I have a list of 7 famous Texans. Also, you may love Free Texas Homeschool Lapbook and Fun Homeschool Unit Study Ideas.
Too, I have a highlight on one famous Texan.
It is an art project which is perfect for any Texas-sized unit study.
You might have heard of Davy Crockett and Sam Houston.
But do you know about the contributions sculpture Elisabet Ney made to the Texas art world and beyond?
Have you studied James S. Hogg, who was the first native Texan to become governor?
Do you know about the exploits of Bonnie and Clyde?
To create a wonderful Texas unit, I have information on these famous Texans and several more to spark a deeper study.
We are focusing on Elisabet Ney in particular and incorporating a self-portrait art project to honor the contributions she made.
Now, for this bust, you can choose one of the famous Texans, someone that you know like a family member, or a famous historical figure.
Although you are not carving the bust it is a fun way to open conversation about Elisabet Ney.
For example, you can learn about the art of creating a bust sculpture. Elizabet Ney made them of marble.
Books About Famous Texans
First, look at these books about Texas.
When preparing unit studies, I like to add both living books and reference type books for a well rounded study.
27 Books For Kids Who Love Reading And Being Read to About Texas
Forget a boring textbook and add some of these books about Texas to your unit study or add to your learning day.
Relates the experiences of the Texas woman who, along with her baby, survived the 1836 massacre at the Alamo.
The classic story of the siege of the Alamo, as told for young readers. Originally published in 1958, thousands of children each year enjoy this story from the unique point of view of twelve-year old Billy Campbell.
A biography of the legendary Comanche leader profiles the son of a white woman, who fiercely defended tribal lands against those who tried to seize them and who, after being moved with his people to a reservation, fought for the recognition and decent treatment of his tribe.
Searching for a better life, Mina, Papa, and Mama left their German fatherland aboard the brig Margaretha ,bound for Texas. They had been told it was the paradise of North America, but when Mina steps onto the desolate beach at Indian Point on a cold December day in 1845, she wants to go back to Germany and Opa's cozy house in the village of Wehrestedt. But go on they must. In spite of mama's tragic death, Mina and Papa push inland with the Kaufmann family to the Texas Hill Country. There Mina encounters an Indian chief and his young daughter, Amaya, whose help she needs when Papa falls ill. Based on her ancestors' immigration to Texas, Janice Shefelman tells of a journey into the wilderness that is filled with hardship, tragedy and adventure.
Lessons Taught In Story Form.
“Remember the Alamo!” That rallying cry has gone down in Texas history. But what, exactly, should we remember? Who were the ragtag group of adventurers behind the famous slogan, and how did they end up barricaded in a fort against a Mexican army Who survived, who died, and how. In the early 1800s, Native Americans, the Mexican government, and settlers from other areas of the United States were fighting over the territory that would become the Lone Star state. Here, vivid illustrations—rendered in black, white, and shades of gray, with tinges of yellow—and witty text tell the story, from Texas’s near wilderness beginnings to the Battle of the Alamo and General Sam Houston’s ultimate victory over General Antonio López de Santa Anna at the Battle of San Jacinto.
Briefly describes the environment, daily life, and customs of four Indian groups that lived in Texas--the farmers, the fishermen, the plant gatherers, and the hunters.
Colorful Sam Houston leaps to life in the pages of this fresh and funny biography, set against the story of Texas's fight for independence from Mexico.
I wanted to tell Austin's story so that boys and girls all over the United States would come to know him not as a stuffy figure in a history book but as a man who had a great dream for the welfare of his fellowmen, and in working to make that dream come true met adventure and danger, heartache and happiness.
In 1858 Texas, people are violently divided over a law that makes it a crime to help runaway slaves. Caleb isn't sure how he feels. When an escaped slave saves his life, Caleb knows he has a debt to repay. But should he break the law and risk his life to help two slaves escape?
A guide for teaching Texas History through literature. It is based on a 34-week timeframe and is useful for students in grades K-6/7.
In the early days of Texas history, ten-year-old Johann comes from Germany with his family to settle in this vast land and soon grows to love his new home.
I love this series of books and this one tends to be fairly accurate.
