Indigenous Peoples of Texas

Phase 1

1. Choose a partner to work with on this assignment.

2. Download the Learn About Texas Indians PDF. Read through this packet and examine the drawings with your partner. You are not required to complete the activities suggested in the PDF for a grade, but do discuss them with your partner to make sure you both understand the information in the packet. Pages 24-47 discuss the tribes living in Texas when the Europeans arrived, and these are the groups you will focus on for this assignment. As you are reading about these groups, decide with your partner which four you would like to learn more about.

Phase 2

1. You have now chosen the tribes you want to learn more about, so it is time to do some research. Print the Notes Packet attachment below. Add the name of one of the four tribes you and your partner chose on the title line of each page. Use the PDF from Phase 1 along with the additional resources listed below to fill in the necessary information about the native groups you have chosen to research.

Additional resources:

Texas Indians - Click on the Articles on Tribes link on the left side of the page, then scroll through the list and click on the link for the tribe you are studying.

Texas State Historical Association Handbook - Use the search box at the top of the page to type in the name of the tribe you want to find.

2. Your research is done and it is time to synthesize the information you found. With your partner, compare and contrast the tribes you researched. Determine what they had in common and what made them unique. Discuss what found most interesting about each native group.

Phase 3

1. Watch this video that shows you how to make a 4-door book.

2. Using the supplies provided in the classroom, make your foldable. Re-watch the video if necessary.

3. Print the Texas Map from the attachments below. Cut out the shape of Texas. Label each of your four tribes on the map in the area of the state where they primarily lived, and color your map. Attach your map to the back of your foldable. Also, on the back of your foldable, list TWO things your four tribes had in common.

4. Use one section of the 4-door book for each of the tribes. Write the information that you and your partner found the most interesting and that made each tribe unique. Use complete sentences (at least four sentences per tribe) and check your spelling and punctuation. You can write on the foldable or type, print out, and paste your information into the 4-door book.

5. Make sure to put a title and both of your names on the front of your 4-door book.  On the front of each "door" draw an illustration, or print and paste a picture to represent the tribe discussed in that section.

6. Present your book to the class.