Objectives:
- Identify notable individuals who contributed to the Republic of Texas.
- Analyze the role of ethnic and racial groups in the republic.
- Explain the significance of primary sources.
Scene 1 — Engage
Student Activity
Students read a brief introduction to the Republic of Texas and the focus individuals they will study, then respond to a word cloud prompt by naming one or more individuals they consider heroes of the Republic of Texas.
Teacher Moves
Preview the experience, highlighting that students will examine notable Texans, challenges faced by Tejanos and African Americans, and the value of primary sources. Review the objectives and facilitate a discussion of students’ word cloud responses, prompting them to recall what they already know about the people they listed.
Scene 2 — Explore and Explain 1
Student Activity
Students read background text about José Antonio Navarro and then read José Antonio Navarro to learn more about his life and contributions as a Tejano leader. They complete a graphic organizer identifying four key contributions Navarro made to Texas history and then post to a collaborative wall explaining why Navarro needed to fight for Tejano rights in the Texas Congress.
Teacher Moves
Guide students through Navarro’s biography, clarifying his role in the Texas Revolution and early statehood. Review and discuss students’ graphic organizers, highlighting major contributions such as his political service and efforts to protect Tejano rights. Facilitate discussion of wall responses, explaining the cultural clash between Tejanos and Anglo settlers and why some Anglos questioned Tejano loyalty and sought to expel them.
Scene 3 — Explore and Explain 2
Student Activity
Students read about William Goyens, a free Black man in Nacogdoches, and then read William Goyens #1 and William Goyens #2 to deepen their understanding of his role in diplomacy with the Cherokee and the challenges he faced to maintain his freedom. They respond on a class wall explaining why, in their opinion, a white settler might claim that Goyens was a runaway slave.
Teacher Moves
Support students in identifying Goyens’s contributions and the racial climate of the Republic of Texas. Review wall posts and share an interesting or exemplary response with the class, using it to prompt discussion about how the Republic supported slavery and why some settlers struggled to accept a free, successful African American trusted by political leaders.
Scene 4 — Explore and Explain 3
Student Activity
Students read about John Coffee “Jack” Hays and his service in the Texas Rangers, then read the first three paragraphs of John Coffee Hays and the first and last paragraphs of Enchanted Rock Legends. They post to a collaborative wall stating whether they think the story of Hays and the Indians at Enchanted Rock is factual or a legend, explaining their reasoning, and then review classmates’ posts and respond to at least two with a question or positive comment.
Teacher Moves
Clarify Hays’s historical role and help students distinguish between factual accounts and legendary embellishments. During discussion, note how titles like “Enchanted Rock Legends” and heroic storytelling can influence perceptions, and emphasize that such stories may be based on real events but are often exaggerated.
Scene 5 — Evaluation
Student Activity
Students read about Mary Maverick and then examine Mary Maverick along with her sketch of the Alamo and two diary excerpts describing social life and the “Runaway of ’42.” Drawing on these primary sources, they post to a class wall explaining how Maverick’s diaries contribute to our knowledge of life in the Republic of Texas.
Teacher Moves
Introduce or review the definition of primary sources, using Maverick’s sketch and diary excerpts as examples. Encourage students to consider how her writings document both daily life and major events, and how they show the impact of political and military developments on settlers. Highlight strong student responses that illustrate how eyewitness accounts add depth and detail to historical understanding, and invite interested students to explore more of Memoirs of Mary A. Maverick from the student pack.
©2026 Exploros. All rights reserved.