*We recommend that each student have their own Florida Notebook and Florida Map. 

The BFB Way

Our literature-based Florida state history study draws your child into the story of the Sunshine State, unlike the traditional textbook-driven approach. They will see Florida's history through the eyes of a young girl navigating life among Florida's First Peoples, a formerly enslaved man who founded the first legally recognized free Black settlement in America, a Greek sponge diver building a new life in Tarpon Springs, a Cuban family crossing the Florida Straits in search of freedom, and many others.

Using living books, map work, hands-on activities, historic recipes, and more, students will journey through the complete arc of Florida's remarkable story, from its first Indigenous inhabitants to the Space Race and beyond. Along the way, students will build vocabulary, geographic literacy, moral imagination, and the kind of historical thinking that helps them make sense of the world and their place in it.

Meet the Author of this Curriculum

Rebecca Manor created Florida History (4-6) from the ground up, writing both the curriculum and its spine, Fantastic Florida: The Story of the Sunshine State, a BFB exclusive you will not find anywhere else.

Rebecca Manor studied at Hillsdale College before earning a Master's in Christian and Classical Studies from Knox Theological Seminary. She later served as an adjunct professor in Knox's Classical and Christian Studies program, grounding her work as a curriculum author in both rigorous academic training and the art of teaching.

To write Fantastic Florida, Rebecca Manor drew on fourteen years of living in the Sunshine State, a lifelong love of story and art, as well as a childhood spent learning through living books. She came to writing this curriculum with her full lived experience as an author and educator who already knew Florida's stories the way a neighbor knows them–from the inside.

Rebecca is the daughter of Rea Berg, the founder of Beautiful Feet Books, and the sister of BFB's current CEO Josh Berg. She grew up in a home where literature-based learning was simply how life worked. Every child in the Berg family was homeschooled, and that upbringing shaped the way Rebecca thinks about education, story, and what it means to truly know a place or a people. Rebecca's approach to writing curriculum is warm, story-driven, and deeply respectful of the children who are learning and the parents doing the teaching.

Rebecca has authored over 14 curricula for Beautiful Feet Books, spanning a wide range of the humanities, including bestsellers in American History, Geography, and Art Appreciation. Several of her most beloved studies were written alongside her mother, including the Early American History and Around the World studies. She brings to every guide she writes what she describes as "a heart for homeschooling parents," as well as a deep understanding of what families need, how children learn, and why beautiful books matter.

Learning Outcomes

By the end of this Florida history homeschool curriculum, students in grades 4-6 will have built a rich, lasting understanding of Florida's past and present, geography, and culture, from its first Indigenous inhabitants to its fascinating role in the Space Race. Through living books, primary sources, hands-on activities, map work, and Socratic discussion, students develop not only historical and geographical knowledge but also the habits of a lifelong learner.

Florida History meets Florida's rigorous B.E.S.T. standards while keeping sight of what matters most: impactful literature, joyful learning, and enduring lessons in character and history.

Skills Developed

• A strong sense of historical context and chronology through narrative and Socratic discussion

• Geography and cartography skills through ongoing work with the Florida Map, part of the set of included Student Materials 

• Narration and oral expression–cornerstones of Charlotte Mason and living books education

• Vocabulary development and written reflection through the Florida Notebook, part of the set of included Student Materials

• Critical thinking and moral reasoning through open-ended discussion prompts

• Research and independent inquiry through Explore sections and Rabbit Trail library extensions

• Hands-on learning through crafts, activities, field trips, and real-world connections to Florida history and geography

The Spine of this Study

Fantastic Florida: The Story of the Sunshine State is a BFB exclusive, written by our own Rebecca Manor, a Florida resident who brought her love of this state to every page. It follows Florida's history from its first inhabitants to today. Throughout the book are stunning vintage lithograph illustrations of Florida scenes by artist C.H. DeWitt. You will not find this book anywhere else!

Children reading this book will learn about Florida's First Peoples, its history under Spain and England, its role in the Civil War, how it became a tourist destination, how the residents of St. Augustine helped spark the battle for civil rights, the rise of the space industry, and much more. This book is the core of our Florida History curriculum and was written to be a beautiful addition to the study. Through engaging writing and gorgeous illustrations, young readers will find themselves immersed in the story of Florida’s people and events.

Topics Covered:

This Florida state history curriculum for grades 4-6 spans five eras of Florida's remarkable story:

• Indigenous Peoples and Pre-Columbian Era (before 1513): The Calusa, Timucua, and other First Peoples · Shell mound civilizations · Three Sisters farming · Pre-colonial village life
• Spanish Exploration and Colonization (1513–1763): Ponce de León · Cabeza de Vaca · Fort Mose and the first legally recognized free Black settlement in America · Spanish missions
• Shifting Flags, the Seminole Wars, and the Civil War (1763–1877): British and Spanish rule · The Seminole people and their resistance · Statehood and the Civil War
• Growth, Development, War, and Depression (1877–1940): Henry Flagler and the Florida railroad · The real estate boom and bust · Pioneer life · Hurricanes · The Great Depression in Key West
• World War II and the Making of Modern Florida (1940–Present): WWII on Florida's shores · The Space Race and Cape Canaveral · The Cuban Revolution and immigration · The Everglades conservation movement · Modern Florida
  

Curriculum Overview

Florida History includes a Teacher Guide with 113 open-and-go lessons that are approximately 30 minutes each, designed to be completed in one year at three lessons per week, or spread over two years for a more relaxed pace. Lessons are structured around five elements: Read & Narrate, Discuss, Record, Explore, and Play, giving each school day a natural rhythm that is both structured and flexible.

Students will dive into living books, narration, discussion, Florida geography map work, and notebook activities. Hands-on activities include building a shell mound, planting a Three Sisters garden, constructing a model pre-colonial Florida village, and more. Guided field trip ideas bring the story of Florida to life beyond the page, from historic sites to the ecosystems at the heart of this study. Rabbit Trail reading lists offer optional library picks for families who want to dig deeper into Florida's history, geography, and culture.

Student Materials

One set of student materials is included: 

• Florida Notebook 

• Florida Map 24"x36"

Who It's For

Florida History is designed for homeschool students in 4th, 5th, and 6th grade and is an ideal fit for:

• Charlotte Mason homeschoolers looking for a living books-based state history curriculum

• Florida families seeking a curriculum that meets B.E.S.T. standards while keeping learning joyful and flexible

• Homeschool families drawn to narrative history, geography, and literature-based learning

• Multi-grade families–easily adapted for family-style learning across grade levels

No prior history curriculum required, this study is open-and-go from day one.

SKU: 199874838601