| Yee-Haw! It's Rodeo Time! |
Sneak Peek at the Week:
The 6th Annual Cowboy Breakfast
Barrel Racing
Horseshoe Pitching
Hay Hauling Contest
The 6th Annual Chili Cook-Off
The 6th Annual Cowboy Breakfast
Barrel Racing
Horseshoe Pitching
Hay Hauling Contest
The 6th Annual Chili Cook-Off
Journal Topics:
*Write "Texas." Draw/write what you know about Texas.
*Write "pecan tree." Draw/write about your favorite pecan treat.
*Write "bluebonnets." Draw/write about a field of bluebonnets.
*Write "mockingbird." Draw/write about mockingbirds.
*Draw a cowboy.
*What can you see at the rodeo?
*What kind of work does a cowboy do?
*Write your top-secret chili recipe. What's the secret ingredient?
*Write "Texas." Draw/write what you know about Texas.
*Write "pecan tree." Draw/write about your favorite pecan treat.
*Write "bluebonnets." Draw/write about a field of bluebonnets.
*Write "mockingbird." Draw/write about mockingbirds.
*Draw a cowboy.
*What can you see at the rodeo?
*What kind of work does a cowboy do?
*Write your top-secret chili recipe. What's the secret ingredient?
Shared Reading
Hands, Hands, Hands
by Marcia Vaughn
Who Spilled the Beans?
by Joy Cowley
Hands, Hands, Hands
by Marcia Vaughn
Who Spilled the Beans?
by Joy Cowley
Focus Poetry
"I Am a Cowboy" "I Am a
Cowgirl" "When Tillie Ate
the Chili"
"I Am a Cowboy" "I Am a
Cowgirl" "When Tillie Ate
the Chili"
Center Ideas:
art: cowboy/cowgirl portrait, painted sunset scene (a great idea from
Kindernet)
fine motor: perforate boot outline, Texas outline, etc.
writing: "Cowboys are good at ..."
science: "soaking colors" experiment- Students use coffee filter
strips, water, and watercolor markers to investigate color properties.
#1 Color a big dot at one end of the strip.
#2 Place the colored end of the strip in a dish of water.
#3 Observe the results & record... Wow! What colors make up the
color green? orange? brown? black? (The water makes the
colors separate as they "travel" up the strip.
art: cowboy/cowgirl portrait, painted sunset scene (a great idea from
Kindernet)
fine motor: perforate boot outline, Texas outline, etc.
writing: "Cowboys are good at ..."
science: "soaking colors" experiment- Students use coffee filter
strips, water, and watercolor markers to investigate color properties.
#1 Color a big dot at one end of the strip.
#2 Place the colored end of the strip in a dish of water.
#3 Observe the results & record... Wow! What colors make up the
color green? orange? brown? black? (The water makes the
colors separate as they "travel" up the strip.
Literature:
*One way we start this unit (and lots of others!) is to record
students' knowledge on a laminated, Texas-shaped posterboard. This
is just a way to vary the traditional KWL chart and it's easy
reference for students to use in their writing.
Cowboys by Glen Rounds
*Read and discuss new vocabulary in the book. Students will complete
a booklet titled "My Cowboy Book," illustrating each page (boots, hat,
jeans, bunkhouse, corral, stampede, lasso).
The Cowboy and the Black-eyed Pea by Tony Johnston
"Cowboy Dan" a poem adapted by The K-Crew
*After reading the poem, discuss vocabulary relating to cowboy
clothing. Students piece together a picture of a cowboy, then glue
labels (ten gallon hat, bandana, shirt, vest, belt buckle, jeans, chaps,
boots, spurs) to the appropriate article of clothing.
Texas Tale by Jane Alspaugh
*Read and discuss the types of clothes cowboys wear. List each
article and brainstorm reasons why cowboys wear them.
Give each student a die-cut hat and boots, a piece of 12x18 manilla
paper, and a set of watercolors.
Students glue the hat to the top of the page, the boots to the
bottom, and use a black crayon to draw a cowboy/girl in between,
making sure to add appropriate articles of clothing. They will paint
the picture using watercolors.
Students will then complete the prompt: "If I was a cowboy/girl, I
could..." to attach to the bottom of their picture.
Armadillo Rodeo by Jan Brett
Cactus Hotel by Brenda Guiberson
What Do Cowboys Do by Carla Greene
Yippee Yay! by Gail Gibbons
Cowboy Dreams byDayal Kaur Khalsa
Little Red Cowboy Hat by Susan Lowell
The Tortoise and the Jackrabbit by Susan Lowell
The Three Little Javelinas by Susan Lowell
White Dynamite and the Curly Kidd by Bill Martin Jr. and John
Archambault
Cowboy Charlie by Jeanette Winter
*Read and discuss all the things cowboys do at the rodeo and on the
ranch. Students will complete a booklet titled "Cowboys Can..."
Students will illustrate and complete each sentence:
page 1 "Cowboys can ______."
page 2 "Cowboys can ______."
page 3 "Cowboys can ______."
page 4 "But cowboys cannot ______."
(This idea was adapted from one on the Virtual Vine website. Thanks
for the inspiration!)
"My Name Is Texas" a poem adapted by The K-Crew
*Read the poem, discussing the different regions of Texas (North,
Midwest, Gulf Coast, South, West, East, Hill Country) their
characteristics, and products.
Students are given a divided map of Texas and clipart depicting the
regional products/characteristics (pine trees, longhorns, boats, fish,
oranges, bluebonnets, cactus, cowboys, etc.)
As the poem is read again, students glue the appropriate icon to each
region on their maps. (This is a GREAT listening activity!)
A Tale of Texas by Dottie Zimmerman
*Read/sing this interactive songbook to help students become
acquainted with Texas symbols (our state bird, tree, flower, nickname,
and motto).
Students will then join 1 of 4 Texas Symbols Committees: the
Bluebonnet Committee, the Pecan Tree Committee, the Mockingbird
Committee, or the Texas Flag Committee.
Each committee will work together to create a large banner depicting
their Texas symbol. Once the banner is completed, each member will
write about what make that symbol special to Texas.
"The Tale of Old Cactus" by Jean Warren
*Read and discuss the poem, especially the characteristics of prickly
pear cacti.
Students will use patterns to create their own prickly pear cacti, using
black yarn for the prickles and tissue paper for the blossoms.
Students will also write about the prickly pear cactus, attaching their
writing to their models.
Why Cowboys Need a Brand by Laurie Lazzaro Knowlton
*Demonstrate different types of brands and how to "read" them.
Play Brand Bingo to practice reading them.
Students will them design their own brand and "register" them at "City
Hall." Students will then use sponges "brand" their longhorns (cut from
brown paper sacks.).
T Is For Texas by Anne Bustard
*Looking at the cover, ask the students to predict what "Texas" things
might be in the book... (bluebonnets, "howdy," chili, longhorn,
mockingbird, pecan tree, friendly, etc.) On which letter page would
you find these?
Read the book checking to see if any of their predictions are found.
Students will create their own "T is for Texas" Texas-shaped booklet.
Each of the 4 pages has the pattern: " __ is for _________." for the
students to complete and illustrate.
Pecos Bill by Steven Kellog
*Read the book, of course, but also make sure to watch the video
narrated by Robin Williams... it's a riot! The tale is full of so many
analogies and vivid descriptions, which makes it a great "springboard"
for writing ideas!
Students will love discussing all the events which make this story a
"tall tale." Then each class will make a "Texas Tall Tales" class big book,
completing and illustrating each page:
A Cowboy's boots are so pointy that...
Texans are so friendly that...
Bluebonnets smell so good that...
Jackrabbits can hop so high that...
Longhorns horns are so long that...
Rattlesnakes are so mean that...
Texas chili is so hot that...
Texas Alphabet by Laurie Parker
*Read and discuss the book. Ask students to help spell "T-e-x-a-s"
while writing it on the board. Go back and reread these letters.
Encourage students to "buzz" with a neighbor more ideas for those
letters. As a class, list more possibilities for each of the 5 letters.
Students are then given a "T-e-x-a-s flip book"
(To make this book:
Take a page folded in half lengthwise... or "tallman" in Kinder terms
Turn the paper horizontally and divide it into 5 equal boxes... side by side
Write "T" in the 1st box, "e" in the 2nd, "x" in the 3rd, etc.)
Students cut on the dividing lines, creating 5 flaps.
Under the "T" flap, they will write/illustrate 1 or 2 "Texas" ideas that
begin with "T." Under the "e" flap, 1 or 2 ideas that begin with "e," etc.
After completing the book, students may go share it with someone in
the school (a sibling, another teacher, office staff, etc.).
The Magic Boots by Scott Emerson and Howard Post
*This story and the illustrations are magical.... the underlying theme is
how powerful it is to use one's imagination!
After reading the story, students "buzz" with each other about where
they'd like their boots to take them.
Students are given 2 boot-shapes stapled into a booklet.
The cover boot is red and has the starter: "My boots can take me to
_____..."
The 2nd boot is white and has the starter: "... so I can see _________."
They may decorate the red boot and must illustrate their destination
on the white boot.
*One way we start this unit (and lots of others!) is to record
students' knowledge on a laminated, Texas-shaped posterboard. This
is just a way to vary the traditional KWL chart and it's easy
reference for students to use in their writing.
Cowboys by Glen Rounds
*Read and discuss new vocabulary in the book. Students will complete
a booklet titled "My Cowboy Book," illustrating each page (boots, hat,
jeans, bunkhouse, corral, stampede, lasso).
The Cowboy and the Black-eyed Pea by Tony Johnston
"Cowboy Dan" a poem adapted by The K-Crew
*After reading the poem, discuss vocabulary relating to cowboy
clothing. Students piece together a picture of a cowboy, then glue
labels (ten gallon hat, bandana, shirt, vest, belt buckle, jeans, chaps,
boots, spurs) to the appropriate article of clothing.
Texas Tale by Jane Alspaugh
*Read and discuss the types of clothes cowboys wear. List each
article and brainstorm reasons why cowboys wear them.
Give each student a die-cut hat and boots, a piece of 12x18 manilla
paper, and a set of watercolors.
Students glue the hat to the top of the page, the boots to the
bottom, and use a black crayon to draw a cowboy/girl in between,
making sure to add appropriate articles of clothing. They will paint
the picture using watercolors.
Students will then complete the prompt: "If I was a cowboy/girl, I
could..." to attach to the bottom of their picture.
Armadillo Rodeo by Jan Brett
Cactus Hotel by Brenda Guiberson
What Do Cowboys Do by Carla Greene
Yippee Yay! by Gail Gibbons
Cowboy Dreams byDayal Kaur Khalsa
Little Red Cowboy Hat by Susan Lowell
The Tortoise and the Jackrabbit by Susan Lowell
The Three Little Javelinas by Susan Lowell
White Dynamite and the Curly Kidd by Bill Martin Jr. and John
Archambault
Cowboy Charlie by Jeanette Winter
*Read and discuss all the things cowboys do at the rodeo and on the
ranch. Students will complete a booklet titled "Cowboys Can..."
Students will illustrate and complete each sentence:
page 1 "Cowboys can ______."
page 2 "Cowboys can ______."
page 3 "Cowboys can ______."
page 4 "But cowboys cannot ______."
(This idea was adapted from one on the Virtual Vine website. Thanks
for the inspiration!)
"My Name Is Texas" a poem adapted by The K-Crew
*Read the poem, discussing the different regions of Texas (North,
Midwest, Gulf Coast, South, West, East, Hill Country) their
characteristics, and products.
Students are given a divided map of Texas and clipart depicting the
regional products/characteristics (pine trees, longhorns, boats, fish,
oranges, bluebonnets, cactus, cowboys, etc.)
As the poem is read again, students glue the appropriate icon to each
region on their maps. (This is a GREAT listening activity!)
A Tale of Texas by Dottie Zimmerman
*Read/sing this interactive songbook to help students become
acquainted with Texas symbols (our state bird, tree, flower, nickname,
and motto).
Students will then join 1 of 4 Texas Symbols Committees: the
Bluebonnet Committee, the Pecan Tree Committee, the Mockingbird
Committee, or the Texas Flag Committee.
Each committee will work together to create a large banner depicting
their Texas symbol. Once the banner is completed, each member will
write about what make that symbol special to Texas.
"The Tale of Old Cactus" by Jean Warren
*Read and discuss the poem, especially the characteristics of prickly
pear cacti.
Students will use patterns to create their own prickly pear cacti, using
black yarn for the prickles and tissue paper for the blossoms.
Students will also write about the prickly pear cactus, attaching their
writing to their models.
Why Cowboys Need a Brand by Laurie Lazzaro Knowlton
*Demonstrate different types of brands and how to "read" them.
Play Brand Bingo to practice reading them.
Students will them design their own brand and "register" them at "City
Hall." Students will then use sponges "brand" their longhorns (cut from
brown paper sacks.).
T Is For Texas by Anne Bustard
*Looking at the cover, ask the students to predict what "Texas" things
might be in the book... (bluebonnets, "howdy," chili, longhorn,
mockingbird, pecan tree, friendly, etc.) On which letter page would
you find these?
Read the book checking to see if any of their predictions are found.
Students will create their own "T is for Texas" Texas-shaped booklet.
Each of the 4 pages has the pattern: " __ is for _________." for the
students to complete and illustrate.
