Subject/Grade Level or Course

Unit: # Lesson:#

Lesson Synopsis:
Students investigate the reasons for exploring Texas, including the motivation for European exploration and settlement in Texas and the accomplishments of significant explorers.
TEKS:
4.2 / History. The student understands the causes and effects of European exploration and colonization of Texas and North America. The student is expected to:
4.2A / Summarize motivations for European exploration and settlement of Texas, including economic opportunity, competition, and the desire for expansion.
4.2B / Identify the accomplishments and explain the impact of significant explorers, including Cabeza de Vaca; Francisco Coronado; and René Robert Cavelier, Sieur de la Salle, on the settlement of Texas.
4.12 / Economics. The student understands patterns of work and economic activities in Texas. The student is expected to:
4.12C / Analyze the effects of exploration, immigration, migration, and limited resources on the economic development and growth of Texas.
Social Studies Skills TEKS
4.21 / 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:
4.21B / 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.
4.21C / Organize and interpret information in outlines, reports, databases, and visuals, including graphs, charts, timelines, and maps.
4.21D / Identify different points of view about an issue, topic, historical event, or current event.
4.22 / Social studies skills. The student communicates in written, oral, and visual forms. The student is expected to:
4.22B / incorporate main and supporting ideas in verbal and written communication
Getting Ready for Instruction
Performance Indicator(s):
  • As a conquistador, write a letter to the Spanish monarch to explain your motivation to explore Texas. Include discussion of effects of your exploration on American Indians and on the Spanish. (4.2A; 4.21B, 4.21D; 4.22B) 1E; 5F

Key Understandings and Guiding Questions:
  • La gente explora nuevos territorios por una variedad de razones ycon una variedad de efectos.

—¿Por qué los europeos exploraron Texas?

—¿Cuáles fueron las causas y los efectos de la exploración y colonización de Texas por parte de los europeos?

Vocabulary of Instruction:

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Subject/Grade Level or Course

Unit: # Lesson:#

  • exploración
  • motivación
  • oportunidad
  • competencia
  • expansión

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Subject/Grade Level or Course

Unit: # Lesson:#

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Grade 4

Texas History

Unit: 04 Lesson: 01

Materials:

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Grade 4

Social Studies

Unit: 04 Lesson 01

  • Refer to the Notes for Teacher section for materials.

©2012, TESCCC04/30/13page 1 of 5

Grade 4

Social Studies

Unit: 04 Lesson 01

Attachments:

  • Handout:Motivation Placards (1 set per group)
  • Handout: Explorer Research Card(1 per student)
  • Handout : Explorer Placard Template(1 per student)
  • Teacher Resource: Explorers Placard Scoring Guide (optional)
  • Handout: Explorer’s Point of View(1 per student)
  • Teacher Resource: Explorer’s Point of View Scoring Guide (optional)
  • Handout: Prewrite – Conquistador Letter (1 per student)
  • Handout: Conquistador Letter Template (1 per student or 1 to display)

Resources and References:
  • Teaching Texas:
  • The Texas Handbook Online-TSHA:
  • Texas Almanac:

Advance Preparation:
  1. Become familiar with content and procedures for the lesson.
  2. Refer to the Instructional Focus Document for specific content to include in the lesson.
  3. Select appropriate sections of the textbook and other classroom materials that support the learning for this lesson.
  4. Preview available resources and websites according to district guidelines.
  5. Prepare materials and handouts as needed.

Background Information:

This lesson examines the reasons for European exploration in Texas. Students use their prior knowledge learned about the regions of Texas and American Indians in Texas to explain what explorers see and why the Spanish and French would want to explore and settle Texas. Students have already spent quite a lot of time on the early content of Texas History in 4th grade. This unit delves into the concept of exploration, especially in relation to Texas. In 7th grade, this content will be studied with more depth, but in less time.

