Homeschool History Helps: The Alamo

When you’re studying the Alamo and the battle that ensued there, make sure to use these helpful resources to design your lesson plans. They’re full of American history activities that your tweens will enjoy and will help them engage with the material.

The Battle of the Alamo is a significant event in our history and something that all kids should study.

The Alamo

The Alamo was built as a Franciscan mission in Texas and later became a symbol of the state’s struggle for independence from Mexico.

In late 1835 Texas volunteer soldiers of the Texas Revolution took control of Alamo. Less than two months later Mexican General Antonio Lopez de Santa Anna and several thousand soldiers began a 13 day siege which would become known as The Battle of the Alamo.

The defenders of the Alamo numbered only 200 and included such famous frontiersman as Davy Crocket, James Bowie, and Williams Travis. The battle lasted for 13 days before most of the defenders were killed and the Alamo fell to Santa Anna.

The Battle of the Alamo was a significant event in Texas’ fight for independence. Today the Alamo, and the deaths of the Alamo defenders, continue to symbolize courage and sacrifice for the cause of Liberty.

The Alamo Learning Resources

Virtual Tour of the Alamo

One of the best sites we found was The Alamo.org. It has detailed, day-by-day accounts of The Battle of the Alamo, virtual tours of the site, fun facts and more.

Alamo History Channel Video

Find short videos and an overview of the events of The Battle of the Alamo from The History Channel.

Battle of The Alamo Primary Sources

View hand written documents from The Alamo including letters from Colonel Williams B. Travis and Santa Anna’s letter to McArdle explaining why the Alamo defenders had to die on March 16, 1874.

Alamo Activities

Build the Alamo with the help of Actual Size – Social Studies: Easily Create Full-Scale Drawings Right on Your Playground.

This book offers detailed scale drawings of The Alamo. Use these blueprints to create a scale model outdoors or a much smaller version with Legos (use your math skills to reduce the actual dimensions to a more manageable size).

Read Living Books About the Alamo

• What Was the Alamo? –Includes 80 black and white illustrations for ages 8-12
• The Battle of the Alamo (Graphic History) – This graphic novel approach is great for kids ages 8-14
• The Story of the Alamo Coloring Book (Dover History Coloring Book) – Detailed coloring pages for ages 8-14
• Flat Stanley’s Worldwide Adventures #10: Showdown at the Alamo – our flat friend Stanley finds himself in the middle of an adventure at the Alamo! For ages 6-10
• Who Was Davy Crockett? – Learn about the “King of the Wild Frontier” from our favorite “Who Was?” biography series, for ages 8-12

American History Resources

• Time Travelers American History Study: The Early 19th Century by Homeschool in the Woods
• A History of US: Liberty for All?: 1820-1860 A History of US Book Five by Joy Hakim
• All American History Vol. 1 Student Reader by Celeste Rakes

As you can see, there are plenty of resources available to make The Battle of the Alamo interesting for tweens.

What’s your favorite way to teach about the Alamo?