1. Created for Independent Study
We Are Texans
Created for
Independent Study

2. Where in the world are you?
Click here to find your exact location in this world.
Change your map to satellite for more fun! Hybrid will show you street names.
Label your home’s locations in your research notebook
Street
City
County
State
Country
Continent
Hemisphere
Planet
STOP
Do Not Go On Until notebook Work is Finished

3. Document your sources with the important information in your research notebook.
Website
Person interviewed
Book
Newspaper
Or document with Noodle Tools on-line.
Something new!
This is an example of the website documentation at Noodle Tools.
"Cameron, Texas." Google Maps. Google. 6 Nov      <

4. Sooooo…what is important information?
Let’s look at some examples.

5. Book Web Site Where can other people find this source?
Print You can find this printed book in the library or a bookstore.   
Online You can use a Web browser like Internet Explorer to view this book online
Elements of the citation
Author's Last Name, First Name, Middle Name (or an initial). Title of Book. City of Publication, Publisher's Name, Year of Publication.      
Web Site
What type of Web page is this?
General Web page (no specific category below applies)
Personal Home page
Home page for a class
Home page for an academic department
 Elements of the citation
Last Name, First Name Middle Name. "Specific Page or Article Title." Title of Entire Web Site.  Date Web Page Was Last Revised. Sponsoring Organization. Date You Viewed It <URL>.
Elements of the citation are what students should look for. Give students a handout of citations you expect!

6. Most of the first immigrants came by boat
This says, “Most of the first immigrants came by boat.” This does not specify Texas or America. Here is a good spot to talk about coming to Ellis Island or Galveston compared to walking or riding in to Texas.

7. Ellis Island ferry that brought immigrants from
Immigrants to America
Who came to America?
Who came to Texas in the 1700 to early 1900s?
Where did they come from?
Why did they come here?
1903 by Thomas Edison
Ellis Island ferry that brought immigrants from
their ship.

8. You choose a Texas immigrant country to study!
Decide on one Texas immigrant country you’d like to study.
How many sources can you find? Don’t worry about the information yet! Jot down a few sites, books, people, and other sources.
Click to view some starting points.
When citing sources, use CULTURE, FOLKTALE, etc. in the space of “Specific Page or Article Title.” This will show they have used several sites to find information.

9. Do not go on until you have information in your research notebook.
You can start with these sources to find a country, but other sources are available on-line and in text.
Bookmark the sites you use, all sources will be documented later in Noodle Tools.
Institute of Texan Cultures
Texas Handbook
STOP
Do not go on until you have information in your research notebook.

10. Where in the world are you when you are in your immigrant country?
Label your immigrant country’s locations in your research notebook
Planet
Hemisphere
Continent
Country
State
County
City
Neighborhood
Street
Click here to find your exact location in this world.
Change your map to satellite for more fun! Hybrid will show you street names.
Notice the locations are opposite to their real life world. Students can create the places they cannot find i.e. neighborhood or streets. Counties are not easy to find in other countries.
STOP
Do Not Go On Until Notebook Work Is Finished

11. Think of 3 – 5 questions to explore.
Why did this immigrant group leave its home country?
In what part(s) of Texas did the immigrants settle?
What was life like for them in the new country?
What were similarities and differences in their old and new ways of life?
What contributions did the group make to Texas?
Tell the teacher, tell a friend, tell the group as a discussion, the teacher decides what the kids need at this point. They need to talk about what they are thinking. More historical reinforcement may be needed.
Tell what you think are the answers.

12. Time to write your research proposal
What group have you chosen to study?
What are questions you want to explore?
List resources you need to find the answers to the questions.
Make an appointment with the teacher for your one-on-one session.

13. Now comes the fun part!
Create a fictional character from your immigrant country.
Must be the same gender and age as you
Create a name, family, and a background
List all information in your research notebook.

