June Ponte - Fun and Simple Southern State Crafts: Kentucky, Tennessee, Alabama, Mississippi, Louisiana, and Arkansas

DO YOU KNOW YOUR STATES?

Learn interesting and exciting facts about Southern states while creating fun crafts! Find out about each state's capital, motto, flower, animal, and more! Make a Rosa Parks quote plaque, folk art dolls, or one of the other crafts in this book.

"What do Rosa Parks, Louisville Sluggers, alligators, stovepipe hats, and folk dolls have in common? They are all crafts connected to Southern states. Read about the states and try the crafts!"

About the Author

Author June Ponte, illustrator and fine artist, is also a freelance writer. She has written for various magazines and newspapers. This is her first series as an author with Enslow Publishers, Inc.

Kentucky, Tennessee, Alabama, Mississippi, Louisiana, and Arkansas are the six states in the Southern region. The area is referred to as the South because these states are located in the southern area of the United States.

The geography of the Southern states is varied. The coastline of Alabama has many swamps and bayous. A bayou is a slow moving or swampy stream that flows from a larger river or lake. The southern area of Alabama has a coastal plain with rich black soil. The southern end of the Appalachian Mountains are in the northern part of the state.

In the northwestern area of Arkansas, the Ozark Plateau features steep ridges and low hills. Forests can be found in the lowlands of the southeastern part of Arkansas. In the hilly northwestern part of Kentucky, there are many large coal deposits.

The Bluegrass region, named for the tall, bright green grass in the area, is near the center of Kentucky. Black Mountain, the highest point in the state, can be found in the eastern part of Kentucky.

The great Mississippi River creates Louisianas Delta area and flood plain. Swamps and bayous can be found along the coastline. In the northwest, hills can be found near the Red River. These are the highest points in the state. The Piney Woods are in southern Mississippi, along with coastal plains and meadow lands. Cypress trees grow in the Mississippi Delta region on the western side of the state.

Tennessees geography is quite varied. The Great Smokey Range and the Great Appalachian Valley are in the eastern part of the state. The central part of the state features plateaus and wide basins. A plateau is a large area of high, flat land separated from the surrounding land by its steep edges. A basin is land which gradually descends to a river or a stream. Tennessees western border is created by the Mississippi River.

Origin of name	Kentucky comes from the Iroquois Indian word ken-tah-ten, which means land of tomorrow.
Flag	The Kentucky state flag is navy blue. In the center of the flag is a seal, surrounded by the words Commonwealth of Kentucky. In the center of the seal, a statesman and pioneer are shaking hands. They represent Kentuckys motto, United We Stand, Divided We Fall. Goldenrod, the state flower, is shown around the bottom of the seal. Image Credit: 2001 Robesus, Inc.
Capital	Frankfort
Nickname	The Bluegrass State
Motto	United We Stand, Divided We Fall
Size (in area)	37th largest
Animal	grey squirrel
Bird	Kentucky cardinal Image Credit: Jupiterimages
Fish	Kentucky bass
Flower	goldenrod Image Credit: Jupiterimages
Tree	Kentucky coffeetree
Industry	car and truck manufacturing, chemical manufacturing, agriculture, coal mining, raising of horses

The Louisville Slugger Museum in Louisville, Kentucky, is a unique building. It has a giant 120-foot-tall baseball bat leaning on the side of the building! The company that owns the Louisville Slugger Museum makes the official bats for major league baseball players. It has been making wooden baseball bats since 1884.

1. Use a piece of self-hardening clay to form the shape of a bat around a stick pen. The point of the pen should be the handle of the bat, and left uncovered. Let dry.

2. Paint the clay tan. Let dry. Use a marker to write your name, or your favorite teams name on the bat.

3. Mix 1/8 cup of glue with 1/8 cup of water. Coat the bat with the glue wash. Let dry to a shiny finish.

The Speed Art Museum in Louisville is the oldest and biggest art museum in Kentucky. The museums collection includes everything from ancient Egyptian art to the art of today. Ushabtis, figures of little Egyptian mummy gods, are part of the museums collection. Ushabtis were found in ancient Egyptian tombs. These figures were thought to help the dead during the afterlife.

1. Cut a piece of clay 4 inches x 1-1/2 inches. Flatten it to about 1/4 inch thick. With a toothpick, draw a mummy figure on the clay. (See for the pattern.)

2. Use a toothpick to draw around the pattern into the clay. Remove the pattern, and use a plastic knife to cut out the mummy. Round off the sides with your fingers. Add two little pieces of clay to make the mummys feet. Add eyes, a nose and a mouth on the face if you wish. Let dry.