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The Case of the Missing Lone Star: Exploring the Story of Texas

Grade 2, Social Studies

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Description of Unit

In this task, second graders will solve the mystery of the thief who stole the Lone Star from the Texas flag. The teacher will read “Texas Time Rangers: The Case of the Missing Lone Star” (an original short story) to the students and give instructions on how to solve the logic puzzles within. Each of the three sections of the plot (Beginning, Middle, and End) contains a new clue that the students will have to decipher to move on to the next section in the story. Each clue is a puzzle that incorporates different types of logical reasoning skills. After solving the mystery in the short story, students will research a specific type of logical reasoning skill and how it applies to real-world careers. They will create a puzzle that demonstrates their understanding of logical reasoning and how it relates to a career.

This guide links the unit, The Case of the Missing Lone Star: Exploring the Story of Texas, to the Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills (TEKS) for second graders. The Case of the Missing Lone Star: Exploring the Story of Texas is a social studies and English language arts unit that allows students to use the premise of a mystery to explore Texas symbols, regions, and cultures. Students will analyze story elements and crack logic puzzles to solve the mystery. The following document includes the applicable TEKS and the details of the unit, The Case of the Missing Lone Star: Exploring the Story of Texas. The final section of this document presents the applicable Texas College and Career Readiness Standards (CCRS) and English Language Proficiency Standards (ELPS).

Phase I. Learning Experiences

  1. Introduce students to the concept of a mystery by discussing the original short story, “Texas Time Rangers: The Case of the Missing Lone Star” (Attachment 1). In this story, a time bandit has stolen the Lone Star from the Texas flag at the Texas State Capitol Building. It’s our job, as a class of Texas Time Rangers, to solve clues and track the thief through time.
  2. Divide students into small groups and give them guidance in solving the first clue/puzzle in the short story (in the Beginning section, pgs. 2–3 of “Texas Time Rangers: The Case of the Missing Lone Star”). This clue uses symbolism to imply meaning. Because the puzzle is not easily solved, plan for more than one day of guidance and instruction. As an extension, allow students to take time to research the Texas State Capitol Building.
  3. Before sharing the answer to the puzzle, provide students with real-world examples of how logical reasoning and implied symbolism are used in different careers. Students will brainstorm additional careers/jobs that use this type of symbolism and non-verbal reasoning.
  4. After helping the students decipher the first clue, continue to read the story until you encounter the next logic puzzle (in the Middle section, pgs. 5–6 of “Texas Time Rangers: The Case of the Missing Lone Star”). Divide students into small groups and give them guidance in solving the second clue/puzzle. This clue uses verbal reasoning.
  5. Before sharing the answer to the puzzle, provide students with examples of how verbal reasoning is used in different careers. Students will brainstorm additional careers/jobs that use verbal reasoning.
  6. After helping the students solve the second puzzle, continue to read the mystery until you arrive on the third logic puzzle (in the End section, pg. 8 of “Texas Time Rangers: The Case of the Missing Lone Star”). Divide students into small groups and give them guidance in solving the third clue/puzzle. This puzzle uses Boolean logic.
  7. Before revealing the final answer, provide students with real-world examples of how Boolean logic is used in different careers. Students will brainstorm additional careers/jobs that use Boolean logic and quantitative reasoning.
  8. When the students have worked together to solve the mystery in “Texas Time Rangers: The Case of the Missing Lone Star,” have them each complete a summary of the story, noting how the story is divided into Beginning, Middle, and End sections.

Phase II. Independent Research

A. Research process

  1. Selecting a topic. In small groups, students will use the first half of the “Career Brainstorming” graphic organizer to list as many careers as possible. Students will use the opportunity to search for careers online and ask family members for additional ideas.
  2. Asking guiding questions. Individually, each student will use the second half of his or her “Career Brainstorming” graphic organizer to answer the following questions.
    • Which of these careers would use symbols to convey meaning?
    • How do these careers use symbols?
    • Which of these careers would use verbal reasoning?
    • How do you know if a career is using verbal reasoning?
    • Which of these careers would use Boolean logic?
    • How do these careers use Boolean logic?
    • Are there any careers that use more than one type of thinking?
    • Which of these careers are you personally interested in?
    • Which type of logical thinking did you personally enjoy?
    • Does your career of interest align with the type of thinking you enjoy?
  3. Creating a research proposal. Each student will develop a proposal for creating his or her own logic puzzle. The logic puzzle will use one of the types of thinking found in the story (symbolism/non-verbal reasoning, verbal reasoning, or Boolean logic/quantitative reasoning).
  4. Conducting research. The student will work with the teacher or librarian to select a fun location in Texas that Jean and Pierre Lafitte could go to in the next Texas Time Rangers story. This does not have to be a contemporary location (e.g., when Guadalupe peak was completely underwater millions of years ago). The student will research information about the location and time he or she has selected, and he or she will create a logic puzzle to help the Texas Time Rangers find the pirates in the next chapter of the story. Finally, the student will use the information he or she has researched and the logic puzzle that he or she created and write the next chapter of the Texas Time Rangers story (using the second person point of view).
  5. Sharing findings. Each student will present his or her logic puzzle to the class by reading the newly written chapter of the story and letting the other students attempt to solve the logic puzzle. The student projects could be compiled into a class book.