Pecos Bill by Steven Kellog
*Read the book, of course, but also make sure to watch the video
narrated by Robin Williams... it's a riot! The tale is full of so many
analogies and vivid descriptions, which makes it a great "springboard"
for writing ideas!
Students will love discussing all the events which make this story a
"tall tale." Then each class will make a "Texas Tall Tales" class big book,
completing and illustrating each page:
A Cowboy's boots are so pointy that...
Texans are so friendly that...
Bluebonnets smell so good that...
Jackrabbits can hop so high that...
Longhorns horns are so long that...
Rattlesnakes are so mean that...
Texas chili is so hot that...
Texas Alphabet by Laurie Parker
*Read and discuss the book. Ask students to help spell "T-e-x-a-s"
while writing it on the board. Go back and reread these letters.
Encourage students to "buzz" with a neighbor more ideas for those
letters. As a class, list more possibilities for each of the 5 letters.
Students are then given a "T-e-x-a-s flip book"
(To make this book:
Take a page folded in half lengthwise... or "tallman" in Kinder terms
Turn the paper horizontally and divide it into 5 equal boxes... side by side
Write "T" in the 1st box, "e" in the 2nd, "x" in the 3rd, etc.)
Students cut on the dividing lines, creating 5 flaps.
Under the "T" flap, they will write/illustrate 1 or 2 "Texas" ideas that
begin with "T." Under the "e" flap, 1 or 2 ideas that begin with "e," etc.
After completing the book, students may go share it with someone in
the school (a sibling, another teacher, office staff, etc.).
The Magic Boots by Scott Emerson and Howard Post
*This story and the illustrations are magical.... the underlying theme is
how powerful it is to use one's imagination!
After reading the story, students "buzz" with each other about where
they'd like their boots to take them.
Students are given 2 boot-shapes stapled into a booklet.
The cover boot is red and has the starter: "My boots can take me to
_____..."
The 2nd boot is white and has the starter: "... so I can see _________."
They may decorate the red boot and must illustrate their destination
on the white boot.
Click on book covers for summaries, reviews, and
purchase info from Amazon.com.
purchase info from Amazon.com.
Math/Graphs:
*Students use their knowledge of numerals and measuring devices to
help make their class pot of chili for the cook-off.
*Students also tally the votes given to each pot of chili to determine
the winners of the Best Chili Award, the Spiciest Chili Award, the
Meatiest Chili Award, the Most Interesting Chili Award, and the the
Best-Named Chili Award.
*After the cook-off, students will graph whether they like chili or not;
whether they like it with Fritos and cheese or plain, and whether they
think the secret ingredient really made a difference or not.
*During barrel-racing trials, students help to constantly re-rank the
"top 10" riders according to their time scores.
*Students use their knowledge of numerals and measuring devices to
help make their class pot of chili for the cook-off.
*Students also tally the votes given to each pot of chili to determine
the winners of the Best Chili Award, the Spiciest Chili Award, the
Meatiest Chili Award, the Most Interesting Chili Award, and the the
Best-Named Chili Award.
*After the cook-off, students will graph whether they like chili or not;
whether they like it with Fritos and cheese or plain, and whether they
think the secret ingredient really made a difference or not.
*During barrel-racing trials, students help to constantly re-rank the
"top 10" riders according to their time scores.
Science/Social Studies:
*After Tumbleweed Tom on the Texas Trail, brainstorm and list each
regions' characteristics and produsts on chart paper. Use maps,
photographs, the internet, etc. to show the physical/topographical
differences in each region. Then we compare/contrast these
characteristics with the region we live in.
*After Tumbleweed Tom on the Texas Trail, brainstorm and list each
regions' characteristics and produsts on chart paper. Use maps,
photographs, the internet, etc. to show the physical/topographical
differences in each region. Then we compare/contrast these
characteristics with the region we live in.
Links:
The Virtual Vine's Cowboys unit
First Grade Classroom Chatter Texas unit
Kindernet's "The West"
The State of Texas website
Texas Maps, Slideshows, and 360° Tours on Expedia.com
Texas for Visitors
Encarta- Texas (describes what makes our state the GREATEST!)
Texas Maps
Pro Rodeo Home Pages
The Houston Livestock Show & Rodeo
The Virtual Vine's Cowboys unit
First Grade Classroom Chatter Texas unit
Kindernet's "The West"
The State of Texas website
Texas Maps, Slideshows, and 360° Tours on Expedia.com
Texas for Visitors
Encarta- Texas (describes what makes our state the GREATEST!)
Texas Maps
Pro Rodeo Home Pages
The Houston Livestock Show & Rodeo