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
ENGAGE–Conquistador / NOTE: 1 Day = 10 minutes
Suggested Day 1–10 minutes
1.Display the interactive map from the University of Calgary to review students’ prior learning and help them make the connection between Columbus’s journeys, the “opening” of the new world to exploration, and the coming of the Spanish explorers to Texas.
2.In the PredominantWinds and Explorers’ Routes, click first on the Atlantic Wind Patterns. Then click on Columbus.
3.Write the word conquistador on the board. Students practice saying the word and speculate on the meaning. Provide a hint as to the meaning: What word are you reminded of when you read the word conquistador? (conquest, conquer)
4.Provide the definition: a Spanish conqueror.
5.Show a picture of a conquistador and continue the discussion by encouraging students to speculate on why conquistadors came to North America. (economic opportunity, competition, and the desire for expansion, convert natives to Christianity) / Materials:
  • Interactive map of predominant wind currents and explorers
  • Picture of conquistador(s)
TEKS: 4.2A
Instructional Note
  • Conquistador: a leader in the Spanish conquest of America and especially of Mexico and Peru in the 16th century. From the Latin “conquirere,” to search for
  • Students studied Juan de Onate, a Spanish conquistador, in grade 3.

EXPLORE – Motivations for European Exploration / Suggested Day 1 –30 minutes
1.Organize students into groups of 3 to 4.
2.Students draw the graphic organizer below on their own paper or notebook and then use this graphic organizer to record their answers to the question, “Why did Europeans explore Texas?”as they rotate through stations to learn about the reasons the Spanish explored Texas.


1. / 2. / 3.
3.Set up stations that each include a Motivation Placard(from the Handout: Motivation Placards) and appropriate sections of the textbook and other classroom materials that provide additional information the motivations for exploration by the Spanish.
4.Studentstravel to each of 3 stations and read each placard, describe three reasons for Europeans to explore Texas and draw a picture to represent the reasons. (economic opportunity, competition, and the desire for expansion, convert natives to Christianity)
5.Groups share with the class one of the reasons they listed. The answers should be similar to the following reasons.
  • Economic Opportunity – Searching for gold, silver, or natural resources
  • Competition – Claim land for their country which mean glory and power for conquistadors and global power for their country
  • Desire for expansion – Settle Texas so France would not
  • Spread Culture – Catholic priests went along to develop settlements and convert natives to Christianity
/ Materials:
Information on motivations for exploration during the Age of Discovery:
Attachments:
  • Handout:Motivation Placards (1 set per group)
TEKS: 4.2B; 4.12C; 4.21BCD
Instructional Note
  • To make the research activity more kinesthetic, organize the classroom into two groups of three stations (six stations in all) and have students move from station to station.

EXPLAIN– Motivations for Spanish Exploration / Suggested Day 1 –10 minutes
1.Students pairs turn and talk (and listen), one at a time, about why the Spanish explored Texas. / Instructional Note:
A strategy such as Think-Pair-Share or Talk-a-Mile-a-Minute would work well to help students summarize their learning and support student use of academic language.
EXPLORE–Accomplishments and impact of exploration / SuggestedDay 2 –50 minutes
  1. Distribute the Handout – Explorer Research Card, upon which students record information they gather about the Spanish explorers Cabeza de Vaca; Francisco Coronado; and René Robert Cavelier, Sieur de la Salle.
  1. Individually or in pairs, students use their textbook, websites, non-fiction sources, and/or other available resources to gather information about and describe the accomplishments of an explorer, including the causes and effects of exploration on the settlement of Texas (Did de Vaca’s exploration lead to settlement in Texas? How did de Vaca’s exploration affect Texas?).
  1. Teacher circulates, probing with questions, clarifying and correcting information, and providing additional information as needed.
  1. After information has been gathered about one explorer, students share with a partner (a different partner than the partner they have been working with to gather information).
  1. Begin study of the next explorer, Francisco Coronado, with the new partner. Repeat as above for Coronado and René Robert Cavelier, Sieur de la Salle.
  1. Facilitate a discussion where students share what they have learned. As discussion continues, students add to or adjust information on their note-taking sheets (Handout:Explorer Research Card).
/ Materials:
  • Information on conquistadors
  • Information on Cabeza de Vaca
  • Information on Francisco Coronado
  • Information on René Robert Cavelier, Sieur de la Salle
Attachments:
  • Handout: Explorer Research Card(1 per student)
TEKS: 4.2B
Instructional Note:
This could be set up as a stations activity to allow a break every 10 minutes or so.
Other explorers can be added for students to research, but it is important that students master the content and skills listed in the TEKS.
State Resources:
  • Texas Beyond History
  • Texas State Library and Archives Commission
  • Texas Historical State Association-Texas Handbook
  • Texas Almanac

