Alabama History Homeschool Curriculum

• Students will learn about the symbols that represent Alabama.
• Students will learn about Alabama’s state government including the Alabama Senate, Alabama House of Representatives, and the role of the governor.

Day 1

Read – Amazing Alabama – Autauga – Alabama, A True Book – What Represents Alabama? (p. 22 – 23), Encyclopedia of Alabama – Alabama Quick Facts
Review – Quick Facts, Official State Seal, Coat of Arms, and State Flag

Activity – The Alabama State Flag and Alabama State Seal

Watch – Our Stories Live Here

Day 2

Read – Amazing Alabama – Baldwin and Barbour, Alabama, A True Book – Government (p. 17 – 21)

Activity – Alabama Rules!

Watch – Alabama State Capitals

Day 3

Read – Amazing Alabama – Bibb and Blount, Encyclopedia of Alabama – Alabama Senate (paragraph 1), Alabama House of Representatives (paragraphs 1 – 2)

Activity – Alabama Government

Day 4

Read – Amazing Alabama – Bullock and Butler, Encyclopedia of Alabama – Office of the Governor, *Find and Read About the Current Alabama Governor

Activity – Governor of Alabama

• Students will learn about Alabama’s biggest cities.
• Students will learn about Alabama’s geographical regions and natural resources.

Day 1

Read – Amazing Alabama – Calhoun and Chambers, Alabama, A True Book – Locate Alabama on the map (p. 6), Encyclopedia of Alabama – Birmingham (paragraph 1), Montgomery (paragraph 1), Mobile (paragraph 1), and Huntsville (paragraphs 1 – 2)

Activity – States All Around Code-Buster!

Day 2

Read – Amazing Alabama – Cherokee and Chilton, Alabama, A True Book – Land and Wildlife (p. 9 – 10), Encyclopedia of Alabama – Forest Regions (paragraphs 1 – 2), Tennessee Valley (paragraph 1), and Caves of Alabama (paragraphs 1 – 2)

Activity – Alabama Topography is “Tops”!

Watch – The Story Begins in the Land

Day 3

Read – Amazing Alabama – Choctaw and Clarke, Encyclopedia of Alabama – Mobile – Tensaw Delta (paragraphs 1 – 2), and Alabama’s Coastline (paragraphs 1 – 4)

Activity – Ahoy, Matey

Watch – The Beaches of the Alabama Coast are Calling You

Day 4

Read – Amazing Alabama – Clay and Cleburne, Encyclopedia of Alabama – Water Resources in Alabama (paragraphs 1 – 2, Surface Water Sources, Hydrological Modification, Biological Diversification, and Alabama Water Data (paragraph 2))

Activity – Gone Fishin’

Watch – The Great Alabama 650 – Paddle Race

• Students will learn about the unique plants and animals that live in Alabama.
• Students will learn about Alabama’s weather and climate.

Day 1

Read – Amazing Alabama – Coffee and Colbert, Alabama, A True Book – Plants (p. 13), Encyclopedia of Alabama – Endangered and Threatened Plants (paragraphs 1 – 3), and Wildflowers of Alabama (paragraphs 1 – 2)

Activity – Plague Turns to Profit

Watch – The Importance of Alabama Pollinators

Day 2

Read – Amazing Alabama – Conecuh and Coosa, Alabama, A True Book – Animals (p. 14 – 15), Encyclopedia of Alabama – Birds (paragraph 1), Fishes (paragraph 1), Crayfishes (paragraph 1), and Reptiles (paragraph 1)

Activity – Sing Like an Alabama Bird Word Jumble

Watch – Wheeler NWR – A National Treasure

Day 3

Read – Amazing Alabama – Covington and Crenshaw, Encyclopedia of Alabama – Mammals (paragraph 1, Carnivores, and Rodents),

Activity – Endangered and Threatened

Watch – Little Beach Mouse from the South (Trailer or Full, if time permits)

Day 4

Read – Amazing Alabama – Cullman and Dale, Alabama, A True Book – Climate (p. 12), Encyclopedia of Alabama – Alabama’s Climate (paragraphs 1, 3, 11; Precipitation – paragraphs 1 and 3; Weather Hazards – paragraphs 1 and 3)

Activity – I Love Alabama, Weather or Not!

