Lesson Plans
WELCOME to the Senate Kids Webpage, a challenging, interactive adventure into the state Senate of Texas! Here, children of all ages can learn about the history, government processes, and legislative figures of Texas through fun and challenging games, colorful pictures, animated characters, and much more. The user can even take an interactive tour of the State Capitol!
The page is divided into three sections: Senate Junior, Senate Kids, and Parents and Teachers. Senate Junior is a special section devoted to grades three and below or those not yet proficient in reading. Some activities may require assistance from a parent or teacher. The Senate Kids section is intended for those children more advanced in their reading and problem solving skills. The page targets grades four and up but, of course, people of all ages can have fun learning about the great state of Texas! The Parents and Teachers section can answer all your technical questions, give some lesson plan ideas, provides contacts, as well as additional resources.
Following are descriptions of all lessons and activities found in each section.
to the "Parents and Teachers" main menu
SENATE KIDS:
The Capitol Tour - Take a trip to Austin with this interactive tour and explore the extensive grounds and magnificent corridors of the Texas State Capitol. Historical explanations, interesting facts, and beautiful photos allow you to experience the splendor of the Senate Chamber, the new Capitol Extension, and much more.
Texas Trivia - Discover interesting facts from Texas's state flower to the favorite Texan dish in the Texas Official Facts section. Colorful photos, detailed descriptions, and challenging activities will make you an expert at Texas trivia.
- activity - Bluebonnet Betty leads you through this entertaining multiple choice quiz that tests you on the Texas Official Facts section.
Team Senators - Colorful trading cards tell you all about the players on the Senate team. The 31 members are profiled according to their personal and political backgrounds, districts, and careers. You can shuffle through all of them or search for the senator that represents you.
- activity - Ever thought about being a senator? What kind of senator would you be? What issues would be important to you? Find out by playing "Senator Madlibs", the fun fill-in-the-blank game that tests your grammar skills while creating your very own senator biography.
Glossary - All those big legislative terms can get a little confusing. To help you out, refer to the Senate Kids Glossary for definitions of those tough words. The glossary will also help you better understand legislative actions as well as the government process.
- activity - The terms found in the glossary are hidden in the challenging Senate Kids Seek 'n Find game. This is one of Lone Star Bob's favorites!
- activity - Take the Quiz-O-Matic challenge! This multiple choice quiz tests you on the glossary terms and legislative actions. Be careful with your answers. Some of them can be a bit tricky!
to the "Parents and Teachers" main menu
SENATE JUNIOR:
Texas Trivia - This informative section teaches children interesting Texas facts with colorful sketches and brief descriptions.
- activity - Unscramble the "Texas Facts Puzzle" in this fun matching game.
Storytime: "The Legend of Lone Star Bob" - This short story tells you all about how Lone Star Bob, Bluebonnet Betty, and another funny character began their great Texas adventure!
Coloring Book - Show off your artistic talents in the Senate Kids coloring book. You can color cool pictures of the Capitol, the Senate seal, and some of your favorite characters. Crayons are even included!
to the "Parents and Teachers" main menu
Parents and Teachers:
Parents and Teachers serves as a reference and help section for the Senate Kids Webpage. It provides technical support by answering some of the most commonly asked questions. If your question is not answered under the Technical Q&A section, simply refer your question, comment, or problem to one of the helpful contacts listed. This section also provides some ideas for incorporating Senate Kids activities into the classroom as well as how to download each lesson or activity. Finally, links to additional online resources such as the Citizen's Handbook or the Quick Time Virtual Reality (QTVR) Capitol Tour are provided here.
DOWNLOADS
You can get all of the SenateKids documents here in one download. Choose your platform and file format by clicking on one of the folder icons.
