Tuesday, September 13, 2011

State Study Plans & Resources

I'm hoping we'll be able to do one state most weeks. Right now I'm planning to do them on Fridays.


These are the books we'll be using with all of the states.

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Greeting from the 50 States: How They Got Their Names
Our 50 States: A Family Adventure Across America
Wish You Were Here: Emily's Guide to the 50 States
The Train of States
Go, Go America
Kids Learn America
Our Fifty States  (National Geographic)
The Little Man in the Map


I have this workbook. I bought it for the CD, which has some patriotic songs, facts, and songs to help learn the states and capitals. The book has some crossword puzzles, word searches, and matching.
I have this book of outline maps. I'm just taking these out of the book to use on our bulletin board.

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The bottom of our bulletin board to let the kids know what we're learning about each week.



Here are some other things I have. I have several of the "Which Way USA?" books and maps from Highlights. I also have some workbooks, a package of blank maps, and the Scrambled States of America books. The other thing is a game. I'm not sure where or when I got it. It's called A Capital Game: To State it Simply It's a Capital Game. It's just some cards you cut apart that have cartoons and puns to help remember the states and capitals.

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Puzzles


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Games

The cards with the state and capital names in the picture above on the left came from the Dollar Tree. I use them on the bulletin board. As we get through more states, I plan to use them as a game to have the kids match the captials to the states.

We're collecting quarters for each state. I'm planning to get the kids some kind of map or folder to keep them all in. I also got them passports with state flag stickers.


The kids are each making a binder to hold their state information. We may use this for the cover, but I haven't looked around much yet and I'll have to see what the kids think. Links for all of these will be at the bottom. The first page is a map of the United States. I'm having them color each state as we study it so they can see their progress. We're going to study the states by regions so I have a map of each region at the beginning of that section. They also color the state on that map as we do it. Each section includes a map of the state and a coloring sheet that includes the state bird, flower, flag, etc. They may also put in pictures, drawings, postcards, or whatever else they have. They'll also have the sheet below to fill out for each state.

My husband put together things from this one and this one to get what I wanted onto one sheet.

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Online Resources:

U.S. map
Regions maps
State maps
State coloring pages from Crayola
Book list for each state
List of books for each state
Discover America series guide
Recipes for each state

Games:
Geography Game
Place the State
State Quiz
Games for each state

5 comments:

Unknown said...

What GREAT resources! You and the kids will have a blast studying the states! (Check out www.sheppardsoftware.com for geography quiz games!)

Phyllis said...

Wow! You really are prepared! I do hope you will consider linking up your weekly studies with my history & geography meme. It is each Thursday, but you can sign up any time.

MissMOE said...

Looks like a lot of great resources. The Which Way USA books were great hits at our house.

Amy A @ Child Central Station said...

We love the Which Way USA series here... and have moved on to the TOP SECRET series which covers other parts of the world. I also love some of the resources from Educational Insights and Learning Resources. I know we have quite a few music cds and board games from them for the states! You can also get free materials sent to you from the tourism department in each state (not that you need more!) My son loved the free maps and magazines!

Rhen @Yes, they are all mine said...

Great resource post!! We love geography. :)