• Students will learn about the earliest known inhabitants of Alabama.
• Students will learn about the past and present Native Americans in Alabama.
• Students will learn about how European expansion and the Territorial Period changed the social landscape of Alabama.

Day 1

Read – Amazing Alabama – Dallas and DeKalb, Alabama, A True Book – Prehistoric People (p. 25), Encyclopedia of Alabama – Moundville Archaeological Park (paragraph 1, Moundville and Its Inhabitants – paragraphs 1 and 2)

Activity – Mounds Abound in Alabama

Watch – Moundville

Day 2

Read – Amazing Alabama – Elmore and Escambia, Alabama, A True Book – Native Americans (p. 26 – 27), Encyclopedia of Alabama – Creeks in Alabama (paragraphs 1 and 2) and Cherokees in Alabama (paragraph 1)

Activity – Alabama Native Americans

Watch – Homecoming: 50 Years of the Pow-Wow

Day 3

Read – Amazing Alabama – Etowah and Fayette, Alabama, A True Book – European Expansion (p. 28 – 29), Encyclopedia of Alabama – Territorial Period (paragraphs 1, 3, and 10) and Alabama Constitution of 1819 (paragraph 1)

Activity – In the Beginning, Came a Colony

Watch – Fort Toulouse and the Muscogee Peoples

Day 4

Read – Amazing Alabama – Franklin and Geneva, Alabama, A True Book – Trail of Tears (p. 30), The Trail of Tears by Joseph Bruchac
*No activity or video due to the length of book.

• Students will learn about Alabama’s role in the Civil War.
• Students will learn about Booker T. Washington.
• Students will learn about the New South Era and suffrage movement.

Day 1

Read – Amazing Alabama – Greene and Hale, Alabama, A True Book – Alabama in the Civil War (p. 31), Encyclopedia of Alabama – Civil War in Alabama (paragraphs 1, 2, 14, and 16)

Activity – A Time of Battles, Bravery, and Blood

Watch – Civil War History

Day 2

*Historical Spotlight: Booker T. Washington
Read – Amazing Alabama – Henry and Houston, Encyclopedia of Alabama – Booker T. Washington (First 2 sentences), With Books and Bricks: How Booker T. Washington Built a School

Activity – Alabama Schools Rule!

Watch – How Peanuts Came to Alabama

Day 3

Read – Amazing Alabama – Jackson and Jefferson, Encyclopedia of Alabama – New South Era (paragraphs 1 – 3, 7, 12 – 13)

Activity – Naturally Alabama

Watch – Sloss Furnaces

Day 4

Read – Amazing Alabama – Lamar and Lauderdale, Encyclopedia of Alabama – Alabama Equal Suffrage Association (paragraphs 1 – 2, 8 – 10)

Activity – Getting Ready to Vote in Alabama

Watch – Francis Griffin, Suffragist

• Students will learn about Helen Keller.

Day 1

Historical Spotlight: Helen Keller
Read – Amazing Alabama – Lawrence and Lee, The Story of Helen Keller (Chapters 1 – 2; p. 1 – 12)

Activity – This Old House

Day 2

Read – Amazing Alabama – Limestone and Lowndes, The Story of Helen Keller (Chapters 3 – 4; p. 13 – 24)

Activity – Buzzing Around Alabama

Watch – Ivy Green: Helen Keller’s Birthplace

Day 3

Read – Amazing Alabama – Macon and Madison, The Story of Helen Keller (Chapters 5 – 6; p. 25 – 38)

Activity – Please Come to Alabama

Day 4

Read – Amazing Alabama – Marengo and Marion, The Story of Helen Keller (Chapters 7 – 8; p. 39 – 51)

Activity – A Woman of Vision

Watch – Helen Keller Speaks Out

• Students will learn about Alabama’s role in the Civil Rights Movement.
• Students will learn about historical figures such as Martin Luther King, Jr. and Rosa Parks.

