The San Antonio fact book ... a book for every tourist, every homeseeker, every official, every business man, every teacher, every student, every resident of Texas and San Antonio. San Antonio: The Smile Book Co., 1915. https://www.loc.gov/item/15016605/.
Students will observe the cover page and listen to selected facts contained in The San Antonio Fact Book. Then, they will compare it with more modern city or state travel guides. As a group, they will create their own guidebooks for their school, city, or state.
San Antonio is a city that has grown and evolved over time. The San Antonio Fact Book, originally published in 1915, documents facts the author felt were important and unique to the city at the time. While the square footage and numbers of people, businesses, schools, etc., have changed, the city has grown proportionally to maintain a similar relationship to the other cities and towns in the state that it had over 100 years ago. Many of the historical facts remain the same, even if the way they are perceived is not exactly the same.
Source: https://www.britannica.com/place/San-Antonio-Texas
Source: : https://www.britannica.com/place/San-Antonio-Texas
- How do you think the author of The San Antonio Fact Book chose which items to include for others to learn?
- Who is his audience?
- Did he leave out anything important?
- Do you think his viewpoint is completely factual?
- What things does the author of The San Antonio Fact Book thinks are important for someone to know about the city? Do you agree or disagree? Why?
ELA Standard
2.12B. Composition. Compose informational texts, including procedural texts and reports.
Social Studies Standard
2.1B. History. Identify and explain the significance of various community, state, and national landmarks such as monuments and government buildings.
Students adjust their use of spoken, written, and visual language (e.g., conventions, style, vocabulary) to communicate effectively with a variety of audiences and for different purposes.
- Students will take a close look at the cover page of The San Antonio Fact Book (image 1). Guide students to observe the page and discuss. Things to consider include:
- When was this book created?
- What kind of information do you think will be in this book?
- What do you think the author’s purpose is?
- Next, share some of the facts found in the book and discuss why someone might want to know this information.
- Read a children’s picture book version of a city or state fact book (i.e., This Is series by M. Sasek or Larry Gets Lost series by John Skewes).
- Have students compare the modern-day book to The San Antonio Fact Book. Focus on similarities and differences in what is shared and how it is shared.
- Discuss what kind of things students think should be in a fact book and make a list on the board.
- In groups of 3–4, students will create a fact book about their city or state.
- Once completed, books can be displayed in the classroom or school library.
Great San Antonio, the city of destiny and of your destination. San Antonio: Higher Publicity League of Texas, 1919. https://www.loc.gov/item/19003089/.