Diy 50 states study

[Elizabeth86]

It you were putting together a 50 state study for a 4th and 6th grader, what might you do? I have ideas, I just want to see other ideas.

[Boymama5]

I made a trip across the USA project that they worked on weekly.  I made a worksheet for each state which they filled out the typical info (state bird, capital, number of state reps, governors name, etc), but then they researched places they’d like the visit in that state and planned a trip. They would need to find gas via gas buddy, use the gas mileage  of the car, find food costs, hotel, mark their trip out on the map (both state and country). I did something similar when I was teaching ps and it was the kids favorite project of the year. They also did mapping of each state using Tail Guide to US Geography and Notgrass’s 50 States. 

[Servant4Christ]

8 minutes ago, Boymama5 said:

I made a trip across the USA project that they worked on weekly.  I made a worksheet for each state which they filled out the typical info (state bird, capital, number of state reps, governors name, etc), but then they researched places they’d like the visit in that state and planned a trip. They would need to find gas via gas buddy, use the gas mileage  of the car, find food costs, hotel, mark their trip out on the map (both state and country). I did something similar when I was teaching ps and it was the kids favorite project of the year. They also did mapping of each state using Tail Guide to US Geography and Notgrass’s 50 States. 

That sounds FUN! 

[cintinative]

We did a sort of thing like this years ago. We used the trail guide to US Geo but I also had them fill in worksheets with info on the state motto, etc. The first couple pages I found online--the last two I created.  I created stickers for the state seals, state bird, etc. using full sheet labels. They pasted these in.  There was a free 50 states curriculum download that I used, so I split the study into segments of the U.S.--Midwest, Pacific, etc. (note these are different depending on who you ask it seems). Anyway, we did some states in each region, but I don't think (??) we did them all. Worksheet and schedule attached. 

The "Crayola sheets" are state coloring sheets with the state flower and stuff. My kids were younger so those might not work for you.

 

 

US geography 2015-16.docx notebooking pages used 2015.pdf

[cintinative]

This is the curriculum that I originally got free. I didn't use it as written. It uses literature to guide you through the year including several Holling books (e.g. Minn of the Mississippi).

https://www.amazon.com/50-States-Where-Find-Them/dp/1492831948

[Elizabeth86]

11 minutes ago, cintinative said:

This is the curriculum that I originally got free. I didn't use it as written. It uses literature to guide you through the year including several Holling books (e.g. Minn of the Mississippi).

https://www.amazon.com/50-States-Where-Find-Them/dp/1492831948

Oh this sounds interesting. Is there a list of the literature used?

[cintinative]

1 hour ago, Elizabeth86 said:

Oh this sounds interesting. Is there a list of the literature used?

Copied from the book:  No other resources are required to complete the other state exercises, but the following books are recommended for enrichment. I try to teach most subjects through literature, or at least add a literature component, so I’ve scheduled five books as part of this program: The Drinking Gourd by F. N. Monjo and four books by Holling C. Holling, Seabird, Minn of the Mississippi, Paddle-to-the-Sea, and Tree in the Trail. There is a map for each of the Holling C. Holling books. Mapping exercises for the literature books include marking places from the maps in the books as well as marking the states and capitals of the area. Seabird does not have as many mapping exercises as the other Holling books, and some of the mapping exercises included require a world atlas or an internet search.

 

I don't see any reading schedule though?

[Ting Tang]

You've probably come across this, but my two older students completed the Memoria Press version of this.  It's pretty simple, and I wonder if it would be easier to just buy that then put together something on your own---unless you are looking for something more in-depth.

[AnneGG]

I haven’t worked out all the details yet for ours. I bought Notgrass as a spine/simplicity. I am planning to have us make “travel scrapbooks” and use a big RV sticker map to track the states we study. I still need to figure out where I am going to put it. Ha. I found my childhood state quarter collection and I think that will be cool to pull out. Other than that I have a freebie from Crafty Classroom for US landmarks, Ticket to Ride Jr, Scrambled States, Game of the States, Melissa and Doug License Plate Game, and Guess in Ten. State Birds and State Flower books. We will see how this all plays out. 

