Today, I want to share some free copywork Cattle a Texas poem about our home. Talking with Tiny about our pending move to South America, I decided to find a poem about Texas so he understands that we are not going to forget it.
Excited as we are about the move, you can imagine the whole host of emotions the kids go through. Excited one day and then a bit of trepidation the next. So I turned that into a mini lesson and copywork about our home.
Free Copywork Cattle A Texas Poem
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The Texas poem was written in 1932 by Berta Hart Nance called “Cattle”. Here is the whole thing that has such beautiful imagery and language.
CATTLE
By Berta Hart Nance
Other states were carved or born
Texas grew from hide and horn.
Other states are long and wide,
Texas is a shaggy hide.
Dripping blood and crumpled hair
Some fat giant flung it there,
Laid the head where valleys drain
Stretched its rump along the plain.
Other soil is full of stone
Texans plow up cattle bones.
Herds are buried on the trail
Underneath the powdered shale,
Herds that stiffened like the snow
Where the icy northers go.
Other states have built their halls
Humming tunes along the walls,
Texans watched the mortar stirred
While they kept the lowing herd.
Stamped on Texan wall and roof
Gleams the sharp and crescent hoof,
High above the hum and stir
Jingle bridle-rein and spur.
Other states were made or born
…Texas grew from hide and horn.
To go along with this poem, I thought I would teach Tiny how to make a simple Texas chili and you know spend a bit more time together.
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Too, we have had some cold weather that is almost unheard of in May so that called for home made Texas chili. Well, I should say part home made. Any good Texan would make their beans from scratch, but canned beans are fine after we had a long day selling furniture in our house.
Easy Texas Homemade Chili
Here are some things we put in our chili:
- 1 to 1 1/2 pounds of sirloin meat. We are meat eaters. Love the stuff. This is a twist on our chili because we don’t use ground beef when we make it.
- 1 onion, 1 jalapeno if I have it, some bacon for flavoring which makes any chili come alive.
- About 1 tablespoon of cumino, 2 or 3 chopped garlic cloves, 1 teaspoon of chili powder, salt and pepper to taste.
- 4 or 5 cans of pinto beans, though we use home made when we have them.
- 1 can or 2 cans of Rotel Tomatoes, a bit of beef broth or beef bouillon.
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Tiny and I share a love of cheese and a multiple assortment of delicious toppings over our chili when its cooked.
I like to add sour cream, tortilla strips, avocado and the best recipe for home made salsa by Pioneer Woman. I make that stuff by the bucket loads around here.
Trying to keep our school work light, this mix of homeschool lessons has been something I have not done before.
I am finding it very gratifying to plan so spur of the moment and school on the wild and free side. Sometimes you just a need a break from all the well laid out plans and sharing a bowl of hot Texas chili helps things too.
Download the free copywork here.
You’ll love these other resources too:
- Texas Native American History Quick Unit Study (Middle School)
- How to Build the Alamo: Day 5 Hands-on Learning (Free Texas Unit Study)
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- Pioneer Living and Cloth Dyeing (Hands-on History)
- 35 Simple But Powerful American History Homeschool Resources K to 12
- French Revolution Unit Study + Free Copywork
- Cursive + Copywork + Free Greece Poetry Printable
Hugs and love ya,
