Hello Kidz Klub!
Happy Wednesday! Welcome to week 4 of our Kidz Klub Connection virtual learning! I hope you are all engaging in the schoolwork your teachers have put together, as well as enjoying all the fun activities your Club staff are posting daily.
For this week’s theme, I’ve brought back a Kidz Klub favorite activity … Which Way U.S.A. !! You will get to discover a new state each day, learning about things such as: state bird, state flower, nickname, agriculture and industry, and other interesting facts.
How did I choose the states that you will be discovering? I wrote the ones I put on my bucket list to visit with Mr. Gregg on individual pieces of paper, put them all in a bowl, and then randomly picked 5 pieces of paper. The winners are … drum roll please … Louisiana, Texas, Oregon, Arizona, and Hawaii.
I hope you enjoyed your journey to Louisiana yesterday. Today we’re headed southwest to Texas. So, let’s go on another adventure to the beautiful state of Texas!
Be Safe. Be healthy. Enjoy!
Take good care.
Miss Charisse
Let's Learn About Texas (TX)
History:
Did you know … Texas became an independent nation called the Republic of Texas in 1836. But fending off hostile tribes and Mexican troops was difficult for a small country, and Texas joined the United States in 1845. In 1861 Texas left the Union and rejoined after the Civil War ended in 1870. Before Europeans arrived in the 1500s, Texas was the home to several Native American tribes. The Caddos lived in east Texas and were excellent farmers growing corn and sunflowers. The Karankawa people lived along the Gulf Coast of Texas. They were good at fishing and made dugout canoes for traveling. In the northwest lived the Comanche who were hunters and excellent horsemen. To the west and southwest were the Apache who were warlike and lived in wikiups or teepees. LEARN MORE: HERE, HERE, & HERE.
Agriculture and Industry:
Did you know …Texas is the second largest U.S. state and the largest southern state. Its landscape includes deserts, cave systems, mountains, canyons, forests, and the Rio Grande, a river that forms the border between Texas and Mexico. The state’s major industries are : Petroleum and natural gas, agriculture, steel, banking, tourism. LEARN MORE: HERE & HERE.
State Bird and State Flower
Did you know … The official State Bird of Texas is the Mockingbird. Texas designated the mockingbird (Mimus polyglottos) as its official state bird in 1927. Northern Mockingbirds have extraordinary vocal abilities; they can sing up to 200 songs, including the songs of other birds, insect and amphibian sounds, even an occasional mechanical noise. LEARN MORE. LISTEN TO THE MOCKINGBIRD SING.
The official State Flower of Texas is the beautiful Bluebonnet. Texas designated the bluebonnet as the official state flower in 1901. Bluebonnet flowers were named for the blue color and sunbonnet-shaped petals (though not all bluebonnets are blue). LEARN MORE: HERE & HERE.
Houston, TX
Did you know …Texas’s State Capitol is Austin, but its largest city is Houston. Houston was founded on August 30, 1836 by brothers Augustus Chapman Allen and John Kirby Allen on land near the banks of Buffalo Bayou. Houston is the fourth most populous city in the nation, with an estimated July 2018 population of 2,325,502 (trailing only New York, Los Angeles and Chicago), and is the largest in the southern U.S. and Texas. LEARN MORE.
Fun Facts
Did you know …Texas is also called the Lone Star State. Texas is nicknamed the Lone Star State to signify its former status as an independent republic, and as a reminder of the state's struggle for independence from Mexico. Some famous Texans include Carol Burnett comedienne, San Antonio, Dwight David Eisenhower U.S. president, general, Denison, A. J. Foyt auto racer, Houston, Ben Hogan golfer, Dublin, , Buddy Holly musician, Lubbock, Lyndon B. Johnson U.S. president, Stonewall, Michael Johnson olympic sports, Dallas, Janis Joplin blues singer, Port Arthur, Tommy Lee Jones actor, San Saba, Willie Nelson singer, Abbot, andSandra Day O’Connor jurist, El Paso. LEARN MORE: HERE, HERE, & HERE.
Check out this musical YouTube VIDEO on Texas!
Did you know that Texas is the home to thousands of horses?
Here are some horse jokes to make you giggle:
Q: What did the horse say when it fell?
A: I've fallen and I can't giddyup!
Q: Why did the pony have to gargle?
A: Because it was a little horse!
Q: What did the teacher say when the horse walked into the class?
A: Why the long face?
Q: What do you call a horse that lives next door?
A: A neigh-bor!
Q: What do race horses eat?
A: Fast Food.
Q: Why did the horse cross the road?
A: Because somebody shouted hay!
Q: What do you call a scary horse in the dark?
A: A nightmare!
Q: Did you hear about the horse with the negative altitude?
A: She always said Neigh
Q: What street do horses live on?
A: Mane St
A cowboy buys a horse from the town pastor. The pastor explains, "to make the horse go, you gotta yell, 'Thank God!' And to make it stop, yell, 'Hallelujah.’” The cowboy rides off. He rides all day and starts to nod off in the saddle when he notices he is about to ride straight over a cliff. Searching his memory, he yells to the horse, "Hallelujah! Hallelujah!" The horse grinds to a stop just at the edge of the cliff. The cowboy wipes the sweat off his forehead. ”Phew!” the cowboy sighs. “Thank God!"
Here is a texas themed read aloud...
Cowboy Tru and the Texas Barbeque
by BG Jenkins
Here is a Texas themed cartoon music video...
by Munchkin Music
Here is a Texas Patriotic sing-a-long...
HERE is a link to Texan Children's Book Authors.
Simple BBQ
Texas is home to many delicious cuisine, but is best known for its Barbecue. Texas barbecue was influenced by the cooking technique barbacoa, a method of slow cooking meat that has been wrapped in leaves in a covered pit. What makes barbecue so yummy? The sauce! Below is a simple recipe for the perfect sauce, and a recipe that’s sure to delight your taste buds!
Simple BBQ Sauce
Mix together: ¾ cup ketchup, 2 tablespoons light-brown sugar, 1, tablespoon white-win vinegar, 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce, 2 teaspoons paprika, ¼ to ½ teaspoon cayenne pepper (optional). That’s it! Your sauce is ready!
Martha Stewart’s Barbecue Pork Sandwiches with Cabbage Slaw
Ingredients:
• Quick BBQ Sauce
• 2 pork tenderloins, 12 to 16 ounces each
• Coarse salt and ground pepper
• 3 tablespoons mayonnaise
• 2 tablespoons white-wine vinegar
• 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
• 2 teaspoons light-brown sugar
• 5 cups finely shredded green cabbage (half a 2-pound cabbage)
• 4 potato rolls, or other soft sandwich rolls
Directions: