Identify leaders important to found of Texas as a republic and state.

Create, name, and save files to personal directory on the network. (1B, 1E)

Analyze the causes, major events and effects of the Texas Revolution, including the Battle of the Alamo.

Analyze information/identify cause-and-effect relationships/contrasting/finding the main idea/inferences/drawing conclusions.

I1   Open an existing resource page on the student-shared directory. (4B)

Click on link to view web site. (5A)

Use the Back, Forward, and Home buttons to navigate on the web.  (4B)

Create a diagram or open an existing template that explains an idea or concept. (1E, 7A, 7B, 7C)

Insert symbols or pictures into diagram. (10A, 10B)

Enter text. (2E)

Use the Spell Check icon to edit diagrams. (2E)     

Minimize, maximize, and restore windows as needed. (NE)

Texas Independence

Directions:

Before the computer lab activity:  You can supplement your Texas Independence unit by downloading*  all or parts of this great video from the KLRN/Unitedstreaming site on our Intranet. Each teacher on the grade level does not need to separately download; just one of you can and place it in your staff shared Fourth Grade folder on the server, then you can all play it on your televisions from your multimedia computers. (Make sure you all have accounts with KLRN and have downloaded Windows Media Player 9 before trying to watch them on your tv!) Just search by keyword for this title:

Lone Star Legacy: The Texas Republic and the Mexican War (26 minutes for entire video; can download sections--see site. The "Alamo" and the "San Jacinto" parts are about three minutes each)

Lab Activity: 

Warm-up:  The Scott-Foresman Social Studies website has an online activity for each unit. Here is a mini-graphic organizer in the form of a timeline. Add this to your hotlists, or make it a shortcut in your Student Shared (usually the "I:" drive) Fourth Grade folder.

Grade 4 Unit 3 Activity: Sam Houston's Texas

Here is the Spanish version of the same site:

Grado 4 Unidad 3 Actividad

Inspiration Activity:  Victory at San Jacinto

In Internet Explorer, right-click the English or Spanish template link below and choose "Save target as..."  then place it in your Student Shared folder. Students will double-click on it, and then go to "File--Save As"  to save it to their Home Directory (usually the "G:" drive. Then they can change and modify it without altering the template. After the warm-up timeline, they may or may not have time to complete it in the one period. This way, they can finish it during the next lab time, or in class.

This lesson correlates with your Social Studies textbook, Unit 3, Lesson 3. The Inspiration template requires the students to review and write causes and effects of the battle. The critical thinking question on the right will require higher order thinking.  (The answers to the Cause/Effect questions are in your T.E., page 195.) Directions are printed right on the template.  (You might do the activity yourself first so you can see how you will need to modify up or down to your class's level.)

San Jacinto Inspiration--English

Directions are in English on Spanish template; bilingual teachers may need to translate them. Cause/Effect and Critical Thinking question bubbles are in Spanish.

San Jacinto Inspiration--Spanish

Higher Level Extensions: For students that finish early, have them  create new Cause/Effect bubbles and fill them in.

Modifications:  For a more modified version, show students where answers are in the book; have them bring their book to the lab. 

*Download Instructions for KLRN Site
Internet Explorer: There will be three letters to the left of the title of the video:  "s", "d", and "a." Right-click the mouse and hold over download button (the little "d"), then select "Save Target As."  You will be prompted to save the media file. Choose the location you want the video to be stored on your system (your Desktop is the most common place). Keep in mind that 1 minute of video is 1.8 MB of space. These can be downloaded and burned onto a CD for each team member to share also.