. Because of that, Patillo Higgins was fired.

Worker 4:

No, the people in Pittsburgh, where Anthony got more money, could not pay him.

Worker 1:

So Patillo was not fired? He was just encouraged to work for free or hit the road?

Worker 2:

I’m telling you to just have faith. Now, get a mop.

Worker 3:

Cleaning this slop is my favorite part.

Worker 4:

What is that noise?

Lucas:

Run!

Worker 2:

It’s going to blow!

Worker 1:

I hope so!

#51009—Reader’s Theater Scripts: Texas History

© Shell Education

Spindletop (cont.) Worker 3:

There it goes!

Worker 4:

That geyser of oil must be near 200 feet in the air!

Worker 1:

What do you think, Anthony?

Lucas:

I think we are going to be famous.

Worker 2:

I think we are going to be rich.

Worker 3:

I think we are going to be rich and famous.

Worker 4:

I think I’m going to cry.

Lucas:

By my calculations, that geyser will spew about 4.2 million gallons of oil per day for nine days.

Worker 1:

By my calculations, we are going to need a bigger bucket.

Worker 2:

Actually, we are going to need more drills.

Worker 3:

And more people. I bet this town’s population triples in three months.

Worker 4:

Who knows what this oil strike has done for this little hill called Spindletop?

Worker 1:

Or the state of Texas. Are we number one?

Worker 2:

Yes, we just put Pennsylvania in second place.

Worker 3:

A distant second.

Worker 4:

It is going to take weeks to get this geyser under control.

Lucas:

I’ve got time.

© Shell Education

#51009—Reader’s Theater Scripts: Texas History

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Texas Landmark Road Trip Background In this script, a group of excited students, a teacher, and a parent volunteer load onto a bus and travel around Texas. Along the way from Dallas to Houston, the students explore Texas’s heritage through various landmarks.

Standards

Vocabulary Words



• The student understands important customs, symbols, and celebrations of Texas.



• The student understands important symbols, customs, celebrations, and landmarks that represent American beliefs and principles and contribute to our national identity.

You may wish to introduce the following vocabulary words prior to the lesson: • allegedly • monitored

Materials

• assassinated • patriotic • convicted

• politicians

• executive

• volunteer

• landmark

• Texas Landmark Road Trip script (pages 116–118) • Denotations and Connotations (page 119)

• writing paper

Script Study

1. Distribute the Texas Landmark Road Trip script (pages 116–118) to students. Have students scan the script and circle any words that are unfamiliar. Then, discuss the selected words as a class.

2. Assign the character roles to students, and read the script together as a class. As students are reading the script, stop at the appropriate places in the text to provide a definition for each of the vocabulary words listed above. Encourage students to use context clues within the script to create a kid-friendly definition for each word. 3. After the class is done reading the script, ask the following questions to engage students in thinking about the text:

• What landmarks did the students visit, and where were they located?



• Which landmarks serve as symbols to remind visitors of a significant event in Texas history?



• Which landmark would you most like to visit? Why?

4. Reread the script as a class, without stopping.

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Texas Landmark Road Trip (cont.) Word Study 5. Explain to students the difference between denotation and connotation with words. Tell students that the denotation of a word is the most specific or literal meaning of a word. A connotation of a word is an additional sense or suggestion of meaning for the word that is associated with the senses or feelings that the word invokes. For example, the word house has a denotative meaning—a structure made for people to live in, usually built for a single family. However, home, while having a denotative meaning, also has a deeply personal, connotative meaning for those readers who read the word based on the their experiences and feelings about the word. 6. Have students brainstorm other words for house that have more connotative meanings than the original word. Start with the words castle and mansion from the script. Ask students what these words mean—denotations—and then ask them the feelings or associations that they have about these words/types of homes, or their connotations. 7. Distribute the Denotations and Connotations activity sheet (page 119) to students. Have students complete the activity sheet by listing other words for house in the first column, sketches of the denotative meaning in the second column, and any feelings/associations they have about the identified word in the last column. 8. When students have completed the activity sheet, have them discuss how connotation impacts word choice as a writer composes text.

Extension Activity 1. Have students select one of the landmark stops mentioned in the script. Tell students to research their “stop,” using additional resources. 2. Distribute writing paper to students, and have them write short paragraphs for an imaginary Texas tour company to advertise their landmark. Tell students to include the names and locations of the landmarks, short descriptions of the landmarks, and their significance to Texas history— past or current, and several interesting details or facts about their landmarks not provided in the script. Students can find information about their landmark by going to the website http://allacrosstexas.com or using travel books and other texts about Texas.

Recommended Resources The following resources are available about Texas history and landmarks: All Across Texas. “See & Do: Explore Big in Texas.” n.d. http://www.allacrosstexas.com/ Awbrey, Betty Dooley. 2005. Why Stop? A Guide to Texas Historical Roadside Markers. Lanham, MD: Taylor Trade Publishing. Bruun, Erik, and Rick Peterson. 2000. State Shapes: Texas. New York, NY: Black Dog and Leventhal Publishers. Crane, Carol. 2001. L Is for Lone Star: A Texas Alphabet. Ann Arbor, MI: Sleeping Bear Press. © Shell Education

#51009—Reader’s Theater Scripts: Texas History

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Texas Landmark Road Trip Characters Student 1  Student 2  Student 3  Student 4 

Parent Principal Teacher Bus Driver

Teacher:

I know you are excited about our trip, and so am I. The principal would like to talk to you before we go.

Principal:

We are going to see a lot of landmarks all over Texas. Please stay in your seat and talk to the people next to you. I want to thank our parent volunteer for coming along.

Parent:

Free road trip? I’m in!

Student 4:

Road trip!

Bus Driver: Oh, good gravy! Student 1:

Where are we going first?

Teacher:

First stop, the Dealy Plaza National Historic Landmark District in Dallas.

Student 2:

Is that a landmark?

Student 3:

It is where President John F. Kennedy was assassinated.

Parent:

Yes, and it became a landmark in 1993.

Student 4:

Wow, like a hundred years ago?

Principal:

Not quite.

Teacher:

It is made up of about thirty buildings.

Student 1:

Dallas is where my family went to the Texas State Fair.

Parent:

The state fair has been there since 1886.

Student 4:

Wow, like a thousand years ago.

Teacher:

Not quite.

Bus Driver: Dealy Plaza is the site where Lee Harvey Oswald allegedly shot President John F. Kennedy. I say allegedly because Oswald was never convicted of the crime. Student 2: 116

Where are we going after that?

#51009—Reader’s Theater Scripts: Texas History

© Shell Education

Texas Landmark Road Trip (cont.) Student 3:

The State Fair?

Teacher:

After Dallas, we are going to drive all the way to our capital city of Austin.

Principal:

There, we will see the Texas State Capitol.

Parent:

The capitol opened in 1888.

Student 4:

Wow, like a million years ago.

Parent:

Not quite.

Teacher:

The Texas State Capitol is where the Texas state government is located. The capitol houses many of our state politicians, and it looks like a 19th-century three-story castle. The next stop on the list after that is the Governor’s Mansion.

Student 1:

Is that where the Texas governor lives?

Student 2:

Yes. The governor runs the state and lives in a mansion. The governor is the chief officer of the state executive branch.

Student 3:

I wish I were the governor of Texas.

Bus Driver: Me, too. Principal:

This mansion has been the home of every governor since 1856.

Student 4:

Wow, like a billion years ago.

Bus Driver: Not quite. After that, we have a short drive down to San Antonio. Student 1:

What will we see there?

Teacher:

The famous fort called the Alamo where David Crockett and other Texans fought against the Mexican Army during the Texas Revolution. The Alamo remains a symbol of patriotic sacrifice.

Student 2:

They only had about two hundred people, and they were fighting a much bigger army.

Parent:

The Texans lost, but they never gave up. We will always remember the Alamo.

Principal:

Next, we will leave San Antonio and go down to Beaumont to see the famous Spindletop oil field. When they struck oil at Spindletop in 1901, the entire country’s oil supply was tripled! The men who finally discovered the oil tried for nine years before they drilled into the gusher that produced 100,000 barrels of oil per day.

© Shell Education

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Texas Landmark Road Trip (cont.) Teacher:

After that, we drive ninety miles to Houston. Houston is the home of another state landmark, the Apollo Mission Control Center.

Student 3:

Wow!

Student 1:

Is that where they launch rockets?

Student 2:

Space shuttles?

Student 3:

UFOs?

Student 4:

Ships from Star Wars?

Parent:

No. The Control Center talks to the astronauts in space. They take care of the astronauts from liftoff to touchdown. In fact, the Control Center monitored the Apollo 11 mission when we first touched down on the moon as well as many other outer space explorations.

Student 1:

What else is in Houston?

Principal:

The USS Texas. It was the first battleship to be named a United States landmark.

Teacher:

It was used in World War I and II. It was a great ship and fought in many other battles from 1910 to 1946.