14. How did you get to Texas?

15. Immigration Route Did you to travel by ship?
Find the route you would take to reach America.
Draw an example in your journal of the route you would take to America.

16. Find a ship to travel the seas…
The Ship List
Immigrant Ships
Check the ship’s port of departure (your immigrant country)
Check the ship’s destination (to America)
Good time to talk about ship’s manifest. Copy a manifest and add their fictional character.

17. Pretend you are the fictional immigrant who moved to Texas.
Journal Entry #1 Type in Word and save as Journal Entry Dear Journal…
Pretend you are the fictional immigrant who moved to Texas.
Introduce yourself: What is your name? Where did you come from? What mode of transportation did you use? What did you bring with you? In what part of Texas did you settle? What day, month, and year is it? Always put a date in the top right corner.
Save as JOURNAL ENTRY 1. Wait to print at a later date.

18. Listen to a story about Pecos Bill Read a Texas folklore
Read an American folktale
Teacher should have a selection of Texas folklore (folktales) to read for comparing/contrasting. This is a great time to do the Value Auction.

19. After investigating Texas folklore, write in your research notebook what you learned about Texan values and beliefs.
Investigate folklore from your immigrant country. Find your favorite.
Group discussion about values and beliefs.

20. After reading some of your country’s folklore
Write in your research notebook what you learned about the values and beliefs of your immigrant’s country

21. Journal Entry #2 Type in Word and save as Journal Entry 2
Journal Entry #2 Type in Word and save as Journal Entry 2. Dear Journal…
Based on the folktales you read, compare two characters’ values and beliefs. How are they similar and different?
How did these similarities and differences impact your decision to move to Texas and your life once you arrived in Texas?

22. Draw an idea in your research notebook.
What artifact could you use in your museum display based on your study of folklore?
Draw an idea in your research notebook.
An example may be to make a book from their home country folktale. They can draw the pictures or import clipart.

23. Describe each in your research notebook
Texas
Art
Music
Theatre
Dance
Immigrant Country
Art
Music
Theatre
Dance
Venn Diagram or a comparison chart is a more interesting way to document this information.

24. Did you leave any behind?
Journal Entry #3 Type in Word and save as Journal Entry 3. Dear Journal…
What are the connections between the cultures of Texas and your home country?
Did you bring any cultural traditions from your home country with you to Texas?
Did you leave any behind?

25. What artifact could you use in your museum display based on your study of culture?
Draw an idea in your research notebook.

26. Past, Present, Future In your research notebook
Describe the weather of Texas
What is the weather like in different regions of Texas? What is it like in the region that you settled?
Is the weather the same all over Texas in winter?
How can the weather affect the future of Texas?
Describe the food of Texas
What do people in Texas eat during the holidays?
What food does your family eat?
Why would eating patterns change in Texas?
This is hard! We did the Texas section as a group and each student required more teacher help for their country.

27. Past, Present, Future In your research notebook
Describe the weather of your immigrant country
What is the climate at this time of year?
What will it be like during summer, spring?
How is it different from Texas climate?
Describe the food of your immigrant country
What would you normally eat for breakfast?
What would you eat for lunch?
What would you eat for dinner?
Do Texans eat food that originated in your immigrant country?

28. Clothing Describe the clothing of your immigrant country.
Where did you get your clothes? What kind of clothes did you wear?
Print images of your country’s clothes in the 1800’s.
Describe the clothing of Texas.
What kind of clothes did people wear?
Where did kids get their clothes in the late 1800’s and early 1900’s?
Keep kids on track – this is in the past – not today! They may find that clothes are different even today.

29. Shelter What type of shelter did you have in your home country?
How has it changed?
(How will it change in
the future in your
immigrant country?)
What type of shelter did you live in when you came to Texas?
How has shelter changed in Texas?
(How will it change in the
future?)
Timelines – some students will be able to write journal entries to their “grandchildren”. This is how it is now (ie. 1895) and how it will probably change.

