Social Studies – Lesson Activity Planner: Austin Past and Present
Austin Independent School District
Grade: 8
Unit Length (Number of class periods): 3 Days
Course: U.S. History
Topic: Culture
Required Technology: Austin Past/Present DVD, DVD Player or DVD compatible computer(s), Internet Explorer, Microsoft Word
Concept: Culture
Overarching question: What is a cultural identity?
Lesson Understandings:
Lesson Questions(s):
We’ve learned about some of the artists and writers of the 19 th century.
Despite the fact that they aren’t included in our textbook, during the same
time period, Austin people made similar contributions in the areas of
literature, journalism, art, photography and architecture. These people helped
establish Austin’s cultural identity for the time period.
What cultural contributions were made by Austinites in the 19 th century?
How do these contributions compare to the ones discussed in our text?
How would you describe Austin culture in the 19 th century?
How would you describe Austin’s culture today?
TEKS/TAKS Questions:
(24)(all) The student understands the relationships between and among people from various groups, including racial, ethnic, and religious groups during the 17 th, 18th and 19th
centuries. The student is expected to analyze the contributions of people of various racial, ethnic, and religious groups to our national identity; and identify the political,
social, and economic contributions of women to American society.
(31)(D) Create written, oral, and visual presentations of social studies information
Austin Independent School District
Social Studies Curriculum Department
June, 2006
Social Studies – Lesson Activity Planner: Austin Past and Present
Austin Independent School District
Materials:
Austin Past and Present DVD, especially biographies of:
William Sandusky, Abner Cook, Amelia Barr, Frank Brown, Harvey Marks, William James Oliphant, Swante Palm, S.B. Hill, Hamilton Briscoe Hillyer, Augustus Koch,
Jacob Larmour, W.H. Passon, William Sidney Porter, Jasper Preston, Emma Kyle, Burleson, Clara Driscoll, Mary Frances Gutsh, Nannie Huddle, Elmer P. Jordan, Hugo
Franz Kuehne, Peter Heinrich Mansbendel, Elisabet Ney, Julia Maria Pease, Harvey Penick, Albert Phillips, Bride Neill Tayler, Weigl Family and Mattie White
(these are only from the 19th century, if you’d like to include others, feel free)
Preview:
Have students recall the writers and artists from the 19 th Century. Ask them why we still remember them today. Ask them if they know of any famous Austin artists. Tell
them that they will get to find out about some of the Austin cultural icons from the same period we’ve been studying.
Student activities that support the TEKS/TAKS :
1. Have students select one of the cultural icons from the list. Take the students to the computer lab and have them research their person using the Austin Past & Present
DVD. Have students create a note-card full of relevant facts.
2. Tell students that they will be attending a cultural dinner party in which they will take on the persona of the person they have researched. They can come in costume, but
MUST create one prop to bring to the party with them.
3. Set up a time and place for the dinner party. During the party students should circulate and introduce themselves to other guests. Students should take notes on who they
are meeting and what their cultural contributions were. The teacher should circulate with the grading checklist (attached) and talk with each student.
4. After the dinner party, students should write up an article about the party for the newspaper. Remember, all of Austin’s cultural elite has attended this party so it was a big
event! In the article, students should make a point to describe Austin’s cultural identity….what is culture in Austin like?
Austin Independent School District
Social Studies Curriculum Department
June, 2006
Social Studies – Lesson Activity Planner: Austin Past and Present
Austin Independent School District
Assessment(s):
Dinner Party Checklist
Newspaper Article
Austin Independent School District
Social Studies Curriculum Department
June, 2006