Student 4:

Wow, like 36 years!

Student 2:

Exactly.

Student 3:

Where will we go next?

Bus Driver: Are you kidding? That is the end of the road trip.

118

Student 4:

Road trip!

Principal:

Oh, good gravy!

#51009—Reader’s Theater Scripts: Texas History

© Shell Education

Name: __________________________________ Date: ����������������������������������

Denotations and Connotations Directions: Brainstorm other words for house and list those words in the first column. In the second column, draw the denotative meaning of the word. Then, list words for feelings, associations, or connections that you have for the identified word. Other words for house castle

© Shell Education

Drawing

Connotations king, England, rich

#51009—Reader’s Theater Scripts: Texas History

119

Texas Longhorn Cattle Background This script features a debate between cows and longhorns. The longhorns defend their unique heritage. They describe all the reasons why longhorns are highly respected animals. They are clearly proud of themselves.

Standards

• The student understands the political, economic, and social changes in Texas during the last half of the 19th century.



• The student understands how individuals, events, and issues shaped the history of Texas from Reconstruction through the beginning of the 20th century.

Materials • Texas Longhorn Cattle script (pages 122–124) • Compounding New Words Cards (pages 125–126) • Compound Record Sheet (page 127) • scissors

• paper strips (10–15 per student pair)



• writing paper

Vocabulary Words You may wish to introduce the following vocabulary words prior to the lesson: • ancestors • brush

• cholesterol

• evolved • frigid

• grazing

• mascot • parasite

• scorching

• thrived • tropical

• markers

Script Study

1. Distribute the Texas Longhorn Cattle script (pages 122–124) to students. Have students scan the script and circle any words that are unfamiliar. Then, discuss the selected words as a class.

2. Assign the character roles to students, and read the script together as a class. As students are reading the script, stop at the appropriate places in the text to provide a definition for each of the vocabulary words listed above. Encourage students to use context clues within the script to create a kid-friendly definition for each word. 3. Ask the following questions to engage students in thinking about the text:

• What were some of the things that longhorns cattle ate to survive?



• Name three reasons from the script that the longhorns cattle told the cows to support their argument that the longhorns’ daddies were superior to the cows’ daddies.



• Why do you think longhorns 2 said that the longhorns cattle are symbols of the Old West?

4. Reread the script as a class, without stopping. 120

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Texas Longhorn Cattle (cont.) Word Study 5. Explain to students that the word longhorns is an example of a compound word—a new word made by combining two words (long and horns). 6. Divide students into pairs, and distribute the Compound Record Sheet (page 127), as well as a set of the Compounding New Words Cards (pages 125–126) to each student pair. Have students take turns building compound words by placing two cards together to create a new compound word. 7. Tell students to record the compound words that they make on their Compound Record Sheet. Then, have each student pair select five words and compose a meaningful context for each word in an original sentence.

Extension Activity 1. Ask students to use the script and any other references to collect important and interesting facts about Texas longhorns cattle. 2. Divide students into pairs, and distribute 10–15 strips of paper to each student pair. Have students work with their partners to list one fact about longhorns cattle on each strip of paper. 3. Help students edit their sentences and revise/correct, as needed. Then, tell students to arrange their paper strips in a sequence that best fits together and makes sense, grouping facts together that are similar in topic such as the physical features of the longhorns or the future of the longhorns. 4. Distribute writing paper and markers for student pairs to use to write short nonfiction books on the Texas longhorns. Explain that the fact strips become the text for the various pages of the book, and students can illustrate the text that they place on each page.

Recommended Resources The following resources are available about Texas longhorn cattle: Borgia, Mary. 2006. Tales of the Texas Mermaid “The Boot.” Lubbock, TX: Goretti Publishing. Davis, David. 2006. Texas Zeke and the Longhorns. Gretna, LA: Pelican Publishing. Dobie, J. Frank. 1980. The Longhorns. Austin, TX: University of Texas Press. Stanley, Jerry. 2003. Cowboys and Longhorns: A Portrait of the Long Drive. New York, NY: Crowne Books for Young Readers.

© Shell Education

#51009—Reader’s Theater Scripts: Texas History

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Texas Longhorn Cattle Characters Cow 1  Cow 2  Cow 3 

122

Longhorn 1 Longhorn 2 Longhorn 3

Cow 1:

I bet my daddy is bigger than your daddy.

Cow 2:

I bet not. My daddy could take your daddy any day.

Cow 3:

My daddy was born in Omaha.

Cow 1:

Oh great, here come the Texas longhorns.

Longhorns 1:

Hey there, regular cattle.

Longhorns 2:

What are you three cows talking about?

Longhorns 3:

Did I overhear a “my daddy is better than your daddy” contest?

Cow 1:

No way—we are way too old for that.

Cow 2:

Yeah, who cares whose daddy was better than another. You must be mistaken.

Cow 3:

Exactly, because we all know my daddy was the best.

Longhorns 1:

Y’all think your dads had anything on ours?

Longhorns 2:

Y’all have got to be kidding.

Longhorns 3:

I think it is time we educate these cows.

Cow 1:

I’m so scared.

Cow 2:

I’m shaking in my hooves.

Cow 3:

I am a little scared, too—scared these longhorns are going to get their little feelings hurt!

Longhorns 1:

Our longhorns ancestors were the first to step foot on North American soil.

Cow 1:

Who cares?

Longhorns 2:

We are also the only breed of beef cow that evolved without the help of humans.

#51009—Reader’s Theater Scripts: Texas History

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Texas Longhorn Cattle (cont.) Cow 2:

Well, that is interesting.

Cow 3:

Be quiet. You’re on our side.

Longhorns 3:

My daddy was the toughest. Just like us, he can survive on almost anything.

Longhorns 1:

You cows need perfect little grazing fields.

Cow 1:

I do like a good graze.

Longhorns 2:

Our daddies survived on cactus, weeds, brush, and other horrible things that you cows wouldn’t eat in your worst nightmares.

Cow 2:

Gross!

Longhorns 3:

We can also survive almost anywhere.

Longhorns 1:

We have thrived in frigid subzero temperatures.

Cow 3:

I suppose you can also live in the blazing heat of tropical climates.

Longhorns 2:

You got it—living side by side with parasites and other filth under the scorching sun.

Cow 1:

I’m not sure that is any reason to brag.

Cow 2:

Yes, it is. We are all cows; we are all dirty.

Longhorns 3:

The difference is, if your daddies lived where ours have, they would have surely died.

Cow 3:

Oh, yeah? Well, we live just fine here, and we put on weight faster than you.

Longhorns 1:

Wait . . . are you bragging about being fat cows?

Cow 1:

Not me! I am on a diet.

Longhorns 2:

The reason people love us so much is because we are extremely lean. We have very little fat.

Longhorns 3:

We also are low in calories and cholesterol.

Cow 2:

Wow, when did longhorns become doctors?

Longhorns 1:

Still not convinced?

© Shell Education

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Texas Longhorn Cattle (cont.) All Cows:

No!

Longhorns 2:

Not only do we taste better but we are also highly respected.

Cow 3:

Yeah, right—my hoof!

Longhorns 3:

We are the official Texas State large mammal.

Longhorns 1:

We are also the official symbol of Fort Worth.

Longhorns 2:

The University of Texas’s mascot is the longhorns.

Cow 1:

Are you sure they are not the Texas Cattle?

All Longhorns: Positive.

124

Longhorns 3:

Some longhorns herds are not raised for beef.

Cow 2:

A dairy longhorns?

Longhorns 1:

No, some longhorns herds are raised because of our intelligence and beauty.

Longhorns 2:

We are symbols of the Old West.

Longhorns 3:

But we were almost extinct in the 1920s.

Longhorns 1:

Because of our ability to survive on anything and anywhere, we came back in great numbers.

Longhorns 2:

You see? Our daddies were much better than yours.

Cow 3:

Well, um . . . we are fat cows!

Longhorns 3:

And so were your parents!

#51009—Reader’s Theater Scripts: Texas History

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Compounding New Words Cards Teacher Directions: Copy and cut apart the cards.

long

horn

any

where

cow

boy

under

hand

star

fish

under ground

sales person team © Shell Education

mate

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Compounding New Words Cards (cont.)

fire

proof

home

made

key

board

sky

scraper

sub

zero

noon

time

shield audio

tape

wind 126

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Name: __________________________________ Date: ����������������������������������

Compound Record Sheet Directions: Work with a partner to create compound words. Record your words in the box. Then, select five of the words and write one meaningful sentence for each word on the lines below. Compound Words

1. ________________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________________ 2. ________________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________________ 3. ________________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________________ 4. ________________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________________ 5. ________________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________________

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The Arrest of Stephen F. Austin Background Prior to Texas’s independence, Stephen F. Austin convinced Mexico to lift their immigration ban, so people of the United States could live in Mexico. The people from Texas became very powerful, and this scared Mexico, so Stephen F. Austin was arrested for fear that he would revolt against Mexico. This script highlights the events surrounding his arrest.