    B. The product

    Students will form small groups and brainstorm careers that use logical reasoning. Each student will choose a career, research the career, and complete the “Career Brainstorming” graphic organizer. Each student will then develop a research proposal for creating a logic puzzle. The logic puzzle will use one of the types of thinking found in the story (non-verbal, verbal, or quantitative reasoning). The student will research Texas locations and history, create a logic puzzle with the information, and write a new Texas Time Rangers chapter that utilizes that logic puzzle and relates it to a career. He or she may wish to illustrate or find images for the story—especially images about the Texas location and time her or she has chosen.

    C. Communication

    The student will present the story chapter and puzzle to the class using appropriate vocabulary and inflection. He or she should know that the logic puzzle may be too difficult to solve in a short period of time. The teacher may choose to share all the puzzles on one day and then share the answers on another day.

    D. A completed project consists of

    1. a “Career Brainstorming” graphic organizer,
    2. a research proposal,
    3. an original logic puzzle that aligns to one of the types of thinking from the story,
    4. an explanation of the puzzle and how it is solved, and
    5. a narrative writing that incorporates the puzzle into a new Texas Time Rangers chapter.

This unit may address the following TEKS.

111.4, Mathematics, Grade 2

111.4(b)(1)
Mathematical process standards. The student uses mathematical processes to acquire and demonstrate mathematical understanding.

113.13, Social Studies, Grade 2

113.13(b)(3)
History. The student understands how various sources provide information about the past and present.
113.13(b)(4)
History. The student understands how historical figures, patriots, and good citizens helped shape the community, state, and nation.
113.13(b)(6)
Geography. The student understands the locations and characteristics of places and regions in the community, state, and nation.
113.13(b)(6)(B)
locate places of significance, including the local community, Texas, the state capital, the U.S. capital, major cities in Texas, the coast of Texas, Canada, Mexico, and the United States on maps and globes;
113.13(b)(15)
Culture. The student understands the significance of works of art in the local community.
113.13(b)(15)(A)
identify selected stories, poems, statues, paintings, and other examples of the local cultural heritage;
113.13(b)(18)
Social studies skills. The student applies critical-thinking skills to organize and use information acquired from a variety of valid sources, including electronic technology.
113.13(b)(19)
Social studies skills. The student communicates in written, oral, and visual forms.
113.13(b)(20)
Social studies skills. The student uses problem-solving and decision-making skills, working independently and with others, in a variety of settings.

128.4., Spanish Language Arts and Reading, Grade 2, Adopted 2017

128.4(b)(2)
Developing and sustaining foundational language skills: listening, speaking, reading, writing, and thinking--beginning reading and writing. The student develops word structure knowledge through phonological awareness, print concepts, phonics, and morphology to communicate, decode, and spell.
128.4(b)(5)
Developing and sustaining foundational language skills: listening, speaking, reading, writing, and thinking--self-sustained reading. The student reads grade appropriate texts independently. The student is expected to self-select text and read independently for a sustained period of time.
128.4(b)(8)
Multiple genres: listening, speaking, reading, writing, and thinking using multiple texts--literary elements. The student recognizes and analyzes literary elements within and across increasingly complex traditional, contemporary, classical, and diverse literary texts.
128.4(b)(11)(D)
edit drafts using standard Spanish conventions, including:
128.4(b)(11)(D)(viii)
coordinating conjunctions to form compound subjects and predicates;
128.4(b)(11)(D)(ix)
capitalization of proper nouns and the salutation and closing of a letter;
128.4(b)(11)(D)(x)
punctuation marks at the end of declarative sentences and the beginning and end of exclamatory and interrogative sentences
128.4(b)(11)(D)(xi)
correct spelling of words with grade-appropriate orthographic patterns and rules
128.4(b)(11)(D)(vii)
pronouns, including personal, possessive, and objective, and the difference in the use of formal pronoun usted and informal pronoun tú;
128.4(b)(11)(D)(v)
adverbs that convey time and adverbs that convey place;
128.4(b)(11)(D)(i)
complete sentences with subject-verb agreement;
128.4(b)(11)(D)(ii)
past, present, and future verb tense, including the difference between ser and estar;
128.4(b)(11)(D)(iii)
singular, plural, common, and proper nouns, including gender-specific articles;
128.4(b)(11)(D)(iv)
adjectives, including articles;
128.4(b)(11)(D)(vi)
prepositions and prepositional phrases;
128.4(b)(12)(A)
compose literary texts, including personal narratives and poetry;
128.4(b)(1)(B)
follow, restate, and give oral instructions that involve a short, related sequence of actions;
128.4(b)(1)(A)
listen actively, ask relevant questions to clarify information, and answer questions using multi-word responses;
128.4(b)(1)(C)
share information and ideas that focus on the topic under discussion, speaking clearly at an appropriate pace and using the conventions of language;
128.4(b)(6)
Comprehension skills: listening, speaking, reading, writing, and thinking using multiple texts. The student uses metacognitive skills to both develop and deepen comprehension of increasingly complex texts.
128.4(b)(4)
Developing and sustaining foundational language skills: listening, speaking, reading, writing, and thinking--fluency. The student reads grade-level text with fluency and comprehension. The student is expected to use appropriate fluency (rate, accuracy, and prosody) when reading grade-level text.
128.4(b)(3)
Developing and sustaining foundational language skills: listening, speaking, reading, writing, and thinking--vocabulary. The student uses newly acquired vocabulary expressively.

