Grade 4
Social Studies
Unit: 05
Lesson: 01
Suggested Duration: 4 days
Hacia Texas
Lesson Synopsis:
“Gone to Texas” is the phrase Americans colonists used as they migrated to Texas from the United States. The colonists
found similarities and differences when they settled in Mexico. Students will examine the political, economic, and social
systems they found in Mexico by gathering information to complete a chart comparing life in Mexico versus the life they
left in the United States.
TEKS
4.14
4.14B
4.19
4.19A
Government. The student understands how people organized governments in different ways during the early
development of Texas. The student in expected to:
Identify and compare characteristics of the Spanish colonial government and the early Mexican governments and
their influence on inhabitants of Texas.
Culture. The student understands the contributions of people of various racial, ethnic, and religious groups to
Texas. The student in expected to:
Identify the similarities and differences among various racial, ethnic, and religious groups in Texas.
Social Studies Skills TEKS:
4.21
4.21B
4.22
Social studies skills. The student applies critical-thinking skills to organize and use information acquired from a
variety of valid sources, including electronic technology. The student is expected to:
Analyze information by sequencing, categorizing, identifying cause-and-effect relationships, comparing,
contrasting, finding the main idea, summarizing, making generalizations and predictions, and drawing inferences
and conclusions.
Social studies skills. The student communicates in written, oral, and visual forms. The student is expected to:
4.22A
Use social studies terminology correctly.
4.22E
Use standard grammar, spelling, sentence structure, and punctuation.
GETTING READY FOR INSTRUCTION
Performance Indicator(s):

Use a Venn diagram to compare and contrast the belief systems and way of life of Mexicans and American
colonists in Texas. Choose one significant difference related to basic needs and elaborate on the difference,
including who it affected, how it affected them, and why it is significant. (4.9B; 4.10B; 4.19A; 4.22A, 4.22E; 4.23A)
5B
Key Understandings and Guiding Questions:

Las estructuras políticas desarrollan las creencias y valores de las personas en una sociedad.
— ¿Qué creencias contribuyeron a la configuración de los gobiernos de la España colonial y el mexicano?
— ¿Cómo reflejaron los gobiernos mexicanos y de la España colonial las creencias y valores de la sociedad de
ésa época?
— ¿Cómo influyeron los gobiernos de la España colonial y el mexicano a los habitantes de Texas?
— ¿Qué factores geográficos influyeron en el asentamiento de Texas?
Vocabulary of Instruction:


constitución
Tejano


Texican
gobierno representativo

colonos
Materials:

Refer to Notes for Teacher section for materials.
Attachments:
©2012, TESCCC
04/30/13
page 1 of 4
Grade 4
Social Studies
Unit: 05 Lesson: 01



Handout: The Early Settlement of Texas (1 per student)
Handout: El Camino Real (1 per student)
Handout: Comparison of Colonists from Mexico and the United States (1 per student)
Resources and Reference:





The Handbook of Texas Online TSHA: http://www.tshaonline.org/handbook/online
Teaching Texas: http://teachingtexas.org/
Texas Almanac: http://www.texasalmanac.com
Texas Beyond History: http://www.texasbeyondhistory.net
Texas Almanac-El Camino Real: http://www.texasalmanac.com/topics/history/origins-camino-real-texas
Advance Preparation:
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
Become familiar with content and procedures for the lesson.
Refer to the Instructional Focus Document for specific content to include in the lesson.
Select appropriate sections of the textbook and other classroom materials that support the learning for this lesson.
Preview available resources and websites according to district guidelines.
Arrange computer access to the Texas Almanac website, or print the article “Origins of the Camino Real in Texas”
from the webpage Texas Almanac-El Camino Real.
6. Prepare materials and handouts as needed.
Background Information:
In the past, “Gone to Texas” was the focus of this unit but standards now focus more on the systems that were found once
the American colonists settled Texas. Emphasis should be placed on the concept of constitution, republicanism
(representative government), and the differences that will later lead to revolution.
GETTING READY FOR INSTRUCTION SUPPLEMENTAL PLANNING DOCUMENT
Instructors are encouraged to supplement and substitute resources, materials, and activities to differentiate instruction to address the needs of learners.
The Exemplar Lessons are one approach to teaching and reaching the Performance Indicators and Specificity in the Instructional Focus
Document for this unit. Instructors are encouraged to create original lessons using the Content Creator in the Tools Tab located at the top of the page.
All originally authored lessons can be saved in the “My CSCOPE” Tab within the “My Content” area.
INSTRUCTIONAL PROCEDURES
Instructional Procedures
Notes for Teacher
NOTE: 1 Day = 50 minutes
Suggested Day 1 – 15 minutes
Materials:
 paper or interactive notebook
ENGAGE
1. Organize students into groups of three or four.
2. Display the question.
 If a person moved to another country to live, how would
they travel to get there?
3. As a class, discuss different ways a person could travel to their new
home.
Instructional Note:
Sample graphic organizer:
Gone to Texas
4. After discussing the question above, students draw a foursquare
graphic organizer (see Notes for Teacher) on a piece of paper or in
their interactive notebook and title it with Gone to Texas.
5. Students fill in each box with the following information.
 Box 1 (top left): Sketch a map of Texas.
 Box 2 – 4: In each box, students sketch a way that colonists
traveled to Texas and write a caption explaining what it is.
6. Check for understanding by going from group to group and
stamping or initialing for completion.
EXPLORE – Students compare characteristics of the Spanish
©2012, TESCCC
04/30/13
Suggested Day 1 (cont’d) and 2– 60 minutes
page 2 of 4
Grade 4
Social Studies
Unit: 05 Lesson: 01
Instructional Procedures
Notes for Teacher
colonial and Mexican governments.
Materials:
 highlighters or pens/pencils
1. Organize students into groups of 3 to 4.
2. Provide each student the Handout: The Early Settlement of Texas
and a highlighter or pencil.
3. Assign each group a section to analyze.
Attachments:
 Handout: The Early Settlement of Texas
(2-sided, 1 per student)
4. Students identify, by highlighting or circling, information that is
similar between the Spanish and Mexican governments.
5. Students identify, by highlighting or boxing, information that is
different between the Spanish and Mexican governments.
6. Groups discuss the differences, speculating on the belief systems
and values of the people that led to the formation of different
structures for the government.
7. Facilitate a discussion where students use academic language to
discuss the guiding questions in order to support the Key
Understanding.
 Political structures build on the beliefs and values of
people in a society.
— What beliefs contributed to the configuration of the
Spanish colonial and Mexican governments? (What
were they trying to accomplish?)
— How did the Spanish colonial and Mexican
governments reflect the belief systems and values of
the society of the time?
— How did Spanish colonial and Mexican governments
influence on inhabitants of Texas?
— What geographic factors influenced the settlement of
Texas?
EXPLAIN – Students compare the characteristics of the Spanish
colonial government and Mexican government.
1. Review discussion from Day 1 regarding the Key Understanding
and guiding questions.
Suggested Day 2 – 25 minutes
Materials:
 Handout: The Early Settlement of Texas
2. Students process their learning by completing the back of the
Handout: The Early Settlement of Texas (Similarities between the
Spanish Colonial Government and the Mexican Government) by
listing similarities, ranking reasons for coming to Texas and
explaining why they would or would not settle Texas in 1820.(Note:
See Teacher Resource: Lesson Activities Key)
ELABORATE – El Camino Real
Suggested Day 3 – 50 minutes
Materials:
 Computer access
2. Provide each student/group access to information about the Camino  Information on the Camino Real
Real in the Texas Almanac, the textbook, and other classroom
 The introduction of the article “Origins of
resources.
the Camino Real in Texas” from the
Texas Almanac.
3. Students work individually or in pairs to read about the Camino Real
in the textbook, other classroom resources, and the introduction of
Attachments:
the article Origins of the Camino Real in Texas from the webpage
 Handout: El Camino Real (1 per student)
1. Distribute the Handout: El Camino Real to each student.
©2012, TESCCC
04/30/13
page 3 of 4
Grade 4
Social Studies
Unit: 05 Lesson: 01
Instructional Procedures
Notes for Teacher
Texas Almanac-El Camino Real:
http://www.texasalmanac.com/topics/history/origins-camino-realtexas Students read the introduction of the article Origins of the
Camino Real in Texas to answer questions on the Handout: El
Camino Real. (Note: See Teacher Resource Lesson Activities Key)






Teacher Resource: Lesson Activities
KEY
What is the El Camino Real?
What is another name for El Camino Real?
What are some towns on the El Camino Real?
What are two facts about the El Camino Real?
Why is the El Camino Real important to Texas history?
EVALUATE – Students compare the characteristics of the
Spanish colonial and Mexican government.
 Use a Venn diagram to compare and contrast the belief
systems and way of life of Mexicans and American colonists in
Texas. Choose one significant difference related to basic needs
and elaborate on the difference, including who it affected, how it
affected them, and why it is significant. (4.9B; 4.10B; 4.19A;
4.22A, 4.22E; 4.23A)
5B
1. Organize students into pairs.
2. Distribute the Handout: Comparison of Mexican and American
Colonists in Texas.
Suggested Day 4 – 50 minutes
Materials:
 Completed Handout: The Early
Settlement of Texas
Attachments:
 Handout: Comparison of Colonists
from Mexico and the United States (1
per student)
Instructional Note:
The handout is a chart version of the
traditional Venn diagram.
3. Provide time for student pairs to discuss ideas for the Performance
Indicator, including information from their completed Handout: The
Early Settlement of Texas, and prepare to compare and contrast
the belief systems and way of life of Mexicans and American
colonists in Texas.
4. Students then return to their seats to work independently on the
Performance Indicator, completing the Handout: Comparison of
Mexican and American Colonists in Texas to compare and
contrast the belief systems and way of life of Mexicans and
American colonists in Texas.
5. Students choose one significant difference related to basic needs
and elaborate on the difference, including who it affected, how it
affected them, and why it is significant.
©2012, TESCCC
04/30/13
page 4 of 4