Standards

• The student understands the causes and effects of European exploration and colonization of Texas and North America.



• The student understands how individuals, events, and issues through Mexican National Era shaped the history of Texas.

Vocabulary Words You may wish to introduce the following vocabulary words prior to the lesson: • accumulate • emancipate • administrate • initiate • allocate





• altercate

• magistrate

Materials



• checkmate

• predestinate

• The Arrest of Stephen F. Austin script (pages 130–131)

• congregate

• rededicate

• Rhyming Words Cards (pages 132–138)

• consulate

• regulate

• eliminate

• remediate



• crayons and markers

• instigate

• scissors • posters

• colored pencils or markers

Script Study

1. Distribute The Arrest of Stephen F. Austin script (pages 130–131) to students. Have students scan the script and circle any words that are unfamiliar. Then, discuss the selected words as a class.

2. Assign the character roles to students, and read the script together as a class. As students are reading the script, stop at the appropriate places in the text to provide a definition for each of the vocabulary words listed above. Encourage students to use context clues within the script to create a kid-friendly definition for each word. 3. After the class is done reading the script, ask the following questions to engage students in thinking about the text:

• What was the dream of Stephen F. Austin’s father?



• What did Mexico do to Stephen F. Austin? Why?



• What did Austin do while he was in prison?

4. Reread the script as a class without stopping. 128

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The Arrest of Stephen F. Austin (cont.) Word Study 5. Explain to students that this script is unusual, as the last word in each line of the script rhymes and many of these words’ meanings may be new to them. 6. Distribute the Rhyming Words Cards (pages 132–138) to students. Have students illustrate the meaning of the word that is being represented on their card. Let each student explain his or her illustration and how it exemplifies the selected word. 7. Reread the script chorally, and point to each student card that illustrates the rhyming word’s meaning as it is read in the script.

Extension Activity 1. Have students use the script and any other resources to develop “wanted” posters that Mexico might have displayed for Stephen F. Austin. Have students include at least two reasons why Austin was wanted by Mexico, and add a sketch of Austin along with a map of the time period and possible locations where Austin might be found. 2. When students have completed their posters, have them share their results with the class.

Recommended Resources The following resources are available about Stephen F. Austin: Haley, James L. 2003. Stephen F. Austin and the Founding of Texas. New York, NY: Rosen Publishing Group. PBS. “Stephen Fuller Austin.” n.d. http://www.pbs.org/weta/thewest/people/a_c/austin.htm Texas State Library and Archives Commission. “Stephen F. Austin.” n.d. https://www.tsl.texas.gov/treasures/giants/austin/austin-01.html Wade, Mary Dodson. 2009. Stephen F. Austin: The Son Becomes Father of Texas. Houston, TX: Bright Sky Press. Warren, Betsy. 1996. Moses Austin and Stephen F. Austin: A Gone to Texas Dual Biography. Houston, TX: Hendrick-Long Publishing.

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The Arrest of Stephen F. Austin Characters Narrator 1  Narrator 2  Narrator 3

Narrator 4 Narrator 5

Narrator 1: Stephen F. Austin, “father” of our state, Narrator 2: Born an incredible candidate. Narrator 3: His father’s dream was predestinate Narrator 4: To extend Texas and administrate. Narrator 5: So Stephen took the bait, Narrator 1: Mexico’s land he did allocate. Narrator 2: The settlement’s growth was great, Narrator 3: Many Texans began to congregate Narrator 4: As they continued to accumulate. Narrator 5: Hostile tribes Austin would eliminate, Narrator 1: Afterward, they would celebrate. Narrator 2: His new settlement might complicate Narrator 3: The existing countries consulate, Narrator 4: So Mexico started to regulate. Narrator 5: They started to altercate, Narrator 1: Then Mexico put Austin in checkmate, Narrator 2: Confining him behind a prison gate Narrator 3: With nothing but his cellmate. Narrator 4: Austin had to rededicate. Narrator 5: In order to remediate, Narrator 1: Austin continued to calculate Narrator 2: How he might instigate, 130

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The Arrest of Stephen F. Austin (cont.) Narrator 3: Making his land part of our state. Narrator 4: There was a need to emancipate Narrator 5: From the current magistrate. Narrator 1: Austin would have to wait Narrator 2: For months to initiate Narrator 3: And demonstrate All:

© Shell Education

How much he cared about our state.

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Rhyming Words Cards Teacher Directions: Copy and cut apart the cards.

132

state

candidate

predestinate

administrate

#51009—Reader’s Theater Scripts: Texas History

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Rhyming Words Cards (cont.)

© Shell Education

bait

allocate

great

congregate

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Rhyming Words Cards (cont.)

134

accumulate

eliminate

celebrate

complicate

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Rhyming Words Cards (cont.)

consulate

regulate

altercate

checkmate

© Shell Education

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Rhyming Words Cards (cont.)

136

gate

cellmate

rededicate

remediate

#51009—Reader’s Theater Scripts: Texas History

© Shell Education

Rhyming Words Cards (cont.)

calculate

instigate

emancipate

magistrate

© Shell Education

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Rhyming Words Cards (cont.)

wait

initiate

demonstrate

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The Galveston Hurricane Background In 1900, a horrible storm pummeled the coast of Texas. This script explains the devastating effect the hurricane had on the city of Galveston.

Standards

• The student understands important issues, events, and individuals of the 20th century in Texas.



• The student understands how individuals, events, and issues shaped the history of Texas during the 20th and early 21st centuries.

Materials • The Galveston Hurricane script (pages 141–143)

Vocabulary Words You may wish to introduce the following vocabulary words prior to the lesson: • decimated • monitored • deputized • devastation

• engulfed



• evacuation

• intensity • massive

• natural disaster • official

• perished

• ventured • wormed

• Syllables Sort (pages 144–145) • scissors • glue

• chart paper

Script Study

1. Distribute The Galveston Hurricane script (pages 141–143) to students. Have students scan the script and circle any words that are unfamiliar. Then, discuss the selected words as a class.

2. Assign the character roles to students, and read the script together as a class. As students are reading the script, stop at the appropriate places in the text to provide a definition for each of the vocabulary words listed above. Encourage students to use context clues within the script to create a kid-friendly definition for each word. 3. After the class is done reading the script, ask the following questions to engage students in thinking about the text:

• What were the effects of the Galveston Hurricane of 1900?



• Why weren’t the people of Galveston more prepared for the hurricane?



• What prevented many people from leaving Galveston as the hurricane came ashore?



• What changes do you think the surviving people of Galveston faced after the hurricane?

4. Reread the script as a class, without stopping. © Shell Education

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The Galveston Hurricane (cont.) Word Study 5. Tell students that good readers often take words apart by syllables in order to help them decode and pronounce longer words. Write the word hurricane on the board. Model for students how to break the word apart by its syllables (hur /ri /cane). 6. Distribute the Syllables Sort activity sheets (pages 144–145) to students. Have students cut apart the words on their activity sheets and then sort and glue their word cards based on the number of syllables in each word. 7. When students have completed sorting their word cards, have them work with partners to practice reading the words from the script.

Extension Activity 1. Create a one-cause/multiple effects graphic organizer (see below) on the board or on a sheet of chart paper. Have students research the effects of the Galveston Hurricane of 1900. Ask students to return to the script to locate text details to develop the graphic organizer. The 1900 Galveston Hurricane hits Texas

Effect One

Effect Two

Effect Three

Effect Four

2. Have students share their findings in order to complete the graphic organizer as a class.

Recommended Resources The following resources are available about the 1900 Galveston Hurricane and other hurricanes: CNN.com/us. “Ike Wears Itself Out Beating Up on Texas.” n.d. http://www.cnn.com/2008/US/weather/09/13/hurricane.ike.texas/index.html CNN Specials. “A Centennial Remembrance: The Galveston Hurricane.” n.d. http://www.cnn.com/SPECIALS/2000/galveston/ Mercier, Deirdre McLaughlin. 2006. Yesterday We Had a Hurricane. Chesapeake, VA: Bumble Bee Publishing. NBCnews.com. “Crews Fan Out in Texas to Search for Ike Victims.” http://www.nbcnews.com/id/26637482/#.Utxs1STTmCc Simon, Seymour. 2007. Hurricanes. United Kingdom: HarperCollins. Texas State Historical Association. “Texas Genealogy Records.” n.d. http://www.tshaonline.org/handbook/online/articles/GG/ydg2.html 140

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The Galveston Hurricane Characters Narrator 1  Narrator 2  Narrator 3

