FOR EDUCATORS
Classroom tools designed to help students gain a deeper understanding of the life and influence of Sam Houston are found in this section. Lesson plans, podcasts, games, a musical program for student performance, and links to many primary web resources are ready to help your students learn.
Classroom Podcasts
Google Maps
Here you will find the exact locations of many important and fun to see places. Most are photographed. Some are places where Sam Houston lived, worked, fought, played and got married. Some are the final resting places of many important people from the early 1800s. One identifies museums which have exhibits from the period, and one is a map of the movement of the Texas Army between March 2-April 21, 1836. See where they camped and fought. Modern historical markers are also located.
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Sites of Interest
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This map identifies a few famous landmarks that were known to Sam Houston, the grave sites of some people who were important to Houston's life, the home sites of a few other people of note, the location of some early Texas towns, and other interesting sites. |
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Museums
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The locations of many museums with displays from the early 1800s are pinpointed on this map. |
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Texas Army Movements and Revolution Sites
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This map traces the movement, campsites, and battlefields of the Texas Army during March and April of 1836. The locations of modern historical markers are also included. |
Musical on Sam Houston's Life(Click Graphic for Free Materials)
Raven's Journey is a musical that combines music, art, and history to teach students about the life of Sam Houston. The format is a "living timeline" where students step out in character as Sam Houston to explain different periods of his life, with choral and dance performances taking place in between. The music comes from the Scott-Foresman CDs which are used in Texas, and all of the music is easily found in the public domain if live accompaniment is desired. The downloads are free and there are no fees for performance in a public or private school.
LESSON PLANS
Here are some proven lesson plans on the life and times of General Houston. Click on the links to access them, and please send us your most successful lesson plans so that we can make them available to other teachers who would like to use them. Send them to: teachers@samhoustonmovie.com
Games and Worksheets
Here are some games and Worksheets. Click on the links to access them.
Classroom Resources and Teacher Aides
- TEKS and Curriculum Alignment Tools & Lesson Plan Database
Texas State Historical Association tools for 4th and 7th grade teachers
http://www.tshaonline.org/tools/index.html
- Historical Maps of Texas
Perry-Castaneda Library, The University of Texas at Austin
http://www.lib.utexas.edu/maps/historical/history_texas.html
- Historical Maps of Tennessee
Perry-Castañeda Library, The University of Texas at Austin
http://www.lib.utexas.edu/maps/tennessee.html
- Texas Historic Sites Atlas
Searchable atlas of nearly 300,000 historic sites and markers in Texas. Includes museums, sawmills, courthouses, battlefields, etc.
http://atlas.thc.state.tx.us
- East Texas Digital Archives and Collections
Digital copies of photographs, documents, maps, books and other archival materials associated with the East Texas geographical region from the Gulf of Mexico north to the Red River and east of the Trinity River to Western Louisiana, which was once part of Texas. The digitized material is freely available to students, teachers and the general public for their historical and genealogical research.
http://digital.sfasu.edu/cdm
- Tennessee History for Kids
http://www.tnhistoryforkids.org
- Texas Almanac
A wealth of information about all-things Texan.
Published by the Texas State Historical Commission
http://www.texasalmanac.com
- Texas History Primary Source Documents
Selected Texas History Primary Source Documents
http://www.tshaonline.com/lshl/texhisdocs.html
- The Texas Papers -From Independence to Annexation
The Avalon Project at Yale Law School
http://www.yale.edu/lawweb/avalon/texmenu.htm
- Sam Houston's Account of the Battle of San Jacinto
Original image and transcription of Houston's April 23, 1836 letter to Burnet
http://www.dallashistory.org/history/texas/houston_report.htm
- Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo; February 2, 1848
The Avalon Project at Yale Law School
Treaty ending the U.S./Mexican War and the purchase by the U.S. of Mexican lands extending to the Pacific Ocean.
http://www.yale.edu/lawweb/avalon/diplomacy/mexico/guadhida.htm
- The Kansas-Nebraska Act; May 30, 1854
The Avalon Project at Yale Law School
Houston filibustered the Kansas-Nebraska Bill for two days in the U.S. Senate. Most historians now believe the Civil War was inevitable after its passage.
http://www.yale.edu/lawweb/avalon/kanneb.htm
- Portraits of Texas Governors
http://www.tsl.state.tx.us/governors
- The Texas Constitution
http://tlo2.tlc.state.tx.us/txconst/toc.html
- Texas Legislature Online
http://www.capitol.state.tx.us
- Cities of Texas Websites
http://www.state.tx.us/portal/tol/en/gov/6/1/1
- Texas Treasures
An online exhibit of historical artifacts and documents by the Texas State Libraries and Archives.
http://www.tsl.state.tx.us/treasures
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