Day 1

Read – Amazing Alabama – Marshall and Mobile, Alabama, A True Book – Changing Times (p. 32 – 33), Encyclopedia of Alabama – Segregation (Jim Crow) (paragraph 1 through “part of the regime”), Martin Luther King, Jr. (paragraph 1), Montgomery Bus Boycott (paragraph 1)

Activity – Alabama Politics as Usual

Watch – Selma to Montgomery (*This video references Bloody Sunday.)

Day 2

Historical Spotlight: Rosa Parks
Read – Amazing Alabama – Monroe and Montgomery, Who Was Rosa Parks? (p. 1 – 17)

Activity – Is it Fact or Fiction?

Day 3

Read – Amazing Alabama – Morgan and Perry, Who Was Rosa Parks? (p. 18 – 34)

Activity – History Mystery Tour

Day 4

Read – Amazing Alabama – Pickens and Pike, Who Was Rosa Parks? (p. 35 – 48)

Activity – Historical Alabama Women World Wonders

• Students will learn about Rosa Parks and her role in the Civil Rights Movement.

Day 1

Read – Amazing Alabama – Randolph and Russell, Who Was Rosa Parks? (p. 49 – 70)

Activity – Alabama Gazetteer

Day 2

Read – Amazing Alabama – Shelby and St. Clair, Who Was Rosa Parks? (p. 71 – 103)

Activity – Create Your Own Alabama State Quarter

Day 3

Read – Amazing Alabama – Sumter and Talladega, Who Was Rosa Parks? (p. 104 – 106)

Activity – The Scenic Route

Watch – Rosa Parks Mini Bio

Day 4

Read – Amazing Alabama – Tallapoosa and Tuscaloosa, Encyclopedia of Alabama – Birmingham Pledge

Activity – Civil Rights for All

Watch – Alabama Civil Rights and More (This gives great field trip ideas for visiting Montgomery, but parents should note, it does briefly describe the dark notes of slavery and events of the civil rights movement.)

• Students will learn about Alabama’s culture including food, work, activities, and famous people.

Day 1

Read – Amazing Alabama – Walker, Alabama, A True Book – Culture (p. 41 and 35) and Down-Home Cooking (p. 40), Encyclopedia of Alabama – Alabama Foodways (paragraphs 1 – 2), Barbecue, Alabama Style (paragraph 1)

Activity – A is for the Awesome State of Alabama

Watch – Cheesemaking at Dayspring Dairy

Day 2

Read – Amazing Alabama – Washington, Alabama, A True Book – At Work (p. 38) and On a Roll (p. 39), Encyclopedia of Alabama – Automotive Manufacturing Industry (paragraph 1), Aerospace Industry (paragraphs 1 – 2), and Marshall Space Flight Center (paragraph 1)

Activity – Rocket City, USA!

Watch – Space Camp Gets a New Generation of Explorers Ready for Launch

Day 3

Read – Amazing Alabama – Wilcox, Alabama, A True Book – Celebration, Alabama Style (p. 37), Encyclopedia of Alabama – Mobile’s Mardi Gras (paragraphs 1 – 2), and National Peanut Festival (paragraphs 1 and 4)

Activity – It’s Time to Celebrate

Watch – Meet the Designer Making the Royal Costumes for Mardi Gras

Day 4

Read – Amazing Alabama – Winston, Alabama, A True Book – Alabama at Play (p. 36), Famous People (p. 42), and Did you know that? (p. 45), Encyclopedia of Alabama – Iron Bowl (paragraphs 1 – 2), Talladega Superspeedway (paragraph 1), and Hunting (paragraphs 1 – 2)

Activity – Which Hall of Famer am I?

Watch – Alabama-Auburn Rivalry