Narrator 4 Narrator 5

Narrator 1: This hurricane had no official name. Narrator 2: It was sometimes known as . . . Narrator 3: The 1900 Storm, Narrator 4: The Great Storm, Narrator 5: The Great Galveston Hurricane of 1900. Narrator 1: It was one of the deadliest natural disasters ever recorded. Narrator 2: The devastation was set in Galveston, Texas, in the year 1900. Narrator 3: About 6,000 to 8,000 people were killed because of the hurricane. Narrator 4: This category-four hurricane decimated the coastline of Texas, blowing in at an estimated 135 miles per hour. Narrator 5: In 1900, the powerful hurricane caused 20 million dollars in damages. Narrator 1: That amount would be equivalent to over 500 million dollars today. Narrator 2: The storm was originally reported as unsettled weather. Narrator 3: The forecasters would later find out the term unsettled lacked the necessary urgency to warn people of the massive natural “beast.” Narrator 4: It was difficult to predict the dangerous storm because the weather at that time was not monitored by satellite. Unlucky sailors who saw the arriving storm with their own eyes monitored it. Narrator 5: The ships that were quick enough, and lucky enough, sailed to shore to warn people of the dangerous weather. © Shell Education

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The Galveston Hurricane (cont.) Narrator 1: The ship Louisiana measured the hurricane winds near New Orleans. Narrator 2: But the story of the storm did not begin there. It began across the ocean, off the coast of Africa on August 27. It was the great storm’s birthday. Narrator 3: Like humans, the hurricane began as a baby storm and slowly ventured across the great ocean. Narrator 4: The storm wormed its way across the seas and islands, building up power along its long journey. Narrator 5: Once this storm reached the Caribbean Ocean, it was no longer a baby. Narrator 1: Now, it was called by the U.S. Weather Bureau “a storm of moderate intensity.” Narrator 2: Luckily for the storm, it still had time to grow. Narrator 3: Unluckily for the people of Galveston, it did grow. Narrator 4: Days later, as it moved towards the United States coastline, it was considered a tropical storm. Narrator 5: The storm’s ferociousness exploded on the U.S. coastline on September 7 as a powerful hurricane. Narrator 1: The hurricane spent the day flooding cities, destroying property, and claiming lives. Narrator 2: Galveston was underwater. Narrator 3: The storm surge, or waves crashing in from the ocean, engulfed the entire island. Narrator 4: Buildings were knocked from their foundations, crumbling in the storm. Narrator 5: Approximately 3,600 houses were destroyed. Narrator 1: Bridges, boats, and telegraphs were also decimated by the storm. 142

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The Galveston Hurricane (cont.) Narrator 2: The destruction of these things prevented an effective evacuation of Galveston Island. Narrator 3: The number of survivors was decreased because they could not leave the city. Narrator 4: It seemed impossible to escape the deadly storm surge brought on by the hurricane. Narrator 5: Almost twenty percent of the island’s people perished in the Great Storm. Narrator 1: A message was sent from Galveston to the governor of Texas and the president of the United States. It read: Narrator 2: “I have been deputized by the mayor and Citizen’s Committee of Galveston to inform you that the city of Galveston is in ruins.”

© Shell Education

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Syllables Sort Directions: Cut apart the cards below. Then, sort and glue the cards based on the number of syllables in each word onto the Syllable Sort chart.

144

official

hurricane

deadliest

disasters

devastation

committee

decimated

estimated

category

equivalent

governor

unsettled

urgency

satellite

dangerous

president

Caribbean

moderate

tropical

ferociousness

foundation

telegraphs

evacuate

impossible

#51009—Reader’s Theater Scripts: Texas History

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Name: __________________________________ Date: ����������������������������������

Three Syllables

Four Syllables

Syllables Sort (cont.)

© Shell Education

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The History of the Apache Background This script follows six Apache through the difficulties shared by their people. The script begins with the six Apache traveling south to Texas and ends with the current state of their people.

Standards

• The student understands the origins, similarities, and differences of Indian American groups in Texas and North America before European exploration.



• The student understands how individuals, events, and issues through Mexican National Era shaped the history of Texas.

Materials • The History of the Apache script (pages 149–151) • Making and Writing Words (page 37)

• chart paper



• colored pencils or markers

Vocabulary Words You may wish to introduce the following vocabulary words prior to the lesson: • arid • current • merged

• mission



• nomads

• regain • revolted • valiant

Script Study

1. Distribute The History of the Apache script (pages 149–151) to students. Have students scan the script and circle any words that are unfamiliar. Then, discuss the selected words as a class.

2. Assign the character roles to students, and read the script together as a class. As students are reading the script, stop at the appropriate places in the text to provide a definition for each of the vocabulary words listed above. Encourage students to use context clues within the script to create a kid-friendly definition for each word. 3. After the class is done reading the script, ask the following questions to engage students in thinking about the text:

• How would you describe the life of a nomadic people?



• How did the Apache learn to ride horses?



• What were some of the reasons that the Apache kept moving south?



• Why did the Apache bands join together?

4. Reread the script as a class, without stopping.

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The History of the Apache (cont.) Word Study 5. Distribute the Making and Writing Words activity sheet (page 37) to students. Have them record the vowels a, e, e, i and o and the consonants m, n, r, r, s, t and v (list in alphabetical order) in the appropriate boxes on the chart. 6. Ask students to write the dictated words from the chart below in the numbered boxes, using the given letters. Discuss the meaning of each targeted word by reading the sentence provided. Note: The transfer words (T1 to T6) may use other letters than those provided by the lesson, but must build on the patterns presented in the original list of 15 words. 7. Have students use the transfer boxes on their activity sheets to write the T1 throught T6 words from the chart that utilize patterns presented in the original words recorded. Word 1. save 2. rate 3. seen 4. veer 5. near 6. stream 7. strain 8. verse 9. serve 10. revert 11. ration 12. errant 13. servant 14. traverse 15. reservation T1 reverse T2 vacation T3 elation T4 conversation T5 invitation T6 aversion

© Shell Education

Sentence How much money do you need to save for the class trip? The horse’s rate of speed was incredible. What have you seen in the forest? Marie had to veer sharply, so she would not hit the curb. The cat was hiding near the chair. A stream flowed down the side of the hill. The strain of the marathon showed on the athlete’s face. Let’s sing the last verse of that song. His serve was the fastest in the tennis match. Although she is six years old, my little sister will revert to being a baby when she wants to get something. The survivors on the island had to ration what little food they had left. The errant knight was seeking adventure and fame by slaying the dragon. Cinderella was treated like a servant in her own home. I will traverse the city to find the best job for me. Make a reservation for dinner because that restaurant is very popular. He put the car in reverse and backed out of the parking space. Can we vacation at the beach this year? My initial elation turned to despair when I discovered that my best friend could not come to my birthday party. The conversation turned to planning the dance after the football game. Which invitation for the party do you want to send to your friends? Ralph had a strong aversion to the green peas rolling around on his dinner plate.

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The History of the Apache (cont.) Extension Activity

1. Have students use the History of the Cherokee (pages 40–43) and The History of the Apache (pages 149–151) scripts as resources to compare and contrast the histories of these two Texas American Indian groups.



2. Divide students into groups of four or five. Have them work as a team to look for similarities and differences between the two groups. Distribute a sheet of chart paper to each group, and have them create Venn diagrams to compare and contrast the Cherokee and Apache.



3. Encourage students to use the additional resources listed in the bibliographies of each script’s activities to find more facts about the history of the featured groups. Then, have students illustrate their graphic organizers with sketches or clip art to depict various historical events of these two American Indian groups.



4. Have each group share their findings when they have completed their Venn diagrams.

Recommended Resources The following resources are available about the Apache: Curry, Jane Louise. 2003. Hold Up the Sky and Other Native American Tales from Texas and the Southern Plains. New York, NY: Margaret K. McElderry. Erdoes, Richard, and Alfonso Ortiz. 1985. American Indian Myths and Legends. New York, NY: Pantheon. Four Directions Institute. “Apache.” n.d. http://www.fourdir.com/apache.htm Lund, Bill. 1999. The Apache Indians. North Mankato, MN: Capstone Press. Santella, Andrew. 2000. The Apache. New York, NY: Children’s Press.

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The History of the Apache Characters Apache 1  Apache 2  Apache 3  Apache 4

Apache 5 Apache 6 Narrator

Apache 1:

My feet hurt.

Apache 2:

Yeah, we have been walking forever.

Apache 3:

Whose idea was this anyway?

Apache 4:

The Apache are nomads. We are Apache. This is what nomadic people do.

Apache 5:

We are always on the move.

Apache 6:

Do you think it is warmer down south?

Apache 1:

I think so, but I hope we find some bison soon. I’m starving! How much farther do we need to go?

Apache 2:

About 4,000 miles. We’ll be there in no time.

Apache 3:

That’s what you said four days ago.

Narrator:

Now, we fast-forward about 500 years to when our Apache finally arrive in the Texas Panhandle after moving south from Alaska and Canada. I realize that the country of Canada and the state of Texas did not exist yet, but, as the Narrator, I think it will help us to refer to the current names we use for these places. And yes, I know that people do not live 500 years. Let’s return to our same valiant travelers.

Apache 1:

My feet still hurt.