The #1 New York Times–bestselling author of The Miracle of Dunkirk tells the story of the Texans who fought Santa Anna’s troops at the Battle of the Alamo. Looking out over the walls of the whitewashed Alamo, sweltering in the intense sun of a February heat wave, Colonel William Travis knew his small garrison had little chance of holding back the Mexican army. Even after a call for reinforcements brought dozens of Texans determined to fight for their fledgling republic, the cause remained hopeless. Gunpowder was scarce, food was running out, and the compound was too large to easily defend with less than two hundred soldiers. Still, given the choice, only one man opted to surrender. The rest resolved to fight and die. After thirteen days, the Mexicans charged, and the Texans were slaughtered. In exquisite detail, Walter Lord recreates the fight to uphold the Texan flag. He sheds light not just on frontier celebrities like Jim Bowie and Davy Crockett, but on the ordinary soldiers who died alongside them. Though the fight ended two centuries ago, the men of the Alamo will never be forgotten.
More than a century later, the Galveston Hurricane of 1900 is still America's deadliest disaster. Lauren Tarshis's story of one child surviving the horrible event churns with page-turning action and bold hope.
The city of Galveston, Texas, was booming. Perched on an island off the southern coast of Texas, Galveston had been founded in the 1830s. By 1900, it was Texas's richest and most important city. Boats loaded up with American cotton and wheat steamed from Galveston to countries around the world. Arriving ships were crowded with immigrants. The streets, paved with crushed oyster shells, sparkled like they'd been sprinkled with diamonds.
When fourteen-year-old Abby Kate boards the train in Austin to spend three weeks with her grandmother in Galveston, she’s full of excitement—about the train ride and the prospect of days on the beach, exploring Galveston with her cousin Jane, family picnics, and her grandmother’s good food. But things go wrong even before she gets to her grandmother’s house. Abby Kate gets off the train briefly in Houston—and the train leaves without her. Stranded in the railroad station, she is befriended by a man traveling with his two sons and eventually reaches Galveston safely.
In the 1820s, the Texas frontier was a rugged, lawless place that needed defending. The men that banded together to protect the citizens of Texas from the threats of bandits and raiding native tribes were known as the Texas Rangers. Since bravery was never in short demand, any unmarried man with a good horse and a sharp shot could be selected to join the ranks. As they roamed the Texas frontier maintaining peace and order, the Rangers were present for many of the most famous moments in Texas's exciting history-they defended the Alamo alongside Davy Crockett and Jim Bowie, spied on the Mexican army during the war for independence, and chased down outlaws in the booming oil towns of the Wild West.
The entire ranch is thirsty—will the rains ever come?
Palm Sunday, March 27, 1836, turned out to be the blackest day in the war of independence between Texas and Mexico. Colonel James Walker Fannin Jr. and his men were ruthlessly slaughtered at the Presidio La Bahia near Goliad. The order was given directly by General Santa Anna. The author describes the background leading up to the start of hostilities in October 1835 and the two Mexican armies which threatened to overrun the Texans, with the massacre at the Alamo on March 2 and then the attack on the Presidio La Bahia, which Fannin called Fort Defiance. A description of garrison life and the men under Fannin's command precedes the battle of Coleto Plains, where Fannin's Texans, without an adequate water supply and defenses, were surrounded by General Urrea's army and forced to surrender. One of the more traumatic aspects of the battle and executions involved a group of young soldiers from Alabama, mainly from the same area, whose leader, Dr. Shackleford, was spared to minister to the sick and injured and was forced to witness the deaths of his protégées.
A biography of the brave wife of General James Long who was the first woman of English descent to enter Texas and bear a child there.
Story of a little known chapter in American military history; extensive illustrations throughout book by Joseph C. Camana.
Famous as a newspaperman and surveyor in Texas, Gail Borden was the discoverer of how to condense milk.
Picked up by a tornado and swept away from his family in nineteenth-century Texas, a dog has some exciting adventures in the frontier wilderness before making his way home again.
Miriam Ferguson was a quiet, private person who preferred to stay home in her big house in Temple, Texas, and take care of her husband, raise her two daughters, and tend to her flower garden. But in 1924 she was elected governor of Texas, the first woman governor elected in the United States.
Encapsulating the 500-year saga of the one-of-a-kind state of Texas, this interactive book takes readers from the founding of the Spanish Missions and the victory at San Jacinto to the Great Storm that destroyed Galveston and the establishment of NASA’s Mission Control in Houston while covering everything in between. Texas History for Kids includes 21 informative and fun activities to help readers better understand the state’s culture, politics, and geography. Kids will recreate one of the six national flags that have flown over the state, make castings of local wildlife tracks, design a ranch’s branding iron, celebrate Juneteenth by reciting General Order Number 3, build a miniature Battle of Flowers float, and more. This valuable resource also includes a timeline of significant events, a list of historic sites to visit or explore online, and web resources for further study.