Oh! I want to do a little Flat Stanley thing with our friends and fam that live in different states. 

Edited May 16, 2022 by AnneGG

[Green Bean]

Confessions of a Homeschooler has a study.

https://store.confessionsofahomeschooler.com/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=70_73_75&products_id=189

[mathmarm]

For a US States Study, I want my students to have a greater understanding of their country. We don't focus on trivia, though we do include it.

I would make sure that my kids have a solid idea of the regions and can label a blank map with total accuracy and confidence. I would want them to actively know Alaska and Hawaii in the correct geographical context--not as insets in the lower portion of the Contiguous 48 with some vague idea that there's either 52 (Canada and Mexico) or 50. There are various videos on YouTube that teach you to memorize the US States by geography so that you can fill in a blank map.

I'd want them to know 25+ major US cities (not capitals) and what states they're in. (If someone says Las Vegas they should know it's in Nevada)
They should know the major mountain ranges and rivers in the US and be able to draw them into a map.
Additionally, the states + capitals + abbreviations.
I'd want them to know which states certain prominent people hail from as well as the most popular sports teams and colleges for that state.

We'd do the US State Quarter Album and look up the significance of each of the engravings chosen.

At G4 and above, I want them to read up on and begin to understand the natural resources as well as the main industries in each region and state so that they have useful knowledge about their country in their minds. Reading about state birds and flowers are nice, but we don't focus on that type of information at all.

They'd memorize the states in order of their admission to the Union and I'd let them watch an animation of the countries growth every day or every other to get that in their minds. (This is useful for studying history later)

 

 

I'd also have them learn to draw certain historic tracks on the US map and label them with their distance. For example, the Oregon Trail, The Cumberland Gap, The Trail of Tears, etc.

 

For cultural knowledge and "appreciation of current affairs" I'd want them to geographically understand terms like Rust Belt, Bread Basket, Bible Belt, Salt Belt, etc.

I'd want them to know How the States Got their Shapes

[Red Dove]

On 5/17/2022 at 5:40 PM, mathmarm said:

For a US States Study, I want my students to have a greater understanding of their country. We don't focus on trivia, though we do include it.

I agree with Mathmarm.  I think memorizing state flowers, state mottos (without knowing the reason the motto became the motto), and state animals and such is not really giving the student any real idea of the history of the U.S.  

When I was teaching U.S. geography and history, I read the book “The Kentuckians” by Janice Holt Giles.  It jump started my knowledge of the expansion of the U.S. and motivated me to learn more.  

 

[Slache]

I am using Our 50 States from Notgrass, Trailguid To US Geography, and Complete National Parks of The United States. The kids will be making travel brochures for each region.

[AnneGG]

If you are interested in picture books to go with each state, I found a blog: TheSurlyHousewife.

I’m working on a list of movies next. Maybe I’ll luck out and find a pre made list. 😆

[Green Bean]

For memorizing the States & Capitals plus postal codes and map, I used MP States & Capitals along with Frank Shaffer States flashcards.

[Foofaraw]

On 5/30/2022 at 4:08 PM, AnneGG said:

If you are interested in picture books to go with each state, I found a blog: TheSurlyHousewife.

I’m working on a list of movies next. Maybe I’ll luck out and find a pre made list. 😆

I’ve gotten picture book suggestions from there, but I might splurge on Cantering the Country as an outline for can’t-miss-people to get library picture books on. For example, from the Alabama page surlyhousewife doesn’t include Robert Goddard.

[pmeilaen]

Wee Folk Art has a wonderful state study and it is free.  It has hands-on projects, picture and chapter books, map skills, etc.  You can always add to it or not do all suggestions.  It is very flexible.