Apache 4:

Get a horse. The Pueblo talk pretty highly of them.

Apache 5:

Yes, I saw one of those things. If we could get a horse, we could cut back on all this walking.

Apache 6:

It’s the life of a nomad.

Apache 1:

I say we ask the Pueblo how to ride a horse.

Narrator:

The Apache people soon learned the secret of horseback riding.

Apache 2:

We used our horsemanship to chase bison over cliffs.

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The History of the Apache (cont.)

150

Apache 3:

As we chased the bison, we would wave our arms and make loud noises.

Apache 4:

Our strategy worked very well.

Apache 5:

We used bison in many ways.

Apache 6:

We used the bison for meat.

Apache 1:

We used the fur and skin for our clothes.

Apache 2:

And to build our teepees.

Narrator:

The Apache depended on bison for most of their needs.

Apache 3:

I’m just glad we can chase the bison down on horseback.

Narrator:

Don’t let these Apache fool you. Apache means “enemy” in Zuni. They were not just nomads following their food—they were also running away from other tribes. Unfortunately, when running from one tribe, there is a chance of running right into another. This happened when they arrived in Texas.

Apache 4:

The weather here is very different from our icy climate up north.

Apache 5:

Yes, it is a bit arid and a tad warm, too.

Apache 6:

By arid and warm, do you mean dry as a bone and scorching?

Narrator:

Regardless of the extreme change in their environment, the Apache adapted quickly. In the 1700s, they were discovered in Texas by the Spanish.

Apache 1:

My feet hurt again!

Apache 2:

These Spaniards are really putting us to work.

Apache 3:

I have not seen a paycheck since we started working here.

Apache 4:

What do they call this place? A mission? This mission gets all of us sick and enslaves us.

Narrator:

The Apache were so enraged by their treatment from the Spaniards that they rebelled against them and their mission.

Apache 5:

This is no mission of mine. I say we burn it down.

Apache 6:

Sounds good to me.

Apache 1:

As long as I can get off of my feet for a while.

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The History of the Apache (cont.) Narrator:

The Apache revolted many times against the controlling Spanish missions. Finally, the Spanish gave up, just in time to watch the powerful Comanche people come thrashing through Texas. The Comanche were known as fierce warriors, and they cleared away everything in their path.

Apache 2:

Wow, those guys are coming down the same way we did.

Apache 3:

Yes, and they are coming fast, too.

Apache 4:

With spears ready . . .

Apache 5:

Do I hear a battle cry?

Apache 6:

Run!

Apache 1:

Oh, no, not again!

Narrator:

The Apache people were driven farther south by the Comanche. The Apache traveled in bands, which consisted of a few families. Each band had a leader. At that time, there were many bands, but because of the impact of the Spanish missions, tribal attacks, and the advance of the American settlers and troops, all the Apache bands merged into two— the Lipan and the Mescalero.

Apache 2:

It has been a long time since our lighthearted, nomadic lifestyle. I miss it.

Apache 3:

I heard that Geronimo of the Mescalero made a brave attack to regain their land.

Narrator:

It was true. Geronimo and the Mescalero decided to fight back against the Spanish, Comanche, and Americans. The famous raid took place in New Mexico and West Texas.

Apache 4:

We fled south, but our enemies still came for us. All this running; I wish they would just leave us alone.

Narrator:

The Lipan Apache crossed into Mexico in the 1860s where they settled into villages. The Americans crossed the border a decade later and captured the Lipan. They were taken to a New Mexico reservation to live with the Mescalero. The Apache people can still be found there today.

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The King of the Wild Frontier Background David (Davy) Crockett is a Texas and an American folk hero. This script briefly covers the life of David Crockett and his involvement in the Battle of the Alamo. It begins with his childhood in Tennessee and describes his life before and during his involvement at the Alamo.

Standards

• The student understands important, symbols, customs, celebrations, and landmarks that represent American beliefs and principles and contribute to our national identity.



• The student understands how individuals, events, and issues related to the Texas Revolution shaped the history of Texas.

Materials

• The King of the Wild Frontier script (pages 155–157) • Making and Writing Words (page 37)

• blank paper



• colored pencils or markers



• six-foot lengths of string or rope

Vocabulary Words You may wish to introduce the following vocabulary words prior to the lesson: • frontier • military • politics

• responded



• retreat

• trapper • volunteering

Script Study

1. Distribute The King of the Wild Frontier script (pages 155–157) to students. Have students scan the script and circle any words that are unfamiliar. Then, discuss the selected words as a class.

2. Assign the character roles to students, and read the script together as a class. As students are reading the script, stop at the appropriate places in the text to provide a definition for each of the vocabulary words listed above. Encourage students to use context clues within the script to create a kid-friendly definition for each word. 3. After the class is done reading the script, ask the following questions to engage students in thinking about the text:

• Why did David Crockett go to Texas?



• Make a list of character words to describe Crockett. Give examples from the text that support your selection of words.



• Where would you go if you had the chance? Why would you go there?

4. Reread the script as a class, without stopping. 152

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The King of the Wild Frontier (cont.) Word Study 5. Distribute the Making and Writing Words activity sheet (page 37) to students. Have them record the vowels e and o and the consonants c, c, k, r, t, t (list in alphabetical order) in the appropriate boxes on the chart. 6. Ask students to write the dictated words from the chart below in the numbered boxes, using the given letters. Discuss the meaning of each targeted word by reading the sentence provided. Note: The transfer words (T1 to T6) may use other letters than those provided by the lesson but must build on the patterns presented in the original list of 15 words. 7. Have students use the transfer boxes on their activity sheets to write the T1 throught T6 words from the chart that utilize patterns presented in the original words recorded. Word 1. rot 2. cot 3. tot 4. ore 5. tore 6. core 7. cork 8. rock 9. trot 10. trek 11. torte 12. otter 13. crock 14. rocket 15. Crockett T1 shot T2 rotten T3 totter T4 uncork T5 locker T6 pocketful

© Shell Education

Sentence If you leave the banana out in the hot sun, it may rot and not be good to eat. The soldier slept on the cot in his tent. The tot in the park was little, but she still could climb up the slide. Some of the miners found iron ore in the mountain’s rocks. Who tore the paper in the office and left the pieces on my desk? Juan ate the apple and then threw the core into the trash can. A cork in the bottle kept the juice from spilling out. Rock the swing when the baby cries. This horse would rather trot than gallop. The campers planned a trek up the mountain after they had breakfast. A strawberry torte topped with whipped cream was the special dessert for the night. An otter fished for his dinner in the stream. Brad pulled a crock of butter from the refrigerator. The rocket sped through the atmosphere and into space. David Crockett died as a hero of the Alamo. Dr. Jones gave the baby a shot to keep her from getting sick. Mark frowned at his rotten luck; he arrived too late to see the movie. The gymnast must not totter on the balance beam, or she will fall. Uncork the bottle, and pour the water out for the hot hikers. The students put their books into the locker before recess. Dad jingled his pocketful of change and then paid for our popcorn.

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The King of the Wild Frontier (cont.) Extension Activity 1. Have students use the script and the resources listed below to create timelines of the significant events of David Crockett’s life. 2. Distribute a blank sheet of paper to each student, and have them illustrate their timelines with significant events of Crockett’s life. Encourage students to add dates for the events that they obtained from their resources. 3. Read Knots on a Counting Rope by Bill Martin Jr. and John Archambault to students. Then, divide students into small groups of four or five. Distribute a six-foot length of string or rope to each group, and have them create their own “counting ropes” for the important events of Crockett’s life. 4. Explain to students that each knot they make as a group represents a significant happening in Crockett’s life. Limit the number of knots each group can tie so that students must determine importance as they select the events the knots represent. 5. Tell each group to prepare a presentation done in first-person narrative style to share their “knots on a counting rope” and retell the events of Crockett’s life to the class.

Recommended Resources The following resources are available about David Crockett: Adler, David A. 1998. A Picture Book of Davy Crockett. New York, NY: Holiday House. Alphin, Elaine Marie. 2002. Davy Crockett. Minneapolis, MN: Lerner Publishing Group. Jones, Randell. 2006. In the Footsteps of Davy Crockett. Winston-Salem, NC: John F. Blair. Parks, Aileen Wells. 1986. Davy Crockett: Young Rifleman. New York, NY: Aladdin. Stanley, George Edward. 2008. Davy Crockett: Frontier Legend. New York, NY: Sterling. Sullivan, George. 2002. In Their Own Words: Davy Crockett. New York, NY: Scholastic.

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The King of the Wild Frontier Narrator 1  Narrator 2  Narrator 3

Characters David Crockett William B. Travis

David Crockett:

I was to explore Texas completely before I return.

Narrator 1:

So said David Crockett as he left Tennessee on October 31, 1835, to explore the wild frontier called Texas.

Narrator 2:

It was a long and difficult trail, but David arrived in Nacogdoches, Texas, over a year later.

