Learning About Our States
By Caroline Wyman
Objective: The students will be able to identify their state by either the name or shape of their state. They will also be able to present three facts about their state. Grades 4-5
Development: Hand out enlarged cardboard cut outs of the states to each student in the class. Have the students decorate their state with pictures that have to do with the three facts that they have to come up with by using the classroom internet or supervised sessions at home with an adult. They can decorate it however they see fit as long as it represents that state well. After they have completed the assignment they will bring their sate into the class and listen to the song one more time and hold up their state when they hear its name. After that have each student present their state to the class and present their artwork along with all of the information that they found. Make room on one of the classroom's wall and put the map of all the states together by each student putting up their state where it goes.
Closure: Ask if anyone would like to attempt to say all 50 states or to sing the song. Ask the class if they found out anything really special about their state that they would like to share.
Materials: State cut outs, internet, encyclopedias
Time: 60 min.
Caroline Wyman has a degree in Sociology and a Masters in Elementary Education and is the administrator for TeacherNet.com.