My Texas History Notebook
Colonization of Texas:
Letters to Stephen F. Austin
The Colonization of Texas: Letters to Stephen F. Austin uses fictional letters that requires students to evaluate potential colonists to Austin's colony. The students will participate in a response group activity that will require them to evaluate fictional letters that contain characteristics of potential colonists to Austin’s colony. They will document their results on the graphically organized notes that will show a “Yes” they may go or “No” they may not go. A 
preview activity has students respond to these questions: “What qualities do you look for in a person that wants to join your sports team?” “What advantages would there be to selecting people of good character?” “What happens when you let a person on that does not have any experience?”
As a processing activity, the students will create a letter of their own that describes their situation at home and why they need to make a change. Explain to the students that they do not have to be someone that Stephen F. Austin is going to accept. They may take on the role of an individual that has no place in Austin’s colony or one that meets the requirements.