Narrator 3:

On that long journey, David had plenty of time to think about his life. You see, he had not always been such a hero. In fact, when he was young, David had a lot of trouble in school. As a boy, he left home to become a trapper and a hunter.

Narrator 1:

He remembered coming home on his sixteenth birthday. His family was so happy to see him. It was the best birthday present ever.

Narrator 2:

He also remembered his first wife, Polly. They had three children before she died. That was a long time ago—years before he married Elizabeth Patton, who also gave him three children.

Narrator 3:

Who knew the young trapper would join the military and later become a congressman?

Narrator 1:

He remembered what he would say before his speeches in Washington, D.C.

David Crockett:

I am the same David Crockett, fresh from the backwoods, half horse, half alligator, a little touched with the snapping turtle. I can whip my weight in wildcats, and if any gentleman pleases, for a ten‑dollar bill, he can throw in a panther, too.

Narrator 2:

He shocked a lot of people, but many respected him. Later, he lost in his reelection by two votes.

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The King of the Wild Frontier (cont.) Narrator 3:

David knew there was more in store for him than there was in Tennessee. In 1836, he found himself standing before Judge John Forbes in Texas.

David Crockett:

I have taken the oath of government and have enrolled my name as a volunteer and will set out for the Rio Grande in a few days with the Volunteers of the United States to reclaim much of Texas from the Mexicans.

Narrator 1:

He was very happy with his new environment and wrote to his sister, saying:

David Crockett:

I would rather be in my present situation than be elected a seat in Congress for life.

Narrator 2:

David Crockett seemed to be tired of politics. He was looking forward to receiving his 4,600 acres of land as payment for volunteering to fight the Mexican armies.

David Crockett:

Okay men, let’s ride!

Narrator 3:

On February 6, David and five other men rode to San Antonio. He had no idea what was to come.

Narrator 1:

Not too far from David’s camp, Commander William B. Travis was in charge of fighting off the Mexican forces that fought to reclaim the Alamo. He was greatly outnumbered.

William B. Travis: We need more help. Send for help! There are 8,000 of them and very few of us.

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Narrator 2:

David and his men responded to the call and headed to the Alamo to help Travis fight for Texas’s independence from Mexico.

David Crockett:

We are coming, and we will fight to the end!

Narrator 3:

David Crockett had experience in battle. He fought under General Andrew Jackson in the Creek Indian War for two years. Sometimes, he was a hunter; sometimes, he was a warrior. Today, he would be a warrior.

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The King of the Wild Frontier (cont.) Narrator 1:

When David arrived, there were approximately 200 Texans to fight off 8,000 Mexicans.

David Crockett:

Hold the Alamo!

William B. Travis: We will never surrender! David Crockett:

Stand and fight!

Narrator 1:

The Texans refused to surrender. Despite Sam Houston’s order to retreat a month before, the Texans stood and fought many with only a few.

Narrator 2:

During the heroic stand at the Alamo, 189 Texans were killed, including David Crockett. The Texans were defeated.

Narrator 3:

On the day he died, March 6, 1836, he wrote a letter to his daughter saying:

David Crockett:

Do not worry about me, for I am with friends.

All:

Remember the Alamo!

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The Legend of the Bluebonnet Background According to legend, a Comanche girl sacrificed her most prized possession to save the people in her community. They were suffering from an incredible drought brought on by selfishness. This script explains how the drought was broken by the girl’s selfless act.

Standards

• The student understands how individuals, events, and issues through Mexican National Era shaped the history of Texas.



• The student understands the concept of diversity within unity in Texas.

Materials • The Legend of the Bluebonnet script (pages 160–162)

Vocabulary Words You may wish to introduce the following vocabulary words prior to the lesson: • appeal • perish • brittle

• restore

• drought

• sacrifice



• famine

• ventured



• grim

• wake

• Latin Base Practice (page 163)

• chart paper



• writing paper

Script Study

1. Distribute The Legend of the Bluebonnet script (pages 160–162) to students. Have students scan the script and circle any words that are unfamiliar. Then, discuss the selected words as a class.

2. Assign the character roles to students, and read the script together as a class. Note: You may assign multiple students to play the Comanche people. As students are reading the script, stop at the appropriate places in the text to provide a definition for each of the vocabulary words listed above. Encourage students to use context clues within the script to create a kid-friendly definition for each word. 3. After the class is done reading the script, ask the following questions to engage students in thinking about the text:

• What did the Comanche people want the Great Spirit to do?



• What were some of the effects of the drought?



• Why do you think She-Who-Is-Alone treasured her doll so much?



• Why did the author say that the burning of She-Who-Is-Alone’s doll was a “supreme sacrifice”?



• What do you think might have happened after the end of the story?

4. Reread the script as a class, without stopping. 158

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The Legend of the Bluebonnet (cont.) Word Study 5. Explain to students that the Latin base viva/vivi/vivo/viv means “life,” “live,” and/or “alive.” Ask students how knowing the meaning of this base may help them to understand the meaning of the word surviving. 6. Distribute the Latin Base Practice activity sheet (page 163) to students. Tell students that they will create sentences with the words containing the Latin base viva/vivi/vivo/viv. Model for students how to complete an example (survive) with the sentence from the script. (Only the strong were surviving the wake of the great drought.) 7. When students have completed the activity, have them share their sentences with the class. Record student responses on the board or on a sheet of chart paper.

Extension Activity 1. Provide students with various selections of American Indian legends from the Recommended Resources section below such as The Legend of the Bluebonnet, The Legend of the Indian Paintbrush, The Rough-Faced Girl, and Arrow to the Sun. 2. On a sheet of chart paper or on the board, create a class list of character traits for the main character of each story (see below). Complete the character trait chart as a class, and encourage students to support their selection of each trait with evidence from the text. Story Title and Author

Main Character

Trait One and Text Examples

Trait Two and Text Examples

Trait Three and Text Examples

3. Have students write a short summary paragraph about one of the characters, describing that character’s traits and actions in the story. Or have students select two characters and compare/contrast the characters’ actions and traits using a graphic organizer such as a Venn diagram.

Recommended Resources The following resources are available about American Indian legends: Bruchac, Joseph. 1998. The First Strawberries. London: Puffin Press. DePaola, Tomie. 1996. The Legend of the Indian Paintbrush. New York, NY: Putnam Juvenile. ———. 1998. The Legend of the Bluebonnet. New York, NY: Putnam Juvenile. Martin, Rafe. 1998. The Rough-Face Girl. New York, NY: Putnam Juvenile. McDermott, Gerald. 1997. Arrow to the Sun: A Pueblo Indian Tale. London: Puffin Press. ———. 1999. Coyote: A Trickster Tale from the American Southwest. Nashville, TN: Voyager. © Shell Education

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The Legend of the Bluebonnet Narrator 1  Narrator 2  Narrator 3  Narrator 4

Characters She-Who-Is-Alone Comanche People Shaman

Narrator 1: The land was cracked. The crops were brittle. There was no water. There was no food. The Earth was grim long ago in the land we now call Texas. Narrator 2: During a time of famine brought on by a horrible drought, the Comanche people were left dying and sick. Narrator 3: Their only hope was to appeal to the Great Spirit or their people would surely perish. Narrator 4: They cried out: Comanche: Great Spirit! The land is dying, and we are dying, too. Narrator 1: The Comanche had no food or water. Comanche: Tell us how we can make you happy! Please send us rain! Narrator 1: The Comanche people begged and danced for three days. Still, there was no rain. Narrator 2: Only the strong were surviving the wake of the great drought. Narrator 3: One strong little girl was named She-Who-Is-Alone. She was the only one left in her family. The rest had lost their lives to the famine. Narrator 4: Like the other Comanche people, she was doing all she could to bring back the rain and the bison, hoping to end the hard times and restore life to the people. Narrator 1: In her hands, She-Who-Is-Alone held a beautiful doll that had been made by the hands of her parents. She spoke to it softly as if it were her only living relative. She:

My mother made you, and my father added the beautiful blue feathers on your head. You are all I have left of them.

Narrator 2: A shaman, who was a holy man able to talk to the Great Spirit, had ventured into the hills to learn the plans of the Great Spirit. 160

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The Legend of the Bluebonnet (cont.) Comanche: The shaman! He has returned! Narrator 3: Everyone gathered to hear the news from the Great Spirit. Shaman:

The Great Spirit has spoken to me. I know what has angered him. Our people take from Earth and give nothing back. The Great Spirit has called us a selfish people, and we are being punished.

Narrator 4: The people looked terrified. Comanche: What can we do? Shaman:

We must sacrifice what is most dear to us. If we burn these things, the ashes will spread across the Earth and show that we are not a selfish people.

Narrator 1: The Comanche people were eager to please the Great Spirit with a burnt offering. She-Who-Is-Alone clutched her doll and asked: She:

What is the most valued possession we have?