EXPLAIN–Reasons for exploring Texas / Suggested Day3–20 minutes
  1. Distribute the Handout: Explorer Placard Template.
  1. Students use the template to design a placard for each explorerto summarize their learning about the explorers. (Students refer to the Explorer’s Research Cardthey completed during the Explore section, and other available resources, as needed.)
  1. The Teacher Resource: Explorer Placard Scoring Guidecan be used to score student work. Adjust as appropriate.
/ Materials:
  • completed Explorer Research Cardfrom the Explore section
Attachments:
  • Handout – Explorer Placard Template (1 per student)
  • Teacher Resource: Explorer Placard Scoring Guide (optional)
TEKS: 4.2B; 4.22B
ELABORATE–Identify the point of view / Suggested Day 3 –30 minutes
  1. Distribute to each student the Handout:Explorer’s Point of View.
  1. Students read the excerpts and answer the questions of each primary source.
  1. After reading, students apply social studies skills to answer the question larger question, “Was Texas worth settling?” and support their reasoning with evidence.
  1. Facilitate a discussion where students use academic language to discuss points of view, primary source documents, and the exploration of Texas by Spanish explorers. If desired, use the Teacher Resource: Explorer’s Point of ViewScoring Guideto evaluate student thinking about the points of view presented.
  1. Students summarize their learning by answering the guiding questions and using what they have learned to provide evidence in support of the Key Understanding.
  • People explore new lands for a variety of reasons, with a variety of effects.
—Why did Europeans explore Texas?
—What were the causes and effects of European exploration and colonization of Texas? / Attachments:
  • Handout: Explorer’s Point of View(1 per student)
  • Teacher Resource: Explorer’s Point of ViewScoring Guide(optional)
TEKS: 4.21D
Instructional Note:
Resources are available to extend the discussion on points of view. Search for Conquistadors PBS to reach a discussion “The Voice of Dissent” which provides quotes illustrating differing points of view on the Indians.
EVALUATE / Suggested Day 4 –50 minutes
  • As a conquistador, write a letter to the Spanish monarch to explain your motivation to explore Texas. Include discussion of effects of your exploration on the American Indians and on the Spanish. (4.2A; 4.21B, 4.21D; 4.22B) 1E; 5F
  1. Provide each student the Handout:Prewrite – Conquistador Letter to complete.
  1. Individually or in pairs, students use the notes they took earlier to review their learning and prepare to complete the Performance Indicator. They discuss ideas and complete the Prewrite, which will be used to write their letter.
  1. If desired, the Handout:Conquistador Letter Templatecan be used, or a district template aligned to the ELA TEKS. Display the template or distribute to students so they have a model to use.
  1. Students individually write the letter to the Spanish monarch. (Remember to write in first person.)
  1. Use a rubric to evaluate student work.
/ Materials:
  • completed Explorer’s Research Card
  • completed Explorer’s Point of View
Attachments:
  • Handout:Prewrite - Conquistador Letter(1 per student)
  • Handout:Conquistador Letter Template(1 per student or 1 to display)
TEKS: 4.2A; 4.21B, 4.21D; 4.22B

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