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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Texas Treasures

For Teachers 4th - 5th
Students explore the meanings of the word "treasure," and examine the use of clay in the construction of buildings in San Antonio, Texas. They examine clay artifacts, and watch a video about pottery artist, Harding Black. Students then...
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Radial Design

For Teachers K - 3rd
Students examine the use of radial design and crystalline glazing in the art works of Harding Black. They watch and discuss a video about Harding Black, identify the colors and designs on his pottery, and create their own radial design...
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Harding Black: Taking It To Another Level

For Teachers 4th - 8th
Students complete a variety of activities related to the pottery of Harding Black and the uses of clay in San Antonio, Texas. They watch a video about the life of Harding Black, conduct a clay percolation experiment, compare and...
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

PBS Kids Go Buster Buster and Beatrice/ The Giant Pumpkins

For Teachers 2nd
Second graders visit San Antonio, Texas and Mt. Hood, Oregon in these two episodes of PBS Buster Go Kids. They examine the music and food that is local to San Antonio by looking at images and pretend to play instruments. They use...
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Website
PBS

Pbs American Experience: Remember the Alamo

For Students 9th - 10th
PBS companion site to the documentary film "Remember the Alamo," with much detailed information, interviews, survivor stories, maps, a timeline and reviews of historical facts and events.
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Primary
Texas State Library and Archives Commission

Texas State Library and Archives Commission: Texas Treasures: The Grass Fight

For Students 9th - 10th
Though brief, this section from the Texas State Library gives an account of Americans besieging Bexar (San Antonio), capturing Mexican pack animals, hoping to find gold, but finding only grass. Click on the document to go to a...
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Primary
Texas State Library and Archives Commission

Texas State Library and Archives Commission: Texas Treasures: The Siege of Bexar

For Students 9th - 10th
This informative site from the Texas State Library tells of the siege of Bexar and includes several documents, including Gen. Cos' surrender terms, to click on to enlarge. Transcriptions are provided.
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Website
Curated OER

National Park Service: San Antonio Missions

For Students 9th - 10th
Read the history of the chain of missions established along the San Antonio River in the 18th century. Links to features of these missions can be found here as well.
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Handout
PBS

New Perspectives on the West: Juan Seguin

For Students 9th - 10th
Juan Seguin, a Mexican American Tejano who helped lead the Texas revolution and independence survived the Alamo but was then exiled from the new state, a victim of prejudice.
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Article
Other

Bexar Genealogy: The Founding of Bexar

For Students 9th - 10th
Read a brief history of the people and events leading to the founding of San Antonio, Texas.
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Handout
Son of the South

Son of the South: The History of Texas: Battle of Medina

For Students 9th - 10th
Written in the style of a narrative of events, read the stories surrounding the Battle of Medina in the Mexican War for Independence from Spain.
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Article
Other

Seguin Descendants Historical Preservation: Erasmo Seguin

For Students 9th - 10th
Dig deep into the life of Erasmo Seguin, the sole representative from Texas to the constitutional convention after Mexico achieved independence from Spain. He helped to draft the Constitution of 1824 and was a major influence in the...
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Unit Plan
Texas Public Broadcasting

Texas Pbs: Texas Our Texas: Spanish Colonial 1689 1821

For Students 9th - 10th
Learn about the struggle between the native tribes and the Spanish missionaries during the Spanish Colonial era in Texas from 1690 until 1821.
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Handout
Other

Texas Historical Commission: Texas Time Travel: World War I

For Students 9th - 10th
This guide takes the reader back in time to experience and understand the impact of World War I on Texas and Texans in the early twentieth century.
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Article
Texas State Historical Association

Texas State Historical Association: Juan Jose Maria Erasmo De Jesus Seguin

For Students 9th - 10th
Learn about the life and work of Erasmo Seguin, the sole representative from Texas to the constitutional convention after Mexico achieved independence from Spain. He helped to draft the Constitution of 1824 and was a major influence in...
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Article
Texas State Historical Association

Texas State Historical Association: Spanish Texas

For Students 9th - 10th
Get an idea of what Spanish Texas was like during the development of what is now the Lone Star state. Thea area highlighted was situated on the border of Spain's North American empire.
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Primary
Texas State Library and Archives Commission

Texas State Library and Archives Commission: Texas Treasures: William Barret Travis' Letter From the Alamo, 1836: About

For Students 9th - 10th
Read about William Barret Travis' "heroic message" through which he called for reinforcements at the Alamo in San Antonio. Includes quotes from the original letter, analysis, and information on the state of the original letter today.
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Primary
Texas State Library and Archives Commission

Texas State Library and Archives Commission: Texas Treasures: William Barret Travis Letter From the Alamo 1836 Full Text

For Students 9th - 10th
Read William Barret Travis' "heroic message" through which he called for reinforcements at the Alamo in San Antonio.
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Website
San Jacinto Museum of History

San Jacinto Museum: Revolution: Timeline of Events

For Students 9th - 10th
Presents a six-year timeline from April, 1830, when the Mexican government outlawed emigration of American settlers into Texas to the April, 1836, the Battle of Jacinto. Links to websites for additional information.
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Handout
San Jacinto Museum of History

San Jacinto Museum: Battle of San Jacinto: Commanders: Martin De Cos

For Students 9th - 10th
In this brief biography from San Jacinto Museum, you read about Martin Perfecto de Cos, brother-in-law of Santa Anna, and career soldier in the Mexican army.
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Website
San Jacinto Museum of History

San Jacinto Museum: Commanders in the Field: Juan Seguin

For Students 9th - 10th
From this San Jacinto Museum article you can read about Juan Seguin, a man who loved Texas, fought well in the Battle of San Jacinto, but was sent to Mexico because of discrimination.
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Website
Other

The Witte Museum: Where Nature, Science and Culture Meet

For Students Pre-K - 1st
Students can engage in a virtual visit to San Antonio, Texas' Smithsonian Museum Affiliate, The Witte Museum.
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Primary
Texas State Library and Archives Commission

Texas State Library and Archives Commission: Texas Treasures: The Texas Republic the Battle of the Alamo

For Students 9th - 10th
Here is a brief article on the Battle of the Alamo, which includes quotes, links to primary texts, and images of William Barret Travis and Antonio Lopez de Santa Anna. Read about the defeat at the Alamo in light of the prior Texas...
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Primary
Texas State Library and Archives Commission

Texas State Library and Archives Commission: Dawn at the Alamo: Plan of the City of San Antonio

For Students 9th - 10th
See a plan of the city of San Antonio and the Alamo, "drawn and colored by Col. Ignacio de Labastida, chief of engineers of the army of the north." The first page is an English translation of the areas labeled on the drawn plan. (Click...