Narrator 2: A fire was built at once, and the Comanche started to line up with their most valued possessions. Narrator 3: One warrior held up his bow and claimed there was no way the Great Spirit wanted it. Narrator 4: Another warrior picked up his spear and returned to his teepee. Narrator 1: A mother hid her fine blanket made of buckskin. Narrator 2: Everyone began grabbing back their most prized possessions and holding them tight. Comanche: The Great Spirit cannot have my possessions! Narrator 3: Just then, She-Who-Is-Alone realized how tight she was squeezing her doll. She:

You—it is you. You are my most valued possession. My parents created you, and I have loved you ever since they gave you to me. I care for you more than anything in the world.

Narrator 4: At that moment, she thought of her people. Narrator 1: She waited until dark. Only the leaves rustled in the distance. Everyone was fast asleep.

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The Legend of the Bluebonnet (cont.) Narrator 2: She-Who-Is-Alone crept up the hillside and looked up into the night sky. She:

Great Spirit! Please accept my most valued possession. Please end this terrible drought and bring life back to my people.

Narrator 3: She-Who-Is-Alone lit a small fire made of twigs and stared into the burning flames. Narrator 4: She took one last look at her warrior doll as tears streamed down her face. Images of her parents flashed through her head. Narrator 1: She released her grip on the doll as it fell into the flames and caught ablaze. The feathers burned first, and she watched as her doll slowly turned to ash. Narrator 2: As the fire went out, She-Who-Is-Alone scooped up the ashes. With both hands, she released the ash into the wind and watched it disappear in all directions. She:

Please accept my sacrifice.

Narrator 3: She fell asleep on the hillside as she waited for an answer. Narrator 4: The next morning, She-Who-Is-Alone woke to the sounds of her people rejoicing. Comanche: Thank you, Great Spirit! Narrator 1: She-Who-Is-Alone opened her eyes. Instead of being surrounded by the ashes of her sacrifice, there were beautiful blue flowers in every direction. Narrator 2: The flowers were the same color as the feathers on her doll— her supreme sacrifice. The Comanche people called the flowers bluebonnets. Narrator 3: The people rejoiced because the flowers were a sign of forgiveness from the Great Spirit. Rain began to fall, and life returned to the land now known as Texas. Narrator 4: From that day on She-Who-Is-Alone was never alone. Her new name became One-Who-Dearly-Loves-Her-People.

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Name: __________________________________ Date: ����������������������������������

Latin Base Practice Directions: Use the spaces below to create sentences with words containing the Latin base viva/vivi/vivo/viv. An example has been done for you.

vivacious

vivid

revive

viva, vivi, vivo, viv (life, live, alive)

survive Only the strong were surviving the wake of the great drought.

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The Many Firsts of Barbara Jordan Background Barbara Jordan enjoyed many firsts in her lifetime. It was a difficult road for Barbara, but she prevailed many times over. In this script, her political career and determination are spotlighted.

Standard

Vocabulary Words



You may wish to introduce the following vocabulary words prior to the lesson: • debate • segregated

• The student understands the importance of effective leadership in a democratic society.

Materials • The Many Firsts of Barbara Jordan script (pages 166–168) • Noun or Verb? (page 169)

• writing paper



• colored pencils or markers

• institution

• sorority

• magna cum • temporary laude • policy • political science

• reject

Script Study

1. Distribute The Many Firsts of Barbara Jordan script (pages 166–168) to students. Have students scan the script and circle any words that are unfamiliar. Then, discuss the selected words as a class.

2. Assign the character roles to students, and read the script together as a class. As students are reading the script, stop at the appropriate places in the text to provide a definition for each of the vocabulary words listed above. Encourage students to use context clues within the script to create a kid-friendly definition for each word. 3. After the class is done reading the script, ask the following questions to engage students in thinking about the text:

• Name at least two accomplishments of Barbara Jordan.



• Why is the title of the script The Many Firsts of Barbara Jordan?



• What does the Narrator mean when he or she says, “Barbara Jordan paved the way for women and minorities throughout her amazing life”?

4. Reread the script as a class, without stopping.

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The Many Firsts of Barbara Jordan (cont.) Word Study 5. Explain to students that a noun is a word used to name a person, an animal, a place, a thing, and/or an abstract idea. A verb is a word used to describe an action, a state, or an occurrence in a sentence. Tell students that some words can be used as a noun or a verb depending on their context in a sentence. 6. Write the following two sentences from the script on the board: • Although Jordan’s debate over the policy of segregation at the University of Texas was delayed, she did become a national champion debater for her university. • Why debate with the University of Texas at Austin when you can debate and defeat universities such as Yale and Harvard? 7. Ask students to determine how the word debate is used in the first sentence (noun) and in the second sentence (verb). Then, discuss the meaning of the word in each sentence. 8. Distribute the Noun or Verb? activity sheet (page 169) to students. Tell students to complete the activity sheet by writing example sentences for each word listed as a noun and a verb.

Extension Activity 1. Distribute writing paper to students, and ask them to create illustrated graphic organizers depicting the achievements in Barbara Jordan’s life. Have students answer this question with short paragraphs on the back sides of their papers: How did Barbara Jordan impact women’s and minorities’ roles in America? 2. When students have completed their graphic organizers, have them use resources to compile short collections of notable quotes by Barbara Jordan that demonstrate some of her beliefs about America and its future. Ask students to share how some of Barbara Jordan’s thoughts and comments have impacted American ideas today.

Recommended Resources The following resources are available about Barbara Jordan: Elf Systems Corporation. “Barbara Jordan: Democratic Convention Keynote Address.” 1976. http://www.elf.net/bjordan/keynote.html Johnson, Linda. 1994. Barbara Jordan: Congresswoman. Farmington Hills, MI: Blackbirch Press Inc. PBS News Hour. 1996. “Barbara Jordan Remembered.” http://www.pbs.org/newshour/bb/remember/jan-june96/jordan_01-17.html Rice.edu. “Barbara Jordan.” n.d. http://www.rice.edu/armadillo/Texas/jordan.html Roberts, Naurice. 1984. Barbara Jordan: The Great Lady from Texas. New York, NY: Children’s Press.

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The Many Firsts of Barbara Jordan Characters Advisor  Barbara Jordan  Narrator 1  Narrator 2 Advisor:

Narrator 3 Narrator 4 Narrator 5

We are sorry, but we strongly discourage you from attending the University of Texas here in Austin. We are still a segregated school.

Barbara Jordan: What do you mean that this university is still segregated? You mean to tell me the University of Texas is still only for white people? I’d love to debate this policy with you, but I will save it for a later date. Advisor:

I’m sure there is another institution that offers classes in political science where you would be welcome. Thank you for your interest.

Narrator 1:

There was another university for Barbara Jordan.

Barbara Jordan: Okay, it is Texas Southern University for me, or bust. Narrator 2:

Once she was admitted to Texas Southern University, Barbara Jordan pledged to be in the Delta Sigma Theta sorority.

Narrator 3:

Although Jordan’s debate over the policy of segregation at the University of Texas was delayed, she did become a national champion debater for her university.

Barbara Jordan: Why debate with the University of Texas at Austin when you can debate and defeat universities such as Yale and Harvard? Narrator 4:

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Jordan aspired to attend law school at Harvard, but she must not have wanted to settle for a school where she had recently defeated students in a debate.

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The Many Firsts of Barbara Jordan (cont.) Advisor:

This is Boston University. How may I help you?

Barbara Jordan: This is Barbara Jordan. I am inquiring about your law degree program. Advisor:

Is this the same Barbara Jordan who graduated magna cum laude from her university? We would love to have you at Boston University.

Barbara Jordan: And you’re not segregated? Advisor:

Segregated from what?

Barbara Jordan: Perfect. Narrator 5:

Barbara Jordan graduated from Boston University in 1959, and then she taught political science for one year.

Barbara Jordan: I think it is time to take the law bar exam so I can start my own law practice. After all, practice makes perfect . . . and money. Narrator 1:

Over the next four years, Jordan ran for a seat in the Texas State House of Representatives.

Barbara Jordan: Two times? How can Texas reject me two times? I think it is time for me to go big. Narrator 2:

Barbara Jordan became the first African American woman to be elected to the Texas State Senate.

Narrator 3:

During her time in the Texas State Senate, Jordan became the first African American to head a large committee.

Barbara Jordan: Hello, I am the chair of the Labor and Management Relations Committee, and I am only a freshman senator. Narrator 4: © Shell Education

And then, another first! Barbara Jordan was named to the Texas Legislative Council. #51009—Reader’s Theater Scripts: Texas History

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The Many Firsts of Barbara Jordan (cont.) Narrator 5:

Jordan was instantly named the temporary president of the council.

Barbara Jordan: I was just happy to be president, but they named me “governor for the day.” The position held a lot of power—too bad it was only for a day! I could get used to being the governor of Texas. Narrator 1:

Soon after, Barbara Jordan was elected into the U.S. Congress.

Narrator 2:

As a congresswoman, Jordan worked hard to give various minority groups the right to vote.

