Hello and Welcome to Ms. Steffek's Texas History Webpage!

This site includes the following:

• Important Class Information
• Important Dates (for upcoming tests, quizzes, assignments)
• Important Documents (class syllabus, unit study guides, class notes, etc.)
• Helpful Website Links (links to websites based on Texas history)

• Class Preparation
  • Students should come every day prepared for class with their binder, a pen, and a pencil.
• Tutorials - 8:00-8:30 (daily)
  • I am here early in the mornings.  If you need additional help in any form (review of a concept, questions about homework or classwork, etc.), please feel free to stop by my classroom.  If you know in advance that you need help, stop by my room and I will assign you a pass to my class for the morning.
  • If mornings do not work for you, please let me know.  We will find a time that is amenable for all of us.
  • I am also available during advisory class, so long as you get permission from your advisory teacher first.
• Homework
  • Reviewing your notes every day for 5-10 minutes is your homework on a regular basis.  Just think, you see me on average almost three and a half hours each week.  If you study every night for 5-10 minutes, along with the class time that I see you, you have been exposed to the history material over four hours every week.
  • Keep up with your study guide.  Check off concepts as we talk about them.  Answer key questions.  Once test time rolls around, this is the best resource, aside from asking your teacher, of course.
  • Any time you do not finish classwork, it becomes homework.  Remember, if you are on task in class, classwork as homework will remain at a minimum.
• Quizzes
  • Students are subject to pop quizzes and scheduled quizzes on a weekly basis.  As long as you are reviewing your notes and paying attention in class, you will achieve success on the class quizzes.  If you do not understand something the first time, ask Ms. Steffek.  Believe me, we all cannot master a concept on the first try.  That is okay.  I am a resource; that's why I am here.  No question or concern is stupid, so do not be afraid to ask.

• Week of November 17-21
  • November 17-18
    • Unit 4 Vocabulary Quiz - List 1
    • Notes on Early Spanish Explorers (focus on Cortez and the conquest of Mexico and the Aztecs).  Frame of Reference and POV - Spanish vs. the Native Americans.
  • November 19-20 
    • Finish notes on the Spanish conquistadors.
    • Homework (all classes): Have your vocabulary quiz from Unit 4 signed by parents and returned by Friday.  Failure to do so will result in a call home and a detention.  Make sure you are studying your notes daily.
  • November 21
    • Begin discussion of Spanish settlement in Texas and the missions.
• Week of November 24-28
  • November 24-25
    • Continue with the Spanish missions in Texas.  Students will continue to work on their mini-project on the missions.
    • GT students will continue with history fair presentations in class.
  • November 26-28 - Thanksgiving Holidays!  Have fun, stay safe, see you Monday!!!

• Class Syllabus
• History Fair Packet
• Unit 4 Study Guide (Use this to study for your test!)
• Unit 4 Key Questions (Answering these questions will help prepare you for the test; it is required for PREAP classes and strongly recommended for GT.)
• Cornell Notes (This is the template (outline) for notes we take in class.  Please feel free to print it out and make multiple copies to keep in your binder for class.)

• The Handbook of Texas Online - http://www.tshaonline.org/
• Texas and Texans (the textbook) - http://www.glencoe.com/sec/socialstudies/ushistory/tx2003/index.php4
• More soon!!!
• If you come across any, please let me know and I will add them for my students.