Colorful Sam Houston leaps to life in the pages of this fresh and funny biography, set against the story of Texas's fight for independence from Mexico. Lively, readable, and solidly researched, this is the kind of biography every child needs. Booklist, starred review Jean Fritz has done it again. Her writing turns this larger-than-life character into a very real person.School Library Journal, starred review ?Young readers will find the book fast-paced and fact-packed. The New York Times Book Review Jean Fritz lives in Dobbs Ferry, New York.
The story of one of Texas's most famous cowboys is filled with cattle drives, stampedes, floods, droughts, freezing desert nights, raiders and bandits, and one man's endurance and love of life on the plains.
Next, look at these famous Texans.
7 Famous Texans You Want to Know About
- Elisabet Ney (1833-1907)- or “Franzisca Bernadina Wilhelmina Elisabeth Ney” was born in Europe and migrated to the States at 39 years old with her husband, eventually settling in Austin. After settling in Texas, she built her home and studio named Formosa. And she was commissioned for many portrait busts. For example, including some of those listed below like Sam Houston and Stephen F. Austin.
- Sam Houston (1793-1863) Samuel Houston was an American general and statesman who played a very important role in the Texas Revolution. He fought in the war of 1812. Notably he also won two non-consecutive terms as president of the Republic of Texas.
- David (Davy) Crockett (1786 – 1836)– Was a frontiersman, Tennessee legislator U.S. congressman, soldier, storyteller, folk hero, and an icon of popular culture. He is perished defending the Alamo fighting for Independence.
- Gail Borden(1801-1874). He was the first person to develop a successful commercial method for condensing milk becoming a dairy pioneer in his 40’s. You have probably heard of him and may have a carton of his still well-known milk sitting in your fridge. Not only was he a milk mogul he was a delegate at the Convention of 1833, where he assisted in writing early drafts of the Republic of Texas constitution.
Famous Texans
- James S. Hogg (1851-1906). The first native governor of Texas, he championed 5 major pieces of Texas legislation that changed the local government.
- Stephen F. Austin (1793-1836). He is known as the “Father of Texas” and the founder of Anglo Texas. He lead the second and, ultimately, successful colonization of the area. Also known as the Father of the Texas Rangers, he founded the earliest precursor of the famous law enforcement organization. Many places are named after this famous Texan, including the capital!
- Jane Long (1798-1880)– The “Mother of Texas” was a powerhouse of a woman. She became widowed at just 24 and survived a long hard winter at the fort with very few supplies along with a twelve-year-old servant and her six-year-old daughter, even keeping Indians at bay by tricking them into thinking that the fort was still protected by a troop of soldiers
Grab my 22 Famous Texans Notebooking Pages (editable) For a Fun History Study, it includes these 7 famous Texas and 15 more.
The book The 50 States is a beautiful oversized reference and I found loads of information including some more famous faces from the great state of Texas.
While the simple craft idea is not exactly a sculpture, it still gives your learner a peek into what goes into creating an art piece replica of someone else or themselves.
Take note of details that make you or the person you are recreating unique such as eyes, scars, freckles, hair color and texture, glasses, etc.
Easy DIY Elisabet Ney Bust
You will need:
- Styrofoam head
- Craft paints
- Paint pens
- Paintbrushes
- Yarn, ribbon, felt
The first thing you want to do is lay something out on your work surface.
Be it a spread of newspaper or a silicone mat, these are great for many craft projects.
Then, paint a thin layer of flesh-colored paint all over your bust and let it dry until it is at least dry to the touch.
Go back and add another layer or two until you are satisfied with the coverage and again let it dry completely before continuing.
You can start wherever you like but one way to get your ” sculpture” looking like something or someone is to start with the eyes here.
I highly suggest using paint pens as you can get more detail and have a little bit more control over it.
Spend some time adding details like freckles, eyelashes, eyebrows, scars, or anything that makes you or the person you are creating unique.
While the paint is drying, you can determine how you want to do the hair.
Elisabet Ney Bust Texas Crafts for Kids
You can use ribbon, string, yarn, felt, or any other art supply you can think of.
Cut plenty of pieces to cover the head, you may find that you need to come back and do some more, you just want to get a bunch started.
Curling ribbon would be great for curly hair, or you could even just paint on the hair to keep it simple.
To add hair, including beards and mustaches you can use any kind of tacky glue. I like to work with hot glue because it dries so quickly.
Be sure not to touch the hot end of the hot glue gun to the foam or it will melt it.
Just squeeze from an inch or so above covering small areas at a time to add in hair.
Once you are done you can give your “bust” a little trim to even it up and give it a little style.
The hair makes it even more top-heavy so you may want to mount it on a piece of wood or cardboard to make it a little sturdier.
