Alief ISD
Social Studies Lesson Plans
Grade Unit 4
Exploration and Early Colonization- Texas Missions
Date: _______________
Desired Results: (Unit Understanding)
Nations sought colonies in Texas
to advance their political and
economic interests.
Time Allotted: 3 Days
Assessment:
Mission foldable (either
product); mind map; group
graphic organizers; Letter
from RAFT
Objective/TEKS: 4.2 C
I can explain when, where and why
the Spanish established missions in
Texas.
Anticipatory Set: (Hook) Universal Generalization: People move to improve their
Topics/Concepts:
The students will participate in a think- pair-share activity to discuss why their
families moved to Houston, Texas or why they move to their current
house/apartment. Why do people move?
The teacher may choose to chart responses and begin categorizing reasons if
this was not done in a previous lesson.
Trade
Exploration
Conquest
Colonization
Settlement
Colony
Mission
Heritage
lives.
Ask student what they think the word mission is and/or how it relates to the
current unit of study. The teacher may choose to show one photograph of a
Texas mission if students do not have any background knowledge for this
vocabulary term or the teacher may choose to tell students that the Alamo
was a mission built in Texas to initiate the conversation.
Instructional Input: (Line)
Utilizing a shared reading format, read SF pages 127-131 in the textbook.
Discuss important vocabulary with class. If students have not participated in
activities to build vocabulary for this unit of study, provide students with index
cards and have them write down three of the new vocabulary terms, create a
visual representation to support their understanding and write down the
definition in their own words.
Additional
Resource:
United
Streaming:
Westward
Expansion for
Students: Old
Texas & the
Trail DriversSpanish
Missions (2:21)
Next, create a mind map with the students that include 3 parts: Missions,
Villas, and Presidios. Under each part, list information that is important from
the information source (textbook) including what the place was, purpose it
served, who lived there, and different missions.
Guided Practice: (Line)
The students will create four doors French Doors for foldable for (1)why,
(2)when/where missions were built, (3) who lived in the missions and (4) what
activities took place in the missions. Inside the foldable, students create their
own mission floor plan including labels (see pg.130).
OR
Make a foldable of Texas missions. (Five sections if you are going to highlight
the five missions of San Antonio.) List the names of the missions on the cover
of the foldable. Inside each flap, list who established the mission, when, what
they did at the mission, and the outcome of the mission.
4th Grade Unit 4
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Alief ISD
OR
Complete jigsaw group work using graphic organizer about missions. Students
will list information about their mission. Then they will share and list
similarities and differences between the missions.
Independent Practice: (Sinker)
The students will participate in a RAFT writing assignment:
* Role of either soldier, Native American or Padre
*Audience-family members
*Format-Letter
*Topic-life after recently moving to a mission
Modifications/Extensions:
Closure:
Add new information learned about the missions in Texas to the mind map
created earlier in the lesson including important information about when, why
and where they were established.
4th Grade Unit 4
How will you
check for
understanding?
Look at the proof
provided by
students through
mind map, group
work or foldable
to determine if
they understand
the essential
information about
the missions.
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Alief ISD
Websites for Spanish Missions
http://www.lsjunction.com/facts/missions.htm
The Five Spanish Missions of Old San Antonio
http://www.cr.nps.gov/nr/twhp/wwwlps/lessons/2sanantonio/2facts1.htm
The San Antonio Missions
http://www.geocities.com/sanape_1/TEXPAPER.html
Mission Concepcion (1731)
http://www.h-net.org/~latam/powerpoints/TheSpanishMissionsofTexas.pdf
Pictures of the Missions in Texas
http://www.epcc.edu/nwlibrary/borderlands/17_area_missions.htm
El Paso area missions
4th Grade Unit 4
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Alief ISD
4th Grade Unit 4
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