30. Journal Entry #4 Type in Word and save. Don’t forget your date
Journal Entry #4 Type in Word and save. Don’t forget your date! Dear Journal…
How is your everyday life in Texas different from the way it was in your home country?
What do you like more?
What do you miss?

31. Based on your study of what your country is like and how it has changed, what could you use as an artifact in your museum display?
Draw an idea in your research notebook.

32. Geography Texas Your Country Landforms Geographic Regions
Natural Resources
How did geography influence the settlement of Texas? (Consider both historic and modern settlement.)
Your Country
Landforms
Geographic Regions
Natural Resources
How did geography influence the settlement of this country? (Consider both historic and modern settlement.)

33. Journal Entry #5 Type in Word and save. Dear Journal…
When you arrived in Texas, what surprised you about the land and its resources?
What was similar to and different from the land you came from?

34. Based on your study of geography, what could you used as an artifact in your museum?
Draw the idea in your research notebook.

35. What are the major industries and job types in Texas?
What is the monetary unit?
What are the major industries and job types in your country?
What is the monetary unit?

36. Journal Entry #6 Type in Word and save. Dear Journal…
What kinds of jobs are most common in Texas and in your home country?
Are there similarities and/or differences?
Write about the differences in types of money and the exchange rate.

37. Based on your study of the economy, what could you use as an artifact in your museum?
Draw an idea in your research notebook.

38. Government Describe the government/political system of Texas.
What kind of government did Texas have when you emigrated?
What kind of government does Texas have today?
Describe the government/political system of your country.
What kind of government did you have when you left your immigrant country?
What kind of government does your immigrant country have today?

39. Education
Describe education in Texas when you arrived and how it is today.
Who goes to school?
Where do they go?
How long do they go to school?
Describe education in your country when you left and how it is today.
Who goes to school?
Where do they go?
How long do they go to school?

40. List recreational activities popular in Texas when you arrived and what Texans do today.
What do people do for recreation?
Are there any similarities between then and now?
List recreational activities popular in your country when you left and what Texans do today.
What do people do for recreation?
Are there any similarities between then and now?
Recreation

41. Religion Describe the religious beliefs of Texans.
Have they changed in the last 100 years?
Describe the religious beliefs of your country.
Have they changed in the last 100 years?

42. Journal Entry #7 and #8 Dear Journal…
Choose 2 of the last 4 topics to write about in your journal (government, religion, education, or recreation).
Compare and contrast Texas with your immigrant country. How are they similar? Different?

43. What could you use as an artifact in your museum display based on your study of what the country is like and how it has changed?
Draw an example in your research notebook.

44. Population In Texas In Texas In Texas What is the current population?
What population subgroups were you able to identify in your data search? (For instance, females are 50.4% of the population in Texas, and males are 49.6%)
Age:
Race:
Household Income:
Other interesting stuff:

45. Population In Your Immigrant Country In Your Immigrant Country
What is the current population?
What population subgroups were you able to identify in your data search? (For instance, females are 50.4% of the population in Texas, and males are 49.6%)
Age:
Race:
Household Income:
Other interesting stuff:

46. Journal Entry #9 Type in Word and save. Dear Journal…
Where do most people live in Texas? Why?
Where do most people live in your immigrant country? Why?
How are Texas and your home country similar and different from one another in terms of population centers?
What kind of area (e.g. urban, suburban, rural) do you live in? How does that affect your life?

47. Based on your study of population, what could you use as an artifact for your museum display?
Draw an example.

48. Scenes at the Immigration Depot and a nearby dock on Ellis Island. Appears to show, first, a group of immigrants lined up to board a vessel leaving the island, then another group arriving at the island and being directed off of the dock and into the Depot by a uniformed official.

49. Virtual Museums Museums in the USA Museums in Texas
Virtual Museums in Other Countries
Texas Beyond History

50. Sources www.theshipslist.com/ www.immigrantships.net/