Narrator 3:

Another first for Barbara Jordan! She was asked to speak at the Democratic National Convention.

Narrator 4:

Barbara Jordan paved the way for women and minorities throughout her amazing life.

Narrator 5:

Jordan claimed many firsts before her untimely death on January 17, 1996. However, we can still hear her powerful words as a strong political leader:

Barbara Jordan: My faith in the Constitution is whole; it is complete; it is total.

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Name: __________________________________ Date: ����������������������������������

Noun or Verb? Directions: Write example sentences for each word listed as a noun and as a verb. You may add inflectional endings to the words as you use them as nouns and verbs. Word

Sentences noun: ������������������������������������������������������������

defeat

����������������������������������������������������������������� verb: ������������������������������������������������������������� ����������������������������������������������������������������� noun: ������������������������������������������������������������

sign

����������������������������������������������������������������� verb: ������������������������������������������������������������� ����������������������������������������������������������������� noun: ������������������������������������������������������������

plant

����������������������������������������������������������������� verb: ������������������������������������������������������������� ����������������������������������������������������������������� noun: ������������������������������������������������������������

draw

����������������������������������������������������������������� verb: ������������������������������������������������������������� ����������������������������������������������������������������� noun: ������������������������������������������������������������

capture

����������������������������������������������������������������� verb: ������������������������������������������������������������� �����������������������������������������������������������������

© Shell Education

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There’s a Pledge in Texas Background Not everyone knows that Texas has its own pledge. In this script, one student is clueless about the pledge, and the rest of the class describes the meaning behind the pledge.

Standards

Vocabulary Words



• The student understands important customs, symbols, and celebrations of Texas.



• The student understands traditional historical points of reference in Texas history.

You may wish to introduce the following vocabulary words prior to the lesson: • allegiance • bravery • honor

Materials

• indivisible

• There’s a Pledge in Texas script (pages 172–173)



• loyalty



• pledge

• Prefix Practice (page 174)

• purity



• chart paper



• various textbooks

Script Study

1. Distribute the There’s a Pledge in Texas script (pages 172–173) to students. Have students scan the script and circle any words that are unfamiliar. Then, discuss the selected words as a class.

2. Assign the character roles to students, and read the script together as a class. As students are reading the script, stop at the appropriate places in the text to provide a definition for each of the vocabulary words listed above. Encourage students to use context clues within the script to create a kid-friendly definition for each word. 3. After the class is done reading the script, ask the following questions to engage students to think about the text:

• What are the words to the Texas Pledge?



• Select one of these words from the pledge to the Texas flag, and describe what it means in the pledge as well as what it means to you—honor, pledge, allegiance, indivisible.



• Read the pledge to the flag of the United States of America. Does this pledge address honor, allegiance, and being indivisible? What ideas or concepts does this pledge include that are not found in the pledge to the Texas flag?

4. Reread the script as a class, without stopping.

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There’s a Pledge in Texas (cont.) Word Study 5. Write the words invisible and indivisible on the board or on a sheet of chart paper. Explain how the prefix in- means “not.” Considering the prefix in-, ask students to discuss what these words mean—invisible and indivisible. Now, have students think about the meaning of these words that have the prefix in- (not): inequity, indistinguishable, indefinite, and indescribable.

6. Tell students that other words may have this same prefix but that this prefix can have other forms in other words. Sometimes, this prefix assimilates, which means that some consonants change and become like or similar to the consonant that follows next. When adding certain prefixes to some words, these spelling changes simply make the words easier to say as well as making the new words sound better, too. An example of assimilation with the prefix in- (not) is illegal. It would be much harder to say inlegal, so the prefix in- is changed or assimilated to il, but the meaning of the prefix in the word is unchanged.

7. Have students brainstorm other words that have an assimilation of in- and record their responses on the board or on a sheet of chart paper (e.g., illogical, immature, impossible). 8. Distribute the Prefix Practice activity sheet (page 174) to students. Tell students that they will go on a text hunt for words containing the in- prefix or any other words that have an assimilation of the in- prefix. Have students look through their textbooks to find words to complete their activity sheet.

Extension Activity 1. Access the website (https://www.tsl.texas.gov/ref/abouttx/flagpledge.html) to find the history of the pledge to the Texas flag from the Texas State Library. Ask students to note the changes that the Texas Pledge has undergone from 1933 to the present. 2. Read the pledge to the flag of the United States of America. Have students create Venn diagrams or other compare-and-contrast graphic organizers to show the similarities and differences between the two pledges.

Recommended Resource The following resource is available about Texas flags: Maberry, Robert, Jr. 2001. Texas Flags. College Station, TX: Texas A&M University Press.

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There’s a Pledge in Texas Characters Teacher  Student

172

All Students

Teacher:

Good morning, class. It is time to say the pledge to the Texas flag.

Student:

What? Texas has its own pledge?

Teacher:

Oh, that’s right. You are new to the state of Texas. We say the Pledge to the United States of America, followed by the Texas Pledge, and end with a moment of silence. People have been saying a pledge to Texas since 1933.

Student:

No, I’ve lived in Texas all my life.

Teacher:

Well, anyway, let’s begin.

All:

Honor the Texas flag . . .

Student:

What’s honor?

Teacher:

Ahem. Well, honor means to give high respect. We honor things that are worth a lot.

Student:

So, I can honor my skateboard?

Teacher:

How about we honor silence for just a moment?

Student:

How do you honor a flag?

Teacher:

For one thing, you do not interrupt the pledge!

All:

Honor the Texas flag; I pledge allegiance to thee, Texas . . .

Student:

Allegiance? Like the name of my multiplayer space-combat game?

All:

Huh?

Teacher:

No, not even close. Allegiance means that we are loyal citizens of Texas. We devote ourselves to our state.

Student:

Our state of mind? Texas State University? My grandparents’ “estate”?

All:

Honor the Texas Flag; I pledge allegiance to thee, Texas, one state under God . . .

Student:

There is only one state?

All:

There are fifty!

Teacher:

One state under God was added in 2007.

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There’s a Pledge in Texas (cont.) All:

Honor the Texas flag; I pledge allegiance to thee, Texas, one state under God, one and indivisible.

Student:

I have always wanted to be that! No one could see me, and I could eat like a pig, never take a shower, and go in the teachers’ lounge without anyone knowing.

Teacher:

Not invisible, indivisible! It means you cannot separate us! This word is divisible with the prefix in-. This word means that our state cannot be divided. It can’t be done, but if you keep interrupting you will “divide” yourself right into the hallway!

Student:

Hmmm, I love the colors of the Texas flag. What do they stand for?

Teacher:

Actually, that is a good question. Does anyone else know?

All:

We don’t know.

Teacher:

Well, the blue in the flag stands for loyalty. Again, we devote ourselves to the state of Texas, and it will always be there for us.

Student:

And the red?

Teacher:

The red is for bravery.

Student:

Like showing up to class without your homework?

Teacher:

Um, not really. Bravery means to have courage. It means that you do things that are right even though it might be hard.

Student:

And what about—

Teacher:

The white? It stands for purity.

Student:

Like hand sanitizer, only for an entire state! I think I know what you are talking about. The colors of the flag and the Texas Pledge are symbols.

Teacher:

You do understand! We say the Texas Pledge every day to show that we care about Texas and we will devote ourselves to it. Nothing can divide us, the citizens of the state of Texas!

Student:

I knew that; I just wanted to see if you did.

All:

Honor the Texas flag; I pledge allegiance to thee, Texas, one state under God, one and indivisible.

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Name: __________________________________ Date: ����������������������������������

Prefix Practice Directions: Look through your textbooks to find words containing the in- prefix or any other words that have an assimilation of the in- prefix. Record your findings below. Words containing in-

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Words that have an assimilation of in-

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References Cited Griffith, Lorraine, and Timothy Rasinski. 2004. “A Focus on Fluency: How One Teacher Incorporated Fluency with Her Reading Curriculum.” The Reading Teacher 58: 126–137. Martinez, Miriam, Nancy Roser, and Susan Strecker. 1999. “‘I Never Thought I Could Be a Star’: A Reader’s Theatre Ticket to Reading Fluency.” The Reading Teacher 52: 326–334. National Reading Panel. 2000. Report of the National Reading Panel: Teaching Children to Read. Report of the Subgroups. Washington, DC: U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, National Institutes of Health. Rasinski, Timothy. 2003. The Fluent Reader: Oral Reading Strategies for Building Word Recognition, Fluency, and Comprehension. New York: Scholastic. Rasinski, Timothy, and James Hoffman. 2003. “Theory and Research into Practice: Oral Reading in the School Literacy Curriculum.” Reading Research Quarterly 38: 510–522. Young, Chase, and Timothy Rasinski. 2009. “Implementing Reader’s Theatre as an Approach to Classroom Fluency Instruction.” The Reading Teacher 63(1): 4–13.

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Notes

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