Wayback When in Texas History

Books to Share

A Picture Book of Davy Crockett by David Adler.
Susanna of the Alamo by John Jakes.
Zeb the Cow's on the Roof Again! by Scott Arbuckle.

Books to Show or Booktalk

Battle of the Alamo by Carmen Bredeson.
I Remember the Alamo by D. Anne Love.
A Line in the Sand: The Alamo Diary of Lucinda Lawrence by Sherry Garland.
Lone Star by Barbara Barrie.
On The Pecos Trail by Patrick Dearen.
Plains Warrior: Chief Quanah Parker and the Comanches by Albert Marrin.
Tales from the Homeplace by Harriet Burandt.
Terror from the Gulf: A Hurricane in Galveston by Martha Tannery Jones.

Bulletin Boards

Time Lines

Create a time line of important events that have happened in Texas history and include the founding of your library.

War Memorial

Create a war memorial to Texans from your hometown who died in wars from the Civil War to the present.

Crafts

Pioneer Cap

Materials

18-inch square piece of white cotton or linen fabric
2 pencils
Ruler
12-inch piece of string
Scissors
Narrow satin ribbon, about ½ inch wide and 48 inches long, any color
Optional: Compass

Directions

Using the illustration as an example, instruct the children to use the 12-inch piece of string to tie the two pencils together so they are 9 inches apart. They then place one pencil in the center of the 18-inch square cloth, stretch the other pencil to the end of the string, and move the outer pencil all the way around the inner one to make a circle. Or, use a compass to draw an 18-inch diameter circle on the cloth. Children next cut out the circle and draw pencil marks all the way around the it about 1-½ inches from the edge and about 1-inch apart. They then cut a narrow slit at each pencil mark wide enough for the ribbon to slip through and run the ribbon in and out of each of the slits. The children can then place the cloth circle on their heads, slowly pull the ribbon until the cap fits snuggly, and tie the ends of the ribbon in a bow.

Reader's Theater

Time Warp Alamo

Let the children read "Time Warp Alamo."

Sounds of the Time

Write a reader's theater script for the children to perform based on Voices of the Alamo by Sherry Garland.

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Creative Dramatics

Historical Reenactment

Have the kids create and perform a play about an historical Texas Event such as the Battle of the Alamo, the 2001 Presidential Election, the kidnapping of Cynthia Ann Parker in 1836, a Dallas Cowboys Super Bowl Game, or the 1900 Hurricane in Galveston.

Storytelling

Babe of the Alamo

Tell "Babe of the Alamo."

Games and Activities

Six Flags Over Texas

Bring out books that show the six flags over Texas. Let the children draw or create them using construction paper or crayons. The six flags over Texas are: the United States, the Republic of Texas, Spain, Mexico, France, and the Confederacy.

Alamo Model

Let the children make a model of the Alamo using craft sticks, popsicle sticks, or clay.

Alamo Diaries

Have the kids write journal entries as if they were at the Alamo during the battle.

Line in the Sand

Use masking tape to "draw a line in the sand" with all the kids on one side. Ask questions and a have them cross over if they agree or would do a suggested action. Questions concern historical events with question such as, "Would you stay at the Alamo?" Or, they might explore values with questions such as, "Would you steal food to feed your family if they were starving?"

Alamo Reunion

Have an Alamo reunion with everyone dressing as an historical figure from the Alamo.

Programs and Guest Speakers

Invite older citizens from your community come to the library and tell stories about events when they were young.

Videos

The Battle of the Alamo. (50 minutes)
Cost of Freedom: In Search of Freedom. (40 minutes)
Life Across Centuries. (29 minutes)
Texas History Timeline. (15 minutes)

Web Sites

Links to Information about the History of the Alamo: http://alamo-de-parras.welkin.org/central/links/links.html
Remember the Alamo: http://members.tripod.com/aries46/alamo.htm
Texas State Historical Association and The Center for Texas History: www.tsha.utexas.edu
The Texas Primer: www.lone-star.net/mall/txtrails/txhis.htm

Professional Resources

Courage of Common Men by Stephen Neal Manning.

Table of Contents | Native Americans: The First Texans

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