110.4., English Language Arts and Reading, Grade 2, Adopted 2017

110.4(b)(2)
Developing and sustaining foundational language skills: listening, speaking, reading, writing, and thinking--beginning reading and writing. The student develops word structure knowledge through phonological awareness, print concepts, phonics, and morphology to communicate, decode, and spell.
110.4(b)(5)
Developing and sustaining foundational language skills: listening, speaking, reading, writing, and thinking--self-sustained reading. The student reads grade-appropriate texts independently. The student is expected to self-select text and read independently for a sustained period of time.
110.4(b)(8)
Multiple genres: listening, speaking, reading, writing, and thinking using multiple texts--literary elements. The student recognizes and analyzes literary elements within and across increasingly complex traditional, contemporary, classical, and diverse literary texts.
110.4(b)(11)
Composition: listening, speaking, reading, writing, and thinking using multiple texts--writing process. The student uses the writing process recursively to compose multiple texts that are legible and uses appropriate conventions.
110.4(b)(12)
Composition: listening, speaking, reading, writing, and thinking using multiple texts--genres. The student uses genre characteristics and craft to compose multiple texts that are meaningful.
110.4(b)(1)
Developing and sustaining foundational language skills: listening, speaking, discussion, and thinking--oral language. The student develops oral language through listening, speaking, and discussion.
110.4(b)(4)
Developing and sustaining foundational language skills: listening, speaking, reading, writing, and thinking--fluency. The student reads grade-level text with fluency and comprehension. The student is expected to use appropriate fluency (rate, accuracy, and prosody) when reading grade-level text.
110.4(b)(3)
Developing and sustaining foundational language skills: listening, speaking, reading, writing, and thinking--vocabulary. The student uses newly acquired vocabulary expressively.

This unit may address the following Texas College and Career Readiness Standards.

English Language Arts:

ELA.I.A.2
Generate ideas, gather information, and manage evidence relevant to the topic and purpose.
ELA.II.D.1
Make text-to-self, text-to-text, and text-to-world connections.
ELA.II.B.1
Identify new words and concepts acquired through study of their relationships to other words and concepts.
ELA.II.A.3
Identify explicit and implicit textual information including main ideas and author’s purpose.
ELA.II.A.2
Use text features to form an overview of content and to locate information.
ELA.II.A.4
Make evidence-based inferences about a text’s meaning, intent, and values.
ELA.III.A.5
Plan and deliver focused, coherent presentations that convey clear and distinct perspectives and demonstrate sound reasoning.
ELA.III.A.4
Adjust delivery, vocabulary, and length of message for particular audiences, purposes, and contexts.
ELA.III.A.1
Participate actively, effectively, and respectfully in one-on-one oral communication as well as in group discussions.
ELA.IV.A
Apply listening skills in a variety of settings and contexts.
ELA.IV.A.2
Listen critically and respond appropriately.
ELA.V.B.3
Assess the relevance and credibility of sources.
ELA.V.B.1
Explore and collect a range of potential sources.
ELA.V.A.1
Articulate and investigate research questions.
ELA.V.A.2
Explore and refine a research topic.
ELA.V.A.3
Devise a plan for completing work on time.
ELA.V.C
Design and produce an effective product.
ELA.V.C.1
Integrate and organize material effectively.
ELA.V.C.2
Use and attribute source material ethically.
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