Roadtrip Us A

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Getting Started:
Road Trip USA is a U.S. History and Geography Curriculum that covers the 50 states in
the United States of America, including a bit on the territories as well. It is designed pri-
marily for elementary level K-4th grade students.
 Lessons are set so you can choose to do 1 state per week (2 years to complete) or
2 states per week (1 year to complete)
** See page 4 for a list of resources needed **
Here are some of the topics included in this curriculum:

 Geographical Locations
 State Symbols
 Mapping & Atlas Skills
 Famous Landmarks
 Historical Figures
 Historical Events
 Food and Recipes
 Craft Activities
 US Presidents
 The Constitution
 Revolutionary War
 Underground Railroad
 Civil War
 Pioneers
 Westward Expansion
 Native Americans
 State Reports
 State Jeopardy
 State & Capital Flashcards
 State Puzzle
Additional Reading:
I suggest visiting your local library or doing an internet search for each state. Your
students can use these books anytime they’d like to or during their free reading
time. See Appendix for Additional Reading Resources for each state.
Copyright 2011 by Erica Made Designs LLC All rights reserved.

No part of this publication may be copied or reproduced by any means,
including but not limited to photocopy or electronic means.
Core Resources Used:
 Road Trip USA: Animals of the United States Supplement
 United States Atlas for Young Explorers (Third Edition) by National Geographic (Any US Atlas will do)
 Trend USA Wall Poster - (purchase 2): Cut up one into pieces by state, and keep the other one
whole. Put small Velcro dots on each state on the whole poster and then one on the backs of
each cut state. You will be adding each state to the wall map as they are learned. (You do not
have to use the Trend USA Poster, any USA map with clear cut states can be used for this activity.)
 States Memorization Song: Mrs. Jones Room: States Song to the tune of Turkey in the Straw, here is
a sample of it you can hear: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BnHSgrqYUaI
 Presidents Memorization Song: Mrs. Jones Room Presidents Song (Ten Little Indian Tune)
 2 file folders per student for a lapbook if you choose to make one. See this video tutorial time
stamp 7:14 to create the double lapbook.
 1 - 2” binder per student to store the student worksheets.
Reading by Region:
Optional: These books cover the history section of Road Trip USA.
You can skip them if you just want a geography unit without the history study.
Several of these books can be found in your local library, check there before purchasing!
The Northeast:
 If You Lived in Colonial Times by Ann McGovern
 If You Lived at the Time of the American Revolution by Kay Moore
 If You Were There When They Signed the Constitution by Elizabeth Levy
The South East:
 Alabama: Order a free Braille card from http://www.braillebug.org/Braille.asp (Takes 3-4
weeks delivery)
 If You Traveled on the Underground Railroad by Ellen Levine
 If You Lived at the Time of the Civil War by Kay Moore
The Southwest:
 If You Lived With The Hopi by Anne Kamma
The West:
 If You Traveled West in a Covered Wagon by Ellen Levine
Additional Reading:
Additional Reading for each state supplied in the Appendix (pg 273) of this curriculum.
Additional OPTIONAL Geography Resources: (Not referred to in this curriculum, but lots of fun!)
 50 States by Erin McHugh (Great for younger kids)
 Birds, Nests and Eggs by Mel Boring
 Education Cubes USA Insert Cards by Mama Jenn
 Highlights Book Club: Which Way USA
 Lewis & Clark Expedition by Carol A. Johmann (Recommended for older students)
 Paper Toys - fun resource for all kinds of paper models
 Paper Dolls - around the world
 Spin USA by Educational Insights
 The Journey of the One and Only Declaration of Independence by Judith St. George
 USA Geography Power Point by 1+1+1=1
 United States Resource Box Grade 1-3 Lakeshore Learning
 Wee Sing America Audio CD of popular American songs
 What State is This Dot-To-Dots - Making Learning Fun
Table of Contents
 Maps and General Information
 Regions of the U.S.A………………………………………....……..7
 State Fun Facts……………………………………………...………9
 Time Zones…………………………………………………....…….10
 Major Rivers and Mountain Ranges………………….……......11
 13 Colonies………….…….………………………………...…......12
 Presidents by State……………………………………….……….13
 Birds by State……….………...….……………………….…...…...14
 States by Alphabetical Order…………………………….…….15
 Introduction to the USA …..…………………….…...…….......….….…..16
 The Northeast.………………………………….….….…….….…….….….17
 Connecticut………………………………………..…….….…….18
 Delaware…………………………………….….……..…..…...…..21
 Maine…………………………………….….……………..…...…..26
 Maryland…………………………………….….………….…...…..28
 Massachusetts…………………………………….…..….…....…..31
 New Hampshire…………………………………….….….…..…..33
 New Jersey…………………………………….….…….……...…..36
 New York…………………………………….….…….…...…...…..39
 Pennsylvania…………………………………….….………….…..42
 Rhode Island…………………………………….…..……………..45
 Vermont…………………………………….………..….…….....…49
 Northeast Review…………………………………….…...……....52
 The Southeast…………………….…………….……………...….....….....54
 Alabama………………….………..……….……….……….….....55
 Arkansas…………………..……….……………...…..…………....59
 Florida……………………….…..…….……………......………..…63
 Georgia…………………….………….….………….…....………..67
 Kentucky…………………….………………………..….….….…...71
 Louisiana…………………….……..……………..….…..…….…...73
 Mississippi…………..…………...……….…….………….………...76
 North Carolina……………….………………...…….…...………..79
 South Carolina……………….……………………..….….….…....82
 Tennessee…………………….……………….….….….…....….....84
 Virginia……………………………………..….…….…....….……...88
 West Virginia…………………………….……….….…….….…....90
 Southeast Review…………….……….………………………......94
 The Midwest…………………………..…...…....………………...…...…...96
 Illinois…………………………………..….….…….….………...…..97
 Indiana………………………….…………...….…...….…...……...99
 Iowa……………………………….…….….…...….……………...103
 Kansas…………………………….……….….…...……...…...…..105
 Michigan………………………….………….….…...….…...…...108
 Minnesota………………………….………….….…...…..…...….111
 Missouri……………………………….…….….…….…......….…..114
 Nebraska…………………………….……….….…….…….........117
 North Dakota……………………….………………..….………..121
 Ohio……………………………………..….…….……...…….…..123
 South Dakota………………………….………….….…...….…..128
 Wisconsin……………………………….…….….…….……...…..131
 Midwest Review……………………….………………………....134
Table of Contents (cont.)
 The Southwest ..………………….……….……..………….….………....136
 Arizona…………………………………….….……….……....…..137
 New Mexico…………………………………….….…….…...…..139
 Oklahoma…………………………………….…...……..…...…..144
 Texas…………………………………….….……………..…...…..147
 Southwest Review………………………………………....…….151
 The West...……………………………………………...…….....……...….153
Alaska…………………………………………...….……..…...…..154
California…………………………………….…….……..…...…..156
Colorado…………………………………….……..…….…...…..160
Hawaii…………………………………….….………..….…...…..163
Idaho…………………………………….………….…….…...…..166
Montana…………………………………….….….…….…...…..168
Nevada…………………………………….……....…….…...…..171
Oregon…………………………………….….…….………...…..174
Utah…………………………………….….…….…………….…..178
Washington…………………………………….….…….…...…..180
Wyoming…………………………………….….…….……....…..185
West Review…………………………………………………..….188
 The U.S.A. Review………………………………………………………...191
 Appendix…………………………………………………………………..196
 State Reports …………………………………….…….…...…...197
 Travel Log…...…………………………………………………….198
 Flag Stickers……………………………………………………....202
 State Flash Cards…………………………………...……………205
 State Capital Cards………………………………..………..….212
 State Jeopardy……………………………………..……….…...215
 State & President Songs……………………………….………..270
 Additional Reading by Country ……………………...……....273
 Bibliography………………………………………………..……..277
Regions of the U.S.A.
The 50 states that make up the United States of America are commonly grouped into five
regions. These five regions are the Northeast, the Southeast, the Midwest, the Southwest and
the West. Alaska and Hawaii are part of the Western region of the United States even though
they don’t physically “touch” any other states.
This map shows the United States of America in relation to

their neighboring countries: Canada and Mexico.
Even though Alaska does not touch any other states in

the U.S. it does share a border with Canada. Hawaii is
compromised of a chain of 132 islands in the Pacific
Ocean more than 2,400 miles from the U.S. Mainland.
The Northeast
Connecticut
Delaware
Maine
Maryland
Massachusetts
New Hampshire
New Jersey
New York
Pennsylvania
Rhode Island
Vermont
The Southeast
Alabama
Arkansas
Florida
Georgia
Kentucky
Louisiana
Mississippi
North Carolina
South Carolina
Tennessee
Virginia
West Virginia
Regions of the U.S.A. (cont.)
The Midwest
Illinois
Indiana
Iowa
Kansas
Michigan
Minnesota
Missouri
Nebraska
North Dakota
Ohio
South Dakota
Wisconsin
The Southwest
Arizona
New Mexico
Oklahoma
Texas
The West
Alaska
California
Colorado
Hawaii
Idaho
Montana
Nevada
Oregon
Utah
Washington
Wyoming
Fun Facts
The size of Alaska compared to the size of the Main Land Unit-
ed States
Alaska:
Alaska is 586,400 square miles, and the largest state in the United States of America. Alt-
hough it is large in geographical size, it’s population is only 626,932+ making it the third LEAST
populated state.
Hawaii:
The State of Hawaii is approximately 1,500
miles wide. It includes all of the islands and
reefs extending from the big island (Hawaii)
to the Kura Atol—132 islands in all. Most of
Hawaii’s territory is formed by 8 main islands
which consist of Hawaii, Kahoolawe, Maui,
Lanai, Molokai, Oahu, Kauai and Niihau.
Time Zones
Time Zones of the United States
Landforms
Major Rivers
of the United States
Major Mountain Ranges

of the United States
13 Original Colonies:
The British empire settled its first permanent colony in the Americas at Jamestown, Vir-
ginia in 1607. This was the but the first of 13 colonies in North America. Here is a list of all
13 colonies in alphabetical order.
State: Order Admitted: Statehood: Year Founded:
Founded in c. 1635 by Thomas

Connecticut 5th state January 9,1788
Hooker
1638 by Peter Minuit and New
Delaware 1st state December 7, 1787
Sweden Company
1732 by James Edward Ogle-
Georgia 4th state January 2, 1788
thorpe
Maryland 7th state April 28,1788 1634 by Lord Baltimore
Plymouth Rock, 1620 by the Puri-

Massachusetts 6th state February 6,1788
tans
New Hampshire 9th state June 21, 1788 1623 by John Wheelwright
1664 by Lord Berkeley and Sir

New Jersey 3rd state December 18, 1787
George Carteret
New York 11th state July 26,1788 1664 by the Duke of York
North Carolina 12th state November 21, 1789 1653 by the Virginians
Pennsylvania 2nd state December 12, 1787 1682 by William Penn
Rhode Island 13th state May 29, 1790 1636 by Roger Williams
1663 by Eight Nobles with a Royal

South Carolina 8th state May 23, 1778
Charter from Charles II
1607 by London Company,
Virginia 10th state June 25, 1788
Jamestown
United States Presidents
1. George Washington - Virginia 24. Grover Cleveland - New Jersey

2. John Adams - Massachusetts 25. William McKinley - Ohio
3. Thomas Jefferson - Virginia 26. Theodore Roosevelt - New York
4. James Madison - Virginia 27. William Howard Taft - Ohio
5. James Monroe - Virginia 28. Woodrow Wilson - Virginia
6. John Quincy Adams - Massachusetts 29. Warren G. Harding - Ohio
7. Andrew Jackson - North Carolina 30. Calvin Coolidge - Vermont
8. Martin Van Buren - New York 31. Herbert Hoover - Iowa
9. William Henry Harrison - Virginia 32. Franklin D. Roosevelt - New York
10. John Tyler - Virginia 33. Harry S. Truman - Missouri
11. James K. Polk - North Carolina 34. Dwight D. Eisenhower - Texas
12. Zachary Taylor - Virginia 35. John F. Kennedy - Massachusetts
13. Millard Fillmore - New York 36. Lyndon B. Johnson - Texas
14. Franklin Pierce - New Hampshire 37. Richard Nixon - California
15. James Buchanan - Pennsylvania 38. Gerald Ford - Nebraska
16. Abraham Lincoln - Kentucky 39. Jimmy Carter - Georgia
17. Andrew Johnson - North Carolina 40. Ronald Reagan - Illinois
18. Ulysses S. Grant - Ohio 41. George H. W. Bush - Massachusetts
19. Rutherford B. Hayes - Ohio 42. Bill Clinton - Arkansas
20. James A. Garfield - Ohio 43. George W. Bush - Connecticut
21. Chester A. Arthur - Vermont 44. Barack Obama - Hawaii
22. Grover Cleveland - New Jersey
23. Benjamin Harrison - Ohio
State Birds
1. Alabama -Yellowhammer
2. Alaska - Willow Ptarmigan
3. Arizona - Cactus Wren
4. Arkansas - Mockingbird
5. California - California Valley Quail
6. Colorado - Lark Bunting
7. Connecticut - Robin
8. Delaware - Blue Hen Chicken
9. Florida - Mockingbird
10. Georgia - Brown Thrasher
11. Hawaii - Nene
12. Idaho - Mountain Bluebird
13. Illinois - Cardinal
14. Indiana - Cardinal
15. Iowa - Eastern Goldfinch
16. Kansas - Western Meadowlark
17. Kentucky - Cardinal
18. Louisiana - Eastern Brown Pelican
19. Maine - Chickadee
20. Maryland -Baltimore Oriole
21. Massachusetts - Chickadee
22. Michigan - Robin
23. Minnesota - Common Loon
24. Mississippi - Mockingbird
25. Missouri - Bluebird
26. Montana - Western Meadowlark
27. Nebraska - Western Meadowlark
28. Nevada - Mountain Bluebird
29. New Hampshire - Purple Finch
30. New Jersey - Eastern Goldfinch
31. New Mexico - Roadrunner
32. New York - Bluebird
33. North Carolina - Cardinal
34. North Dakota - Western Meadowlark
35. Ohio - Cardinal
36. Oklahoma - Scissor-tailed Flycatcher
37. Oregon - Western Meadowlark
38. Pennsylvania - Ruffed Grouse
39. Rhode Island - Rhode Island Red
40. South Carolina - Great Carolina Wren
41. South Dakota - Ring-necked Pheasant
42. Tennessee - Mockingbird
43. Texas - Mockingbird
44. Utah - Common American Gull
45. Vermont - Hermit Thrush
46. Virginia - Cardinal
47. Washington -Willow Goldfinch
48. West Virginia - Cardinal
49. Wisconsin - Robin
50. Wyoming - Western Meadowlark
United States of America
1. Alabama
2. Alaska
3. Arizona
4. Arkansas
5. California
6. Colorado
7. Connecticut
8. Delaware
9. Florida
10. Georgia
11. Hawaii
12. Idaho
13. Illinois
14. Indiana
15. Iowa
16. Kansas
17. Kentucky
18. Louisiana
19. Maine
20. Maryland
21. Massachusetts
22. Michigan
23. Minnesota
24. Mississippi
25. Missouri
26. Montana
27. Nebraska
28. Nevada
29. New Hampshire
30. New Jersey
31. New Mexico
32. New York
33. North Carolina
34. North Dakota
35. Ohio
36. Oklahoma
37. Oregon
38. Pennsylvania
39. Rhode Island
40. South Carolina
41. South Dakota
42. Tennessee
43. Texas
44. Utah
45. Vermont
46. Virginia
47. Washington
48. West Virginia
49. Wisconsin
50. Wyoming
The United States of America
Materials Needed:
 National Geographic US Atlas & USA Wall Map
 Student Workbook
Lesson 1:
 Introduce the USA Map wall map, briefly go through the regions we will be studying, The North
East (Connecticut, Delaware, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New Jersey,
New York, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Vermont) The South East (Alabama, Arkansas, Florida,
Georgia, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee, Virginia, West
Virginia). The Midwest (Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska,
North Dakota, Ohio, South Dakota, Wisconsin). The Southwest (Arizona, New Mexico, Oklahoma,
Texas). The West (Alaska, California, Colorado, Hawaii, Idaho, Montana, Nevada, Oregon, Utah,
Washington, Wyoming)
 Activity: Complete United States Regions worksheet, have students write each state in based on
region. Answers are on pages 7-8 of this manual. (See student workbook for worksheet.)
 States Memorization Song (see Appendix pg 270 for U.S. State Song Lyrics.) Visit http://
mrsjonesroom.com/songs/50capitals.html to hear the music for your class practice time. (We will
practice this daily until students have mastered it. If you have young ones, you may want to take
a verse at a time, then add the next verses slowly as they are ready.
Lesson 2:
 District of Columbia: Washington D.C., the capital of the U.S., was founded on July 16, 1790. The
U.S. Constitution allows for the creation of a special district to serve as the permanent national
capital. It is not part of any state, and therefore directly overseen by the federal government. The
capital city of Washington D.C. was named in honor of our first president, George Washington. It is
home to the White House; the Washington National Cathedral; the Thomas Jefferson Memorial;
the United States Capitol; the Lincoln Memorial; and the Vietnam Veterans Memorial.
 Read: National Geographic US Atlas: Pg 24-25 (Our Nation’s Capital)
 Visit www.whitehouse.gov to see current information regarding the White House, including pho-
tos, video, and live streaming sessions.
 Lapbook: Complete the White House mini-book (found in student workbook) then glue it to “The
U.S.A.” divider page in your notebook.
Lesson 3:
 The United States Flag was originally adopted in 1777 (13 stripes for 13 colonies), then modified in
1960 to include 50 stars for the 50 states. There are 13 red and white stripes to represent the 13 col-
onies, and 50 white stars on a blue field. Its nicknames include “Stars and Stripes” and “Old Glory”
 Lapbook: Complete the US Flag mini-book (student workbook) and add it to “The U.S.A.” divider.
Lesson 4:
 The Statue of Liberty was dedicated on October 28, 1886. It was given to the United States from
the people of France as a symbol of American Freedom. The statues holds a torch and table
which has the date of the American Declaration of independence, July 4, 1776 inscribed on it.
The statue is located on Liberty Island in the New York Harbor . It is 305 feet 1 inch from ground to
the top of the torch.
 Lapbook: Complete the Statue of Liberty mini-book (student workbook) then glue it to “The
U.S.A.” divider.
Lesson 5:
 The Pledge of Allegiance: The Pledge of Allegiance of the United States was formally adopted in
1942. It symbolizes loyalty to the flat and to the United States of America. We are going to recite
the Pledge of Allegiance before each school day this year. Please repeat after me:
 I pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of America, and to the republic for
which it stands, one nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all.
 Lapbook: Complete the Pledge of Allegiance mini-book (student workbook) then glue it to “The
U.S.A.” divider.
The Northeast
The Northeast
Connecticut
Delaware
Maine
Maryland
Massachusetts
New Hampshire
New Jersey
New York
Pennsylvania
Rhode Island
Vermont
Connecticut
Materials Needed:
 National Geographic US Atlas
 USA Wall Map
 Food: Hamburgers, Connecticut Clam Chowder (See recipe on following pages)
Lesson 6:
 Practice States Memorization Song (See Appendix pg 270 for lyrics). Visit: http://
mrsjonesroom.com/songs/50capitals.html to hear the music for class practice time.
 Locate state and capital (Hartford) on US Map
 Connecticut was named the 5th state on January 9, 1788. Connecticut is known as “The Consti-
tution State” because John Fiske claimed that The Fundamental Orders of 1638-1639 comprised
the first written constitution in history. Many features of the Federal Constitution were drawn from
this document, so in 1959 the General Assembly designated Connecticut “The Constitution
State”. It was also one of the original 13 colonies. Read: National Geographic US Atlas: Pg 30-33
(The Northeast & Connecticut)
 National Geographic US Atlas: Find Hartford CT pg 33 B5
(To build map reading skills we will be finding each states capital. Show your student how to
look up the state capital in the Index at the Back of the book, then to find it using the grid
coordinates such as “B5” on the map. As you go along, encourage them to look up the cap-
ital city in the index, then find the on the map grid on their own if they are of reading age.)
 Connecticut is home to Dinosaur State Park and Arboretum, which is one of the largest dinosaur
track sites in North America. Here you can see 500 tracks enclosed within a 55,000 square foot
dome. You can learn more at: http://www.dinosaurstatepark.org/
 State Flag: The Connecticut state flag has a white shield with 3 grapevines printed on a field of
blue. The vines were passed down from a seal brought from England by Colonel George
Fenwick in 1639 and represent the first colonies of the English in the US.
 State Fish: The American Shad is Connecticut’s official state fish. It is distributed along the Atlan-
tic coast and migrates into rivers for spawning beginning in January and continuing until July.
After spawning they migrate north along the coast to Canada where they feed for the summer.
 State Bird: The American Robin is the official Connecticut state bird. It is a member of the blue-
bird family and has an orange breast. They eat fruit in fall and winter and are known for their
cheery song and small blue eggs. Click here for more information!
 State Flower: The Mountain Laurel is Connecticut's official state flower. It is actually a perennial
tree or shrub that is native to the U.S. and has its most active growth period in the spring and
summer. It has beautiful white, pink or purple flowers with a smattering of brown fruits or seeds. It
can reach up to 6 feet high.
 Complete coloring page in student workbook
 READ: If You Lived in Colonial Times: Pg 6-15(When were colonial times— What did people eat?)
 Check out some of Connecticut’s Fun Facts: www.50states.com
Connecticut
Lesson 7:
 Practice States Memorization Song: http://mrsjonesroom.com/songs/50capitals.html
 Locate state and capital on US Map (review), put up cut out piece on Velcro map
 US Presidents: ): George W. Bush (43rd US President 2001-2009).
 State Insect: The European Praying Mantis was adopted as the Connecticut state insect in 1997.
As the mantis waits for insects or spiders to pass nearby it holds its powerful forelegs together as if
it is meditating. Most species are green, gray or brown. The female mantis secrete a foamy mass
containing hundreds of eggs. You may find them attached to twigs where they dry to a tough
paper that will last through winter.
 Historical Figures: Harriet Beecher Stowe was born in Litchfield, Connecticut in 1811. She later
moved to Cincinnati where she came in contact with fugitive slaves. She authored Uncle Tom’s
Cabin in 1851. From there she spent her life speaking against slavery both in America and Eu-
rope.
 Benedict Arnold, was a Revolutionary War Major General born in Norwich, Connecticut in 1741.
He began the war in the Continental Army, but later defected to the British Army. While still a
general on the American side, he obtained command of the fort at West Point, NY and plotted
unsuccessfully to surrender it to the British forces. He was commissioned into the British Army as a
brigadier general in September 1780.
 Famous Landmarks: The Old State House is located in Hartford, CT. In 1814 the Hartford Conven-
tion was held there and in 1839 the start of the Amistad trial was also held at the Old State
House.
 Food: Connecticut is famous for the first hamburger. They are also known for the spice nutmeg
as well as seafood, and Connecticut is specifically famous for it’s lobster. See page following
coloring worksheet for a great Connecticut Clam Chowder recipe!
 Craft: Praying Mantis Paper Craft. Try your hand at this folded paper praying mantis from
www.canon.com: http://cp.c-ij.com/en/contents/3150/03334/index.html
 READ: If You Lived in Colonial Times: Pg 16-23(Table Manners—Schools)
 Add Flag Stamp (Appendix) to your Travel Log.
 Classify Animal Cards (See Road Trip USA Animals of the United States supplement) and add
them to your to Animal Wall
 Complete State Postcard: (Postcards located in student workbook)
 Cut out the postcard front and back sides and glue together with printed sides facing
out. Design a front cover for the state. On the back side write a fun letter to someone tell-
ing them how you feel about it. For example: Do you like this state, why or why not?
Would you invite your friend to come visit you here? What are the people like here? What
are some interesting things to do or see in this state?
 Optional: Laminate completed postcards, hole punch the top left corner, and store on
an O-Ring or key-ring type holder for quick reference.
More Information: Connecticut State: www.ct.gov, Connecticut Historic Landmarks at Wikipedia
Connecticut - Recipes
Connecticut Clam Chowder:
Ingredients:
 3 slices bacon
 1 lg. onion, minced
 2 c. raw diced potatoes
 1 can evaporated milk
 3 tbsp. butter
 2 1/2 c. canned minced clams (drain and reserve juice)
 Optional: 1/4 c. celery, minced
 Optional: 1/4 c. grated carrots
Directions:
 Sauté bacon and remove from pan. Add onion, celery, carrots, to bacon drippings in
pan and cook slowly for 5 minutes; drain.
 In Dutch oven, combine cooked bacon, vegetables and 2 cups of potatoes. Add re-
served clam juice and enough water to just cover potatoes. Simmer until potatoes are
done. Add minced clams, butter and milk; do not boil. Season to taste.
 Serve with crackers.
Delaware
Materials Needed:
 USA Wall Map
 Popsicle Stick Suspension Bridge Craft (See details on following pages)
 Food: Crab Cakes (See recipe on following pages)
Lesson 8:
 Locate state and capital (Dover) on US Map
 Delaware is the 2nd smallest state, only Rhode Island is smaller. Its nickname is “The First State”
because it was the first to become a state on December 7, 1787. It is bounded inland by Penn-
sylvania and Maryland and seaward by the Delaware River, Delaware Bay and the Atlantic
Ocean. Most of Delaware is on a peninsula called the Delmarva Peninsula. During the month of
May Horseshoe Crabs may be seen in large numbers up and down the Delaware shore.
 Read: National Geographic US Atlas: Pg 34-35 (Delaware)
 National Geographic US Atlas: Find Dover DE Pg 35 E5
 State Flag: The state flag of Delaware was adopted in 1913. It has a shield of wheat, corn and ox
which symbolize agriculture. Above the shield is a sailing ship supported by a soldier and farmer.
 State Fish: The Weakfish is the state fish in Delaware. It is a game and food fish and was adopted
as the official state fish in 1981. The head and back are dark brown with a greenish tinge. The
sides have a faint silvery hue with specks and the belly is white. The origin of its name came from
the weakness of the mouth muscles, which often cause a hook to tear free, allowing the fish to
escape.
 State Bird: The Blue Hen chicken was adopted as the Delaware state bird on April 14, 1939. Dur-
ing the Revolutionary War, the men of Captain Jonathan Caldwell’s company took with them
these game chickens that were noted for their fighting ability. When they weren’t fighting the
men entertained themselves with Blue Hen chicken fights. The soldiers were later compared to
these fighting chickens. Click here for more information!
 State Flower: The Peach Blossom became Delaware’s official state flower on March 9, 1895. It is
native of China and bears a juicy fruit of the same name, the peach! It blooms in early spring
before the leaves and are planted in commercial orchards for its fruit. The blossom is 2.5—3 cm
in diameter with five petals. They are typically light pink in color and petals can be large. They
usually grow to be 15-25 feet high and will bear fruit once they are 3-4 years old.
 READ: If You Lived in Colonial Times: Pg 24-33 (Schools—Sunday)
 Check out some of Delaware’s Fun Facts: www.50states.com, Netstate.com
Delaware
Lesson 9:
 Locate state and capital on US Map (review), put up piece on map, finish worksheet
 REVIEW: Review location and capitals of all states learned so far
 State Marine Animal: The Horseshoe Crab was adopted as Delaware’s official marine animal on
June 25, 2002. These invertebrates contain a natural polymer found in the shell that is used to
make bandages. They are also used in vision studies due to their complex eye structure. Dela-
ware Bay is the home to more Horseshoe Crabs than any other place in the world.
 State Wildlife Animal: The Gray Fox was adopted as the official wildlife animal of DE on June 10,
2010. It is a member of the dog family, but is the only species that can climb trees and will often
hide in them! It feeds on cottontail rabbits, mice, voles and other small mammals, birds, insects,
and plant material. They are typically only 24 inches long (body length) and can be found in
woodlands and brushy areas. They have a black and white face, with red around
the ears, neck, and chest. Their tail is black on top and at the tip.
 Delaware Amish Country lies just west of the city of Dover, DE. In 1955 Kent Coun-
ty, Delaware consisted of four Amish districts having about 250 members. The origi-
nal settlement was divided into two districts in 1928, and the west settlement was
divided in 1933. Farmers grow primarily vegetables and produce for urban mar-
kets. However, in the 1980’s, this community moved into wheat and corn growing.
The Dover settlement was the first Amish community to establish a formal parochi-
al school. Apple Grove School for grades 1-8 was founded in 1925. The Amish are
known for simple living, plain dress, and reluctance to adopt many conveniences
of modern technology. Learn more about the Amish lifestyle at: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/
Amish
 The Old Statehouse: Delaware was the first state to ratify the federal Constitution on December
7, 1787 becoming the first state in the Union. The Constitution was signed at The Old State House
in Dover, DE. You can take a virtual tour of the Old State House interior at
www.history.delaware.gov
 Dover Air Force Base is located 2 miles southeast of the city of Dover, Delaware. It is home to the
436th Airlift Wing of the Air Mobility Command known as the "Eagle Wing", and the AMC-gained
512th Airlift Wing of the Air Force Reserve Command referred to as the "Liberty Wing". Dover AFB
is also the home for the largest military mortuary in the Department of Defense, and has been
used for processing military personnel killed in both war and peacetime.
 Delaware Memorial Bridge: This is the longest twin span suspension bridge in the world. It
opened in 1951 and stretches 13,200 feet to connect Delaware and New Jersey. Due to the
high traffic volume, a nearly identical second span was completed in 1968 which parallels the
original bridge. making eight lanes of roadway. Over 80,000 cars drive over the bridge daily.
More info at: www.phillyroads.com
 Activity: Make popsicle stick suspension bridge! (See instructions on following page)
 Food: Since they are on the coast, crab is a popular food in Delaware. Make Crab Cakes for
dinner! (See recipe following bridge activity)
 READ: If You Lived in Colonial Times Pg 34-41 (Meeting House—Laws)
 Classify Animal Cards and add them to your to Animal Wall
More Information: Delaware State: www.delaware.gov, Historic Landmarks: Wikipedia
Delaware - Suspension Bridge
Popsicle Stick Suspension Bridge Craft:
Supplies:
 Paper, pencil
 Popsicle sticks
 Thick pieces of cardboard for bridge roadway, and base
 White glue or hot glue
 Hacksaw or scissors to cut popsicle sticks (adult use only)
 Clothes pins
 Yarn
 Play-Doh or clay
 Poster board (Preferably blue for water)
Directions:
 Draw rough profile view of your suspension bridge on paper. (See below)
 Cut 1.5 inch wide strips of thick cardboard for roadway length. Cut one longer piece
for the base of your bridge. Since your bridges will vary in length, make sure your base is
long enough to hold your bridge structure as well as supporting ties.
 Create 2 identical ladders. Make it to be 3 popsicle sticks high and several 1.75” strips
for the sideways ladder rungs. Glue in place and let dry. (TIP: You may want to prepare
these ahead of time.)
 Using Play-Doh to secure ladder pieces vertically, place 1 ladder in a large ball of Play-
Doh and place on poster board about 6 inches apart depending on how long you
want to make your bridge.
 Lay cut cardboard roadway across ladders so it is resting on one of the ladder rungs.
 Tie yarn at top of first ladder then let curve down towards road then back up to next
ladder, and tie at the top. Repeat on opposite side of ladder as well.
 Tie another long piece to ladder tops and pull at angle down to roadway end and se-
cure.
 Using more yarn, tie pieces to curved main yarn line, loop under roadway then back up
other side and tie to opposite curved main yarn. Repeat all across bridge using various
lengths of yarn to support bridge while keeping the downward curve of your main yarn
line.
 Decorate water area as desired.
Delaware - Recipes
Crab Cakes:
Ingredients:
 1 7.5 oz can crab meat, drained, flaked, cartilage removed
 1 beaten egg
 1/2 c finely crushed saltine crackers
 1/3 c milk
 1/2 t. dry mustard
 1/8 t. white pepper
 1.8 t. cayenne
 1 t snipped parsley
 3 t shortening
 Optional: Lemon wedges
Directions:
 In medium bowl combine egg, crushed crackers, milk, mustard, white pepper and
Cayenne.
 Stir in crab meat and parsley.
 Using 1/3 c mixture for each cake, shape into patties.
 Cover and chill at least 30 minutes prior to frying
 Heat shortening in skillet and add patties. Cook over medium heat about 6-8 minutes
until golden brown on both sides.
 Drain and serve with lemon wedges
Review
Lesson 10:
 Locate Connecticut and Delaware on map, and review capitals
 Complete mini-books for CT and DE (See student workbook)
 Play State Jeopardy:
Supplies: White board, markers, jeopardy cards (See CT & DE Jeopardy Cards in Appendix)
Directions:
1. On white board write “Connecticut vs. Delaware Jeopardy”
2. Draw a points tally grid for each student in your class to keep track of their points scored. (see
example below)
3. Write random points values (5, 10, 20) on backs of each card and tape to white board with
points value showing.
4. Let students choose which question they want to try and answer.
5. As a student picks a points card, remove it to reveal the question.
6. If they get the answer correct, add the appropriate amount of points to their score.
7. The students with the most points after all cards are read wins! (I suggest having a small prize
for the winner such as gum, candy, etc)
Name Points
Student 1 30
Student 2 5
Student 3 20
Maine
Materials Needed:
 USA Wall Map
 Food: Lobster , Blueberries
Lesson 11:
 Locate state and capital (Augusta) on US Map
 Maine became the 23rd state on March 15, 1820. It is known as “The Pine Tree State” as nearly
90% of its land is forested. Eastport Maine is the eastern-most city in the U.S. It produces 98% of
the nation’s low-bush blueberries along with apples, potatoes, dairy, vegetables, poultry and
eggs. It is also one of the world’s largest pulp-paper producers. It has breathtaking seacoast
cliffs, beaches, lakes, and mountains.
 Read: National Geographic US Atlas: Pg 36-37 (Maine)
 National Geographic US Atlas: Find Augusta ME Pg 37 G3
 State Flag: Maine’s current state flag was adopted in 1909. It has a blue field with it’s state
coat of arms in the center. The farmer and seaman represent the work people did in early
times. The North Star and “Dirigo” quote stands for “I Lead” or “I direct”, which is the state’s
motto.
 State Berry: Maine designated the wild blueberry as its official state berry in 1991. They are
found mostly on hilly, rocky terrain and are typically harvested by hand due to the terrain.
They are picked from late July to early September.
 State Bird: The Black Capped Chickadee is Maine’s official state bird. It is a tiny bird with a
short neck and large head. The cap and bib are black with white cheeks, and soft gray feath-
ers. They typically eat seeds, berries and other plant matter. They are also known to eat in-
sects, spiders, and sometimes bits of meat from frozen carcasses. Click here for more infor-
mation!
 State Flower: The white pine cone and tassel was named Main’s state flower in 1895. It is the
largest conifer in the northeastern U.S. The leaves/needles are soft, flexible and bluish-green in
color. The cones are typically 4-8 inches in length with thin scales and a fragrant gummy resin.
 READ: If You Lived in Colonial Times: Pg 42-49(Law Breakers—Working Hard)
 Check out some of Maine’s Fun Facts: www.50states.com
Maine
Lesson 12:
 Locate state and capital on US Map (review), put up piece on map
 State Animal: The moose was named Maine’s official state animal in 1979. The moose is the
world’s largest species in the deer family, and can run up to 35 miles per hour and easily swim
10 miles! They are typically found in northern forests in North America, Europe and Russia. They
eat willow, birch and aspen twigs along with pond weeds and grasses, leaves, buds and
aquatic plants. A moose’s sharp hooves are it’s first line of defense, and they are able to kick
out in all directions. Their antlers are made of solid bone and covered with a thin skin called
velvet which supplies the antlers with calcium and other minerals. Once the bone inside the
velvet is hard, the velvet is shed from the antlers. They typically live 15-20 years.
 Famous Landmarks: Portland Head Light, Fort Williams Park, ME was added to the National
Register of Historic Places in 1973. It stands 80 feet above ground and 101 feet above water.
The light is a 200,000 candlepower DCB 224 airport style aero beacon and is visible from 24
miles away. The keepers house is owned by the town of Cape Elizabeth, while the beacon
and fog signal are owned and maintained by the US Coast Guard to aid in navigation. Click
here to learn more about Portland Head Light
 Food: Maine is known for its world-famous Maine Lobster. Try your hand at Boiled Maine Lob-
ster! Ingredients: 4 lobsters or lobster tails (depending on size of your family), sea salt, 1 gallon
water, 1lb butter, melted. Directions: Bring water to a boil in large kettle, season with sea salt.
Place lobsters in water head first, cover and cook for 15 minutes. Remove and serve with melt-
ed butter. TIP: Twist off the claws and crack each claw with crab cracker. Separate tail piece
from body , insert fork down center of tail to crack open and push out meat.
 Food Alternative: Maine is also known for its wild blueberries. Make some Blueberry Muffins as
a snack this week! (See recipe below)
 READ: If You Lived in Colonial Times: Pg 50-59(Work—Traveling)
More Information:
 Learn more about Maine at www.maine.gov, Maine’s Historic Landmarks at Wikipedia
Simple Blueberry Muffins:

Ingredients:
 6 C. All-purpose Flour
 4 Tbsp. Baking Powder
 1 1/2 tsp. Salt
 1 C. Sugar
 3 Eggs
 1 c. Melted Shortening
 2 C. Milk
 2 C. Blueberries
Directions:
1. Pre-heat oven to 400 degrees F.
2. Mix together dry ingredients and set aside.
3. Beat eggs and milk, then combine with dry ingredients. Add melted shortening and mix
well.
4. Carefully fold rinsed blueberries into batter.
5. Fill greased muffin tins 3/4 full and bake 20 minutes or until lightly golden on tops.
Maryland
Materials Needed:
 USA Wall Map
 Food: www.fishers-popcorn.com, Smith Island cake
 Additional Reading: Who Was Harriet Tubman? by Yona Zeldis McDonough
Lesson 13:
 Locate state and capital (Annapolis) on US Map
 Maryland was named the 7th state on April 28, 1788, and was nicknamed “The Old Line
State”. It was also one of the original 13 colonies. Maryland’s northern border is commonly
called the Mason-Dixon line. It was named after its surveyors, Charles Mason and Jeremiah
Dixon, and became the traditional dividing line between the North and the South.
 Read: National Geographic US Atlas: Pg 38-39 (Maryland)
 National Geographic US Atlas: Find Annapolis MD Pg 39 C8
 State Flag: The state flag of Maryland was adopted on March 9, 1904. The design is taken
from the Calvert family coat of arms, the colonial proprietors of the state of Maryland. The yel-
low and black colors are from George Calvert’s paternal family and the red and white are
from the maternal (Crossroads) family.
 State Boat: The Skipjack was designated the official state boat of Maryland in 1985. Skipjacks
are the last working boats in the US and they are used to dredge oysters from the floor of the
Chesapeake Bay in winter time. They are typically 25-50 feet in length and are known for their
speed. The Chesapeake Bay Skipjack Fleet has been listed as a national treasure in danger of
extinction. You can learn more at: Skipjack Wikipedia
 State Bird: The Baltimore Oriole is Maryland’s official state bird. It is a medium sized song bird
with a bright orange and black head. Males have a deeper orange on their chest, while
females can be more brownish olive than black, and have a much paler orange chest. They
are typically 6-7 inches long and can be found eating caterpillars, fruit, insects, spiders and
nectar. Click here for more information!
 State Flower: The Black-Eyed Susan was adopted as Maryland’s official state flower in 1918. It
is a member of the sunflower family, and the flower head measure 2-3 inches with yellow rays
circling the dark-brown center. They are often found in fields and on roadsides blooming be-
tween May and August. They are native to the U.S., typically found east of the Rocky Moun-
tains.
 READ: If You Lived in Colonial Times: Pg 60-66(Travel—Mail)
 Check out some of Maryland’s Fun Facts: www.50states.com
Maryland
Lesson 14:
 State Crustacean: The Blue Crab was designated the official state crustacean of Maryland in
1989. It is found in the Chesapeake Bay area and famous for it’s blue coloring. The blue crab is
an omnivore and typically eats mussels, snails, fish, plants, annelids, smaller blue crabs, and
about anything else they can find. They are typically 9 inches wide, and have an average life
span of 1-3 years due to harvesting. Learn more at National Geographic
 Famous Landmarks: The USS Constellation was constructed in 1854 and is the only Civil War
ship to survive the Civil War. She was a 38-gun frigate, one of six original frigates, of the U.S. Na-
vy. She was distinguished as the first U.S. Navy vessel to put to sea and the first U.S. Navy vessel
to engage and defeat an enemy vessel. It is a wooden-hulled, three-masted, heavy frigate of
the U.S. Navy. Her first duties, with the newly formed U.S. Navy, were to provide protection for
American merchant ships during the Quasi-War with France. On February 9, 1799, the USS Con-
stellation fought and captured the frigate L'Insurgente of 36 guns, the fastest ship in the French
Navy. She was re-commissioned as a national symbol in 1949 by President Franklin Roosevelt. It
is now part of the Historic Ships in Baltimore’s Inner Harbor. Click here to read more about the
USS Constellation. (You will learn more about the Civil War later in this curriculum)
 Harriet Tubman was born in Dorchester County, Maryland c. 1820. Harriet and her 2 brothers,
escaped from slavery on September 17, 1849. She later became an African-American aboli-
tionist, humanitarian, and Union spy during the American Civil War. When the Civil War begin
she worked for the Union Army as a cook and nurse, then as an armed scout and spy. She was
the first woman to lead an armed expedition in the war. She guided the Combahee River
Raid, which liberated more than 700 slaves in South Carolina.
 Additional Reading: Who Was Harriet Tubman? by Yona Zeldis McDonough
 Food: A fun dessert from Maryland is the Smith Island cake. It consists of 10 thin layers of cake
separated by layers of icing. Click here for a recipe. Another fun thing that Maryland is famous
for is the world famous Fisher’s Popcorn. You can order it online here: www.fishers-
popcorn.com. Of course being near the coast they’re also known for soft shell Blue Crab and
Chesapeake Bay oysters.
 Craft: Skipjack Craft -
Supplies:
 Empty milk carton (cut in half), or folded cardboard taped at
ends to secure
 Tin foil
 Popsicle stick or wooden skewer
 Paper for sail
 Play-Doh to secure skewer
Directions:
1. Cover boat base with tin foil, and crimp ends well to secure.
2. Cut sail shapes out of paper, poke holes in each end for skewer
3. Add clump of Play-Doh to center of boat inside and stab skewer or popsicle stick into it
to secure. Weave sail onto skewer.
4. Try our your new Skipjack in the bathtub to see how well you did! If your boat did not
sail, discuss what you could have done to improve it and try again.
 READ: If You Lived in Colonial Times: Pg 67-80 (Workers—Ships)
More Information: www.maryland.gov, Maryland’s Historic Landmarks at Wikipedia
Review
Lesson 15
 Locate Maine and Maryland on map, and review capitals
 Complete mini-books for ME and MD (see student workbook)
Supplies: White board, markers, jeopardy cards (See ME & MD Jeopardy Cards in Appendix)
Directions:
1. On white board write “Maine vs. Maryland Jeopardy”
example below)
Name Points
Student 1 30
Student 2 5
Student 3 20
Massachusetts
Materials Needed:
 USA Wall Map
 Food: Boston Crème Pie Recipe , Nestle Toll House Chocolate Chip Cookies (See following
page for links)
 Additional Reading: Who was Benjamin Franklin? by Dennis Brindell Fradin or Ben Franklin and
His First Kite by Stephen Krensky
Lesson 16:
 Locate state and capital (Boston) on US Map
 Massachusetts was adopted into the Union on February 6, 1788. It was one of the first 13 colo-
nies and was the 6th state to receive statehood. It is known as “The Bay State” in reference to
the Cape Cod Bay where early settlements were made, and also to the Massachusetts Bay
Company given a royal charter in 1629 to promote settlement of the new land “From sea to
shining sea.”Another fun fact about Massachusetts, is that a teacher from Springfield was the
first to invent the game of basketball. It was originally played with 2 peach buckets and a ball.
The Basketball Hall of Fame is located in Springfield, MA!
 Read: National Geographic US Atlas: Pg 40-41 (Massachusetts)
 National Geographic US Atlas: Find Boston MA Pg41 C7
 State Flag: The Massachusetts state flag has a white background with a blue shield and the
motto “By The Sword We Seek Peace, But Peace Only Under Liberty”. The blue shield has the
image of a Native American, Massachuset. He holds a bow in one hand and an arrow in the
other. The arrows is pointing downward representing peace and the white star represents Mas-
sachusetts as one of the original 13 states. The flag was originally adopted in 1915, then amend-
ed in 1971.
 State Bird: The Black-Capped Chickadee is the official state bird of Massachusetts. They are a
small, short-billed songbird with a black cap and throat. Male and female chickadee’s look ex-
actly alike, both having white cheeks, light brown chest and brown wings with white edging.
They are typically found in deciduous woodlands and cottonwood groves. They eat insect
eggs, larvae, lice, sawflies , centipedes, snails, slugs, spiders, berries and seeds. Click here for
more information!
 State Flower: The Mayflower was adopted as the official state flower of Massachusetts on May
1, 1918. The Mayflower is a creeping plant, native to eastern North America. The flowers are
typically pink or white and each one has a small tube ending in 5 flared lobes. The lobes are
about 1/2 inch long and waxy, but have a very sweet fragrance. They bloom from March to
May, unfortunately since 1925, the Mayflower has been on the endangered list.
 State Horse: The Morgan Mare was named the official state horse of Massachusetts in 1970.
They are a the descendants of “Figure”, a bay stallion owned by Justin Morgan. The breed is
brought to the U.S. from European colonists. They are typically used for combined driving, com-
petitive trail, and endurance riding, eventing, working western events, and dressage. Learn
more here.
 READ: If You Lived ….American Revolution: Pg 6-13 (Intro—Houses)
 Check out some of Massachusetts Fun Facts: www.50states.com
Massachusetts
Lesson 17:
 US Presidents: George H.W. Bush, (41st President 1989-1993).
 State Sport: Basketball was designated as the official state sport on August 8th, 2006. It was in-
vented by Dr. James Naismith, a teacher from Springfield, MA. The official Basketball Hall of
Fame “Hoops” is located in Springfield, MA. Hoops opened it’s doors on February 17, 1968.
Click here to learn more about Hoops. If it’s nice outside, grab a basketball and play a game
of hoops!
 Famous People: Paul Revere was an express rider for the Boston Committee of Correspond-
ence, and the Massachusetts Committee of Safety. On the evening of April 18, 1775, Revere
rode on what is now remembered as “The Midnight Ride”. Just hours before the battles of Lex-
ington and Concord, Revere was sent by Dr. Joseph Warren to ride to Lexington, MA to warn
Samuel Adams and John Hancock that British soldiers were coming to arrest them. The warn-
ing successfully allowed the militia to repel the British troops in Concord. Revere then rode on
to Concord, MA where he was arrested, then later released. Click here to learn more about
Paul Revere.
 US Presidents: John Adams, the 2nd President of the U.S. (1797-1801) was born October 30,
1735 in Braintree MA. John Quincy Adams the 6th President of the US (1825 - 1829) was born
July 11, 1767 in Braintree MA. He was also an American diplomat and served in both the Sen-
ate and House of Representatives. John F. Kennedy, the 35th President of the U.S. (1961-1963)
was born May 29, 1917 in Brookline, MA. He was assassinated on November 22, 1963 in Dallas,
TX.
 Johnny Appleseed: Johnny Appleseed was born in 1774 in Leominster, MA. He was an Ameri-
can pioneer responsible for introducing apple trees to big portions of Ohio, Illinois and Indiana.
He was known for his deep care for animals. Learn more here!
 Additional Reading: Who was Johnny Appleseed? By Joan Holub
 Benjamin Franklin was born January 17, 1706 in Boston, MA. He earned the title of “The First
American” for his early campaigning for colonial unity. He was also known as one of Ameri-
can’s most influential Founding Fathers. He had working class roots, and became a successful
newspaper editor and printer in Philadelphia, the leading city in the colonies. He was also an
inventor, among his many creations were the lightening rod, and bifocal glasses. He never pa-
tented his inventions, for he wrote “... as we enjoy great advantages from the inventions of
others, we should be glad of an opportunity to serve others by any invention of ours; and this
we should do freely and generously." Learn more here.
 Additional Reading: Who was Benjamin Franklin? By Dennis Brindell Fradin
 Food: The Boston Crème Pie was designated as the official state dessert on December 12,
1996. Make some for dessert tonight, click here for an easy Boston Crème Pie Recipe. The
Chocolate Chip cookie was also named the official cookie of the state in 1997. It was invent-
ed in 1930 at the Toll House Inn in Whitman, MA.
 READ: If You Lived ….American Revolution: Pg 14-22 (Revolution—Loyalists)
More Information: Massachusetts - www.mass.gov, Historic Landmarks - Wikipedia
New Hampshire
Materials Needed:
 USA Wall Map
 Food Maple Syrup
Lesson 18:
 Locate state and capital (Concord) on US Map
 New Hampshire was designated the 9th state on June 21, 1788 and was one of the original 13
colonies. It was nicknamed “The Granite State” due to the extensive granite quarries in the state.
Of the 13 original colonies, Hew Hampshire was the first to declare its independence from Eng-
land a full six months before the Declaration of independence was signed. The highest wind
speed measured on the surface of the earth was recorded on top of New Hampshire’s Mt.
Washington in 1934. Winds were measured at 231 miles per hour, almost three times as fast as the
winds associated with most hurricanes!
 Read: National Geographic US Atlas: Pg 42-43 (New Hampshire)
 National Geographic US Atlas: Find Concord NH Pg 43 H3
 State Flag: The state flag of New Hampshire was adopted on 1909. It has a blue field with the
state seal of New Hampshire surrounded by laurel leaves and nine stars representing New Hamp-
shire as the 9th state to join the union.
 State Bird: The Purple Finch was named the official state bird in 1957. It is a chunky, big-beaked
bird with a raspberry red color. They can be found in forests singing from the highest parts of the
trees. They grow to 4—6 inches long weighing between 0.6 - 1.1 ounces and eat seeds of conif-
erous trees, elms, maples and others. They also eat berries and fruit, and in winter low plants like
dandelions and ragweed. They may also eat insects, aphids, caterpillars, grasshoppers and bee-
tles. Click here for more information
 State Flower: The Purple Lilac was designated the official state flower in 1919. It symbolized the
hardy character of the men and women of the state. They are a deciduous shrub, growing to a
mature height of 8-10 feet. They are known for their sweet fragrance and hardiness, living up to
hundreds of years. They only bloom for a few weeks in spring. Lilacs were grown in the gardens of
George Washington and Thomas Jefferson.
 State Butterfly: The Karner Blue Butterfly was designated the official state butterfly in 1992. They
have iridescent blue wings and are only about 1 inch across. They are found in the Oak Savan-
nas and Concord Pine Barrens of New Hampshire. Due to The habitat of the Karner Blue has
been lost through human forest cultivation and developing communities. The Karner Blue Butter-
fly is now an endangered species.
 READ: If You Lived ….American Revolution: Pg 23-30 (Patriots—Dec. of Independence)
 Check out some of New Hampshire Fun Facts: www.50states.com
New Hampshire
Lesson 19:
 Old Man of the Mountain is a series of five granite cliff ledges on Cannon Mountain in the White
Mountains of New Hampshire. When viewed from the north, the appear to be the jagged pro-
file of a face. The formation is about 1,200 feet above Profile Lake. It collapsed on May 3, 2003.
 State Amphibian: The Spotted Newt was named the official state amphibian in 1985. They are
very common in New Hampshire and dwell in wet forests with small lakes or ponds. Their skin se-
cretes a poisonous substance when the newt is threatened or injured. They only grow to 5 inch-
es long and are a striking orange color.
 US Presidents: Franklin Pierce, the 14th President of the US (1853-1857) was born November 23,
1804 in Hillsborough, NH.
 E.E. Cummings was born on October 14, 1894 in Cambridge, Massachusetts. He spent the last
decade of his life at his summer home, Joy Farm, in Silver Lake, New Hampshire. During his life-
time, he received numerous awards for his poetry and plays. Many of his poems are sonnets.
You can get a taste of some of his writings for kids in Fairy Tales by E.E. Cummings
 Robert Frost: Poet Robert Frost lived in Derry, New Hampshire and taught at New Hampshire’s
Pinkerton Academy from 1906-1911. Today the Robert Frost Farm is a state park and historic
house museum. He is highly regarded for his realistic depictions of rural life and his command of
American colloquial speech, receiving four Pulitzer Prizes for Poetry. Click here to read some of
Robert Frost’s poetry.
 Food: Each year the NH Maple industry produces close to 90,000 gallons of maple syrup! They
drill a small hole in the trunk of the maple tree and insert a spout A bucket is fastened to the
spout and the sap drips from the tree. It is then boiled down over a blazing hot fire until it reach-
es proper density. It takes approximately 40 gallons of sap to make 1 gallon of pure maple syr-
up. Try some on your pancakes this week!
 Poetry Activity: Try your hand at writing a simple poem. It can rhyme, but doesn’t have to, just
be creative!
 READ: If You Lived ….American Revolution: Pg 31– 39(Loyalists—Supporting the War)
 More Information: New Hampshire at www.nh.gov/ , NH Historic Landmarks at Wikipedia
Review
Lesson 20:
 Locate Massachusetts and New Hampshire on map, and review capitals
 Complete mini-books for MA and NH (See student workbook)
Supplies: White board, markers, jeopardy cards (See MA & NH Jeopardy Cards in Appendix)
Directions:
1. On white board write “Massachusetts vs. Hew Hampshire Jeopardy”
example below)
Name Points
Student 1 30
Student 2 5
Student 3 20
New Jersey
Materials Needed:
 USA Wall Map
 Food: Maple Syrup, Oatmeal Cranberry Cookies (See recipe on following pages)
 Additional Reading: Who was Albert Einstein? by Jess Brallier
Lesson 21:
 Locate state and capital (Trenton) on US Map
 New Jersey was the 3rd state admitted to the union on December 18, 1787 and was one of the
original 13 colonies. It was nicknamed “The Garden State” by Abraham Browning when he com-
pared it to an “immense barrel, filled with good things to eat and open at both ends.” It also has
the highest population density in the U.S. averaging 1,030 people per square mile, 13 times the
national average.
 Read: National Geographic US Atlas: Pg 44-45 (New Jersey)
 National Geographic US Atlas: Find Trenton NJ Pg 45 E3
 State Flag: In 1779 George Washington decided the coat of arms should be dark blue faced
with buff. In 1896 New Jersey made the flag official. It has a buff background with the state coat
of arms in the center. The ribbon at the bottom includes 1776, the year of independence and
reads “Liberty and Prosperity” which is part of the state motto.
 State Bird: The American Goldfinch was named the official state bird in 1935. It mainly eats seeds
from dandelions, sunflowers, ragweed and primrose. The males are brilliant yellow with shiny
black wings. They are found in weedy fields and floodplains, orchards, and backyards. They can
be found at feeders any time of year. They are approximately 4-5 inches long weight 0.4 - 0.7
ounces. Click here for more information.
 State Flower: The Meadow Violet was named the official state flower in 1913. The petals are a
bright purple color that fades into yellow at the base, and measure about 3/4 inch wide. They
are used in making candies and jellies and are high in vitamin A and contain more vitamin C
than oranges.
 READ: If You Lived ….American Revolution: Pg 40– 49(Seeing Battles—Shopping)
 Check out some of New Jersey’s Fun Facts: www.50states.com
New Jersey
Lesson 22:
 State Animal: The Horse was named the official state animal in 1977. The U.S. Equestrian Team
headquarters are in NJ. The Horse is included in the state seal and today there are over 4,600
horse farms in the state, of which over 800 raise race horses.
 Famous People: Alexander Abbott was born October 2, 1897 in Asbury Park, NJ. Lou Costello
was born March 6, 1906 in Paterson, NJ. The two became part of one of the greatest comedy
teams in the history of show business, “Abbott & Costello”. They performed the classic signature
skit, “Who’s on First”, that launched them to stardom, and to Hollywood. Click here to watch Ab-
bott and Costello’s “Who’s On First” skit!
 Albert Einstein was born in Württemberg, Germany, on March 14, 1879. He escaped from Nazi
Germany in 1933 and settled in the U.S. where he taught physics at the Institute for Advanced
Study at Princeton, NJ until his death in 1955. He published hundreds of books, mostly about
physics, and collaborated with other scientists on projects including the Bose-Einstein statistics
and the Einstein Refrigerator. He was awarded the Nobel Prize in Physics in 1921. Click here to
learn more!
 Additional Reading: Who was Albert Einstein? By Jess Brallier
 US President: Grover Cleveland, the 22nd President of the US (1885-1889 and 1893-1897) was
born March 18, 1837 inn Caldwell, NJ. He is the only president to serve two non-consecutive
terms and therefore the only individual to be counted twice in the numbering of the presidents.
 Food: New Jersey is known for its blueberries, tomatoes, corn, cranberries, and peaches. Due to
limited farm land, NJ farms are generally small family run operations with a niche for higher quali-
ty, tastier, and more costly cultivation methods than large commercial farms. See following
page for a Cranberry Oatmeal Cookie Recipe.
 READ: If You Lived ….American Revolution: Pg 50-59(Patriots—Spreading news)
More Information:
 Learn more about New Jersey at http://www.state.nj.us/
 Learn more about New Jersey Historic Landmarks at Wikipedia
New Jersey - Recipe
Oatmeal Cranberry Cookies:
Ingredients:
 3/4 C sugar
 1/4 C packed brown sugar
 1/2 C butter, softened
 1 large egg
 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
 1/2 tsp cinnamon
 1/2 tsp baking soda
 1/4 tsp salt
 1 C. all-purpose flour
 1 1/2 C. quick-cooking oats (not instant)
 3/4 C. dried cranberries
Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 375°F

2. In large bowl, combine sugar, brown sugar and butter, mix well until creamy
3. Add egg and vanilla extract and mix until combined.
4. Add cinnamon, baking soda, salt and flour mixing well.
5. Fold in oatmeal and dried cranberries.
6. Roll dough into 1-inch balls and place 3 inches apart on greased cookie sheet.
7. Bake at 375°F for 10-12 minutes or until edges are lightly browned.
8. Let cool 2-3 minutes then transfer to cooling rack.
9. Enjoy!
New York
Materials Needed:
 USA Wall Map
 Food: NY Style Thin Crust Pizza
 Craft: Painting
Lesson 23:
 Locate state and capital (Albany) on US Map
 New York was made the 11th state on July 26, 1788 and was one of the original 13 colonies. It
was nicknamed “The Empire State” due to the wealth and variety of resources. It was the first
state to set aside land as ‘forever wild” when it created the Adirondack Forest Preserve in
1895. It is the largest state park in the lower 48 states and covers 6 million acres of land. Adi-
rondack is larger than Yellowstone, Yosemite, Grand Canyon, Glacier, and Olympic Parks
combined! New York also is also known for “The New York Post”, established in 1803 by Alex-
ander Hamilton, and is the oldest running newspaper in the U.S.
 Read: National Geographic US Atlas: Pg 46-47 (New York)
 National Geographic US Atlas: Find Albany NY Pg 47 E8
 State Flag: The New York state flag was adopted in 1778. It has a background of dark blue
with the state Coat of Arms in the center. The shield stands for a cloudless sky with a rising sun
behind 3 mountains. The state motto “Excelsior” is on the banner at the bottom of the seal
and stands for the idea of reaching upward towards higher goals.
 State Animal: The Beaver was named the state animal in 1975. Their flat tail makes them
unique. They are second only to humans in the ability to drastically change a landscape.
Their dam building activities are important to natural water flow and erosion control. They
build dams to create a pond in which to build their homes (lodges). The largest known Bea-
ver dam was discovered near Three Forks, Montana and was 2,140 feet long, 14 feet high,
and 23 feet thick!
 State Fish: The Striped Bass was named the state salt water fish of New York in 2006. Striped
Bass are a prized recreational game fish that can grow to over 4 feet long, weighing up to
100 pounds. They are the largest member of the sea bass family. Like other bass, their top dor-
sal fin is separated into spiny and soft-rayed portions. They are silvery with black horizontal
stripes on each side of the body.
 State Bird: The Easter Bluebird was made the official state bird of NY in 1970. Bluebirds are a
small bird with a plump body and large eyes. The wings are long, but tail and legs fairly short.
They are easily spotted by their bright blue wings and orange breast. They typically live in
meadows and openings surrounded by trees that offer suitable nest holes. They eat insects
including caterpillars, beetles, crickets, grasshoppers, and spiders. In fall and winter they seek
out blueberries, black cherries, currants, holly, and other berries. Learn more here.
 State Flower: The Rose was adopted as the NY state flower in 1955. It is one of the most popu-
lar and widely cultivated flowers in the world today. There are over 150 species and more
than 20,000 hybrids of Roses. They can be large flowers or small and clustered. They range in
color from white , pink, red, lilac, peach and many others. Some are even bright yellow. They
are typically very fragrant and bloom from spring through out the summer.
 READ: If You Lived ….American Revolution: Pg 60– 67(Famous Patriots & Loyalists)
 Check out some of New York’s Fun Facts: www.50states.com
New York
Lesson 24:
 Famous People: Norman Rockwell, a famous painter, was born in New York City in 1894. At
age 14, he enrolled in art classes at The New York School of Art. He painted his first commission
of four Christmas cards before his 16th birthday. While still a teenager, he was hired by Boys’
Live, an official publication of the Boy Scouts of America. One of his most well recognized
works was a set of illustrations of everyday life created for “The Saturday Evening Post” and Ro-
sie the Riveter. Click here to learn more!
 US Presidents: Martin Van Buren, the 8th President of the U.S. (1782 - 1862) was born December
5, 1782 in Kinderhook, NY. Millard Fillmore, the 13th President of the US (1850-1853) was born
January 7, 1800 in Summerhill, NY. Theodore Roosevelt, the 26th President of the U.S. (1901-
1909) was born October 27, 1858 in New York, NY. Franklin D. Roosevelt, the 32nd President of
the U.S. (1933-1945) was born in 1882 at Hyde Park, New York.
 Famous Landmark: The Empire State Building was built in 1931 and is a 102 story Art Deco sky-
scraper in New York City, NY. It is 1,250 feet tall and was the world’s tallest building until the
construction of the World Trade Center’s North Tower in 1972. It is known as one of the Seven
Wonders of the Modern World, and designated a National Historic Landmark in 1986. It is one of
the most popular observation decks in the world. The 86th floor observation deck offers a 360
degree view of the city. There is also a smaller observation deck on the 102nd floor. Learn
more!
 Statue of Liberty: The Statue of Liberty is located on Liberty Island, in the New York Harbor. She
was given to the people of the U.S. by the people of France in 1886, as a symbol of the friend-
ship developed by the countries during the American Revolution. It has since grown to include
freedom and democracy of the U.S. as well. The Statue of Liberty celebrated her 100th birth-
day on October 28, 1986. She is 305 feet 6 inches tall. There are 154 steps from the pedestal to
the head. The tablet in her left hand measures 23 feet 7 inches tall and 13 feet 7 inches wide
and is inscribed with the date JULY IV MDCCLXXVI (July 4, 1776), the date of U.S. independ-
ence from England. Click here to learn more!
 Painting Activity: Taking into account Normal Rockwell’s style of painting, create your own ver-
sion of the Empire State Building or Statue of Liberty using canvas and tempera paints.
 Food: New York style pizza pie was invented in 1905 by Gennaro Lombardi, a Neapolitan immi-
grant. He opened the first pizzeria that would go on to define great New York pizza. The tradi-
tional pizza was a wide slice of thin crust pizza that was folded in half to be eaten. Google your
area for a traditional New York style pizzeria and try a slice for yourself!
 READ: If You Lived ….American Revolution: Pg 68– 76(Useful Things—Closing)
More Information:
 Learn more about NY at www.ny.gov,
 Learn more about NY Historic Landmarks at Wikipedia
Review
Lesson 25:
 Locate New Jersey and New York on map, and review capitals
 Complete mini-books for NY and NJ (See student workbook)
Supplies: White board, markers, jeopardy cards (See NY and NJ Jeopardy Cards in Appendix)
Directions:
1. On white board write “New York vs. New Jersey Jeopardy”
example below)
Name Points
Student 1 30
Student 2 5
Student 3 20
Pennsylvania
Materials Needed:
 USA Wall Map
 Food: Peanut Butter Kiss Cookies, Philly Cheese Steak Sandwiches (See recipes on following
pages)
 Additional Reading: Who was Thomas Jefferson? by Dennis Brindell Fradin
Lesson 26:
 Locate state and capital (Harrisburg) on US Map
 Pennsylvania became the 2nd state in the Union on December 12, 1787 and was one of the
original 13 colonies. It was nicknamed “The Keystone State”. A keystone is a central wedge in
an arch that locks all other pieces of the arch in place. The nickname refers to PA as this nec-
essary element. The Liberty Bell is located in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. It ran to mark the
reading of the Declaration of Independence on July 8, 1776. Hershey Pennsylvania, also
known as “Chocolate town, USA” and “The Sweetest Place on Earth” is home to Hershey’s
Chocolate Company, the largest chocolate manufacturer in North America.
 Read: National Geographic US Atlas: Pg 48-49 (Pennsylvania)
 National Geographic US Atlas: Find Harrisburg PA Pg 49 E7
 State Flag: The current state flag of Pennsylvania was adopted in 1907 by the General Assem-
bly. It has a blue field with the state Coat of Arms in the center. The state motto “Virtue, Liberty
and Independence” is in a banner beneath the Coat of Arms. A black horse is on each side
of the shield.
 State Bird: The Ruffed Grouse was named the official state bird in 1931. It is also sometimes
known as the Partridge, although this is technically wrong, they are unrelated to the partridge.
They have a grey morph, with a grey-brown head, neck and back. They have a large crest
and rump feathers with whitish dots.. The Male Ruffed Grouse are aggressively territorial and
will defend their territory by beating their tail feather’s against the air like it were a drum. They
eat buds, twigs, leaves, ferns, fruits, acorns and a few insects. Learn more here!
 State Flower: The Mountain Laurel was designated the official state flower in 1933. It is a wild-
flower brought to Europe as an ornamental plant during the 18th century. The Pennsylvania
woodlands are filled with its distinctive pink flower between May and June. The flowers range
from pink to white and grow in clusters.
 The Liberty Bell: The Liberty Bell was created in 1751 to commemorate liberty throughout all
the land! The quotation “Proclaim Liberty Throughout All The Land Unto All The Inhabitants
Thereof Lev. XXV.VX. By Order of the Assembly of the Province of Pensylvania for the State
House in Philada” is inscribed on the bell. (At that time Pensylvania was an alternative spelling
for Pennsylvania.) The bell cracked on Washington’s Birthday in 1846 rendering it unringable.
The Philadelphia Public Ledger quotes the story in it’s February 26, 1846 publication: "The old
Independence Bell rang its last clear note on Monday last in honor of the birthday of Washing-
ton and now hangs in the great city steeple irreparably cracked and dumb. It had been
cracked before but was set in order of that day by having the edges of the fracture filed so as
not to vibrate against each other ... It gave out clear notes and loud, and appeared to be in
excellent condition until noon, when it received a sort of compound fracture in a zig-zag di-
rection through one of its sides which put it completely out of tune and left it a mere wreck of
what it was." The bell now hangs in the Liberty Bell Center in Pennsylvania. Click here to learn
more: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Liberty_Bell
 READ: If You Were There When They Signed the Constitution - Pg 7 – 12 (Constitution - Colonies)
 Check out some of Pennsylvania’s Fun Facts: www.50states.com
Pennsylvania
Lesson 27:
 Locate state and capital on US Map (review), put up piece on map.
 REVIEW: Review location and capitals of all states learned so far.
 State Insect: The firefly was designated the official state insect in 1974. They appear to be a
small beetle during the day, but transform into a brilliant twinkling of lights at night. They are
also known as the “lightening bug” and produce a light through an efficient chemical reac-
tion called bioluminescence. Learn more here!
 Famous People: Betsy Ross was born January 1, 1752 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. She is
known for making the first American Flag for George Washington during the American Revolu-
tion. The flag featured 13 stars in a circle on a blue field to represent the original 13 colonies.
Learn more here!
 US Presidents: James Buchanan , the 15th President of the US (1857-1861) was born April 23,
1791 in Mercersburg, PA.
 Famous Landmark: Hershey Pennsylvania is home to Hershey’s Chocolate Company. In 1907,
Hershey introduced a new candy, a small cone shaped candy called the “Hersey's Kiss”. The
candy went on to become one of the most successful and well-known products ever pro-
duced by the company. Now, 80 million Kisses are produced each day!
 The Declaration of Independence was signed in Philadelphia on July 4, 1776. It announced
that the thirteen American colonies, then at war with Great Britain, were now independent
states, and thus no longer a part of the British Empire. It was written primarily by Thomas Jeffer-
son, and includes a formal explanation of why Congress had voted on July 2 to declare inde-
pendence from Great Britain. The most famous signature is that of John Hancock, the Presi-
dent of Congress, who presumably signed the document first. We still celebrate July 4th each
year as the birthday of the United States of America. Click here to read the document and
learn more!
 Additional Reading: Who was Thomas Jefferson? by Dennis Brindell Fradin
 Food: Hershey’s Kisses are a well known Pennsylvania treat! Make some Peanut Butter Blos-
soms! (See recipe on following pages) Philadelphia is also home to the famous Philly Cheese
Steak Sandwich. (See recipe on following pages)
 Activity: Liberty Bell Craft:
 Supplies: Paper Cup, Toilet Paper Tube, Aluminum foil, Pipe Cleaner, Jingle
Bell, Tape, Black sharpie.
 Directions: Poke a hole in the bottom of the paper cup and two holes in
the side of the toilet paper tube. Attach the jingle bell to the end of a pipe
cleaner, then run the pipe cleaner up through the hole in the bottom of
the cup. Wrap the cup with the foil. Feed the pipe cleaner up through one
hole in the toilet paper tube and out through the other, then back through
the hole in the bottom of the cup and twist to secure. Write “LIBERTY” on
the toilet paper roll and draw the crack on the foil cup using a black sharp-
ie or cut a crack in the side of the bell using scissors.
 READ: If You Were There When They Signed the Constitution - Pg 13 – 22 (Confederation - Con-
vention)
More Information: Pennsylvania State: www.state.pa.us, Historic Landmarks at Wikipedia
Pennsylvania - Recipes
Peanut Butter Kiss Cookies:
Ingredients:
 1 C White Sugar
 1 C Peanut Butter (cream works best)
 1 Egg
 18 Milk chocolate Hershey’s kiss candies, unwrapped
Directions:
1. Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees F
2. Combine sugar, peanut butter, and egg.
3. Shape into 1 inch balls and place on ungreased cookie sheet. (If dough is too sticky,
refrigerate 1/2 hour or until firm enough to handle.)
4. Bake for 10 minutes. Remove cookies from oven and press a kiss into the center of
each warm cookie.
Philly Cheese Steak Sandwich:
Ingredients:
 1 loaf French bread or 4 large hoagie rolls
 1 lb. deli roast beef, very rare and sliced wafer thin
 1 white onion sliced
 2 green bell peppers thinly sliced
 4 tsp garlic minced
 1 lb provolone cheese, sliced sandwich thin or shredded
 Salt and pepper to taste
 Olive oil for cooking
Directions:
1. Heat griddle or large sauté pan over medium-high heat.
2. Drizzle olive oil on bottom of pan and add onions, bell pepper and cook until cara-
melized, about 6-8 minutes.
3. Add garlic, salt and pepper, and cook another minute.
4. Push vegetables off to side of pan and add meat to the pan.
5. Cook continuously flipping meat until it is no longer pink, about 2 minutes.
6. Mix together meat and veggies.
7. Divide into 4 portions and top each with a slice of provolone cheese to melt.
8. Place bread on top of meat portion until warmed then flip onto plate using a spatu-
la.
Yields 4 servings
Rhode Island
Materials Needed:
 USA Wall Map
 Food: Coffee Milk
 Sailboat Activity (See following pages for instructions and supplies)
Lesson 28:
 Locate state and capital (Providence) on US Map
 Rhode Island became the 13th state on May 29, 1790. It is the smallest state in the U. S. and is
only 37 miles across and 48 miles long. It also has the longest name of the U.S. states. It’s offi-
cial name is “The State of Rhode Island and Providence Plantations”. Rhode Island has over
380 miles of shoreline giving it the nickname of “The Ocean State”.
 Read: National Geographic US Atlas: Pg 50-51 (Rhode Island)
 National Geographic US Atlas: Find Providence RI Pg 51 B5
 State Flag: The flag of Rhode Island was adopted in 1879. It was only the third of the original
13 colonies to officially sanction a state banner. The flag has a white field with a circle of 13
stars (representing the 13 colonies) surrounding a gold anchor.
 State Bird: The Rhode Island Red Chicken was designated the official state bird in 1954. It has
rust-colored feathers, with yellow feet and reddish-brown beaks. Roosters can grow to weigh
8.5 pounds, while hens are usually only 6.5 pounds. They are usually good natured and make
great pets for children, but can become aggressive when annoyed. Learn more here!
 State Flower: The Common Blue Violet was named the official state flower in 1908. It is spread
throughout eastern North Americana. The flowers have 5 rounded petals and a lower petal
that acts as a landing pad for visiting insects. They range from medium to dark violet in color
and are basically fragrance free. They bloom from April to May.
 READ: If You Were There When They Signed the Constitution - Pg 24 – 31 (Convention - Ben
Franklin)
 Check out some of Rhode Island’s Fun Facts: www.50states.com
Rhode Island
Lesson 29:
 State Sailing Vessel: The replica of the continental sailing vessel “Providence” was named the
state flagship and tall ship ambassador in 1992. It is a 110 foot tall replica of America’s first War
Ship, built for the 1976 bicentennial. It has logged over 100,000 miles and is berthed in Provi-
dence, RI. Learn more here.
 Narragansett Bay is a bay on the north side of Rhode Island Sound. It covers 147 miles and
forms new England’s largest estuary. The first recorded European settlement was in the 1630’s.
Roger Williams, a member of the Plymouth Colony, moved into the area around 1636. He
made contact with the Narragansett Sachem and set up a trading post on the site of Provi-
dence. In 1643, Williams was granted a charter for the new colony of Rhode Island.
 Famous People: Ann Smith Franklin was born October 2, 1696. She was an American colonial
newspaper printer and publisher, and the sister-in-law of Benjamin Franklin. She was the first
woman newspaper editor, first woman to write an almanac, and the first woman inducted in-
to the University of Rhode Island’s Journalism hall of fame. She published the Newport, Rhode
Island Mercury, along with the states paper currency. Learn more here.
 The Breakers is a Vanderbilt Mansion located on Ochre Point Avenue, Newport, RI. It was built
as the summer home of Cornelius Vanderbilt ll, and designed by renowned architect Richard
Morris Hunt. It was constructed between 1893 and 1895 and cost more than $7 million (approx.
$200 million in today’s dollars). It sits on a 13-acre estate on the seagirt cliffs of Newport.
 Sailboat Activity: See following pages for instructions.
 Food: Rhode Island is famous for creating Coffee Milk, which was created around the early
1930’s . It is like chocolate milk, but with coffee-flavored syrup. (2 tablespoons of coffee syrup
to 8 ounces of milk.) It is typically served by the glass or half-ping in a waxed cardboard car-
ton, much like regular milk. Rhode Island is the only place in the world where you can get this
drink!
 READ: If You Were There When They Signed the Constitution - Pg 32 – 39 (Washington - Two
Sides)
More Information:
 Learn more about Rhode Island at www.ri.gov/ , Rhode Island Historic Landmarks at Wikipedia
Rhode Island - Boat Craft
Sailboat Craft:
Supplies:
 Milk Carton
 Scissors
 Smaller box to place inside mill carton such as matchstick or soap bar box
 Paint and paint brush
 String
 Glue
 Straw or stick
 Hole punch or sharp pencil
 Markers
 tape
Directions:
 Cut a milk carton in half lengthwise.
 Shape the ends of the milk carton with your fingers to make both ends of the boat
come to a point.
 Paint the smaller box any color you wish.
 Punch a hole in the middle of the small box with a sharp pencil and glue the box into
the center of the milk container upside down (so the flat top is facing up).
 Cut a square piece of paper about 1/2 to 3/4 of the length of the straw or stick for the
sail.
 Decorate the sail as you like with paint or markers.
 Punch a hole at the top and bottom of the sail and weave the straw through the
holes.
 Wrap a string around the top of the straw and tape each end of the string to each
end of the boat.
 Fill up your bathtub and test out your new sail boat!
 Have a race! Use paper fan’s to create wind to make the boat sail.
Review
Lesson 30:
 Locate Pennsylvania and Rhode Island on map, and review capitals
 Complete mini-books for PA and RI (See student workbook)
Supplies: White board, markers, jeopardy cards (See PA and RI Jeopardy Cards in Appendix)
Directions:
1. On white board write “Pennsylvania vs. Rhode Island Jeopardy”
example below)
Name Points
Student 1 30
Student 2 5
Student 3 20
Vermont
Materials Needed:
 USA Wall Map
 Food: Apple Pie (See recipe on following pages), Ben & Jerry’s Ice Cream
Lesson 31:
 Locate state and capital (Montpelier) on US Map
 Vermont was named the 14th state on March 4, 1791. It is named the “Green Mountain State”
because of the Green Mountains which run all the way through the middle of the state. It is
one of the oldest mountain ranges in the world, and many minerals such as granite, marble,
and slate have been mined from the mountains.
 Read: National Geographic US Atlas: Pg 52-53 (Vermont)
 National Geographic US Atlas: Find Montpelier VT Pg 53 D3
 State Flag: The current Vermont state flag was adopted in 1923. It has a blue background and
carries the state Coat of Arms in the center. It was carried by soldiers in the Civil War, the
Spanish-American War, and World War 1.
 State Bird: The Hermit Thrush was named the official state bird in 1941. It was selected because
of it’s sweet call and also because it can be found in all 14 Vermont counties. It spends the
winter in North America and changes it’s diet from eating all insects in summer, to one of
equal parts insects and fruit in winter. They typically nest on the ground. The Hermit Thrush is a
medium sized bird with a brown back, reddish tail, and black spots on the chest. Learn more
here!
 State Flower: The Red Clover was designated the state flower in 1894. The red clover flowers at
the end of the branched stems and are used for medicinal properties and usually dried for
therapeutic use. The flower is only 15-60 cm in height, and forms a dome-shaped flower clus-
ter. Each flower head is between 1/2—1 inch wide. The plant leaves are edible and nutritious
and are considered a legume that is a rich source of isoflavones.
 READ: If You Were There When They Signed the Constitution - Pg 40 – 48 (Both Sides - Great
Compromise)
 Check out some Vermont Fun Facts: www.50states.com
Vermont
Lesson 32:
 Lake Champlain sea monster: According to many people in the Lake Champlain area, there
is a giant snake they refer to as “Champ”, measuring approximately 20 feet long living be-
neath the surface of the lake. There have been over 130 reports of “Champ” sightings since
1982. He is so popular, he’s even been used as a mascot for state teams. See video of the gi-
ant sea monster here.
 Famous Landmarks: Ben & Jerry’s Ice Cream factory was founded by Ben Cohen and Jerry
Greenfield in Burlington, Vermont in 1978. They celebrated their one year anniversary by hold-
ing the first-ever free cone day, now a nationwide annual celebration. In 1986 Ben & Jerry’s
launched its “Cow-mobile” which was used to distribute free scoops of Ben & Jerry’s ice
cream in a cross-country marketing drive, the modified mobile home was driven by Ben & Jer-
ry themselves.
 Activity: Take a field trip to the grocery store and pick up your favorite Ben & Jerry’s pint!
 US Presidents: Chester A. Arthur, the 21st President of the US (1881-1885) was born October 5,
1829 in Fairfield, Vermont. Calvin Coolidge, the 30th President of the U.S. (1872-1933) was born
in Plymouth Notch, VT.
 Food: Vermont is the leading producer of maple syrup in the U.S. It takes about 40 gallons of
sap from sugar maple trees to produce one gallon of pure maple syrup. The sap is gathered
over a four to six week period in the spring. Vermont produces an average of 570,000 gallons
of maple syrup each year. The state pie of Vermont is the apple pie, designated in 1999. See
following page for a yummy apple pie recipe.
 READ: If You Were There When They Signed the Constitution - Pg 49 – 57 (Compromise - Presi-
dent)
 More Information: Vermont State: www.vermont.gov, Vermont Historic Landmarks: Wikipedia
Vermont - Recipe
Apple Pie Recipe:
Ingredients:
Crust:
 2 1/2 c. all-purpose flour
 1/2 tsp. Sea salt
 1/4 tsp. baking powder
 1/2 pound cold unsalted butter cut into cubes
 1/3 c. ice-cold water
 1 egg, beaten for egg wash on top crust
Directions:
1. Add flour and baking powder in food processor bowl and pulse to combine. Add cold
butter cubes and pulse until mixture begins to form pea-sized nuggets.
2. Dissolve 1/2 tsp. salt in water and add to mix until dough pulls together. Do not over
mix, if dough is dry and not holding together, add a few additional tablespoons of wa-
ter.
3. Form the dough into a ball, flatten and wrap in plastic wrap. Refrigerate until ready to
use.
4. Unwrap dough and divide into 2 equal parts, placing one section back in refrigerator
until ready to use. Lightly flour pastry board and roll first section of dough into a circular
shape approximately 1/8 inch thick. Place in bottom of lightly buttered pie pan. Pierce
dough in several places with the tines of a fork.
5. Prepare filling as directed below, and then use remaining dough to roll out top crust.
Using sharp knife create several crosshatch slits in the top crust. Brush with an egg
wash for an extra golden top.
Filling:
 6 cups thinly sliced apples
 3/4 c. white sugar
 1 Tbsp. butter
 1 tsp. ground cinnamon
Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
2. Wash, core, and slice apples to measure 6 cups
3. Combine sugar and cinnamon, you can add extra sugar if your apples are tart.
4. Arrange apples in layers in pastry lined pie plate. Sprinkle each layer with sugar and
cinnamon.
5. Dot top layer with small pieces of butter or margarine and cover with top crust.
6. Bake on bottom rack at 450 degrees F for 10 minutes, then reduce temperature to 350
degrees F. Bake another 30-35 minutes or until top crust is golden.
7. Serve warm with vanilla ice cream.
Northeast Review
Lesson 33:
 Locate Northeast states on map, and review capitals (Connecticut, Delaware, Maine, Mary-
land, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Ver-
mont)
 Complete mini-book for VT (See student workbook)
 Assemble Northeast states puzzle (See following page, you may want to print one per student.
Cut them out and place in baggie for storage, have student assemble states as they should
go.)
 Have students name each state once puzzle is finished (They can use the state abbreviations
to help them remember state names)
 States/Abbreviations/Capitals Matching Game: Use State and Capital Flashcards (in Appendix)
and puzzle pieces from states games. Lay states cards out on floor and Matching the state
card to the appropriate state puzzle pieces and capital cards.
 Play Spin USA for states learned so far
 Play Northeast States Jeopardy:
Supplies: White board, markers, jeopardy cards (Print VT jeopardy cards, and also need Northeast
Jeopardy Cards in Appendix should have been printed in previous lessons.)
Directions:
1. On white board write “The Northeast States Jeopardy”
example below)
3. Use Northeast Jeopardy cards from Appendix (Should have already been printed during previ-
ous state review lessons)
7. If they get the answer correct, add their points to their score chart.
8. The students with the most points after all cards are read wins! (Have a larger prize for the over-
all Northeast States Jeopardy winner.)
9. Bring everyone to ice cream, in honor of Ben & Jerry’s Ice Cream from Vermont, to celebrate
making it through the entire Northeastern region of the U.S!
Name Points
Student 1 30
Student 2 5
Student 3 20
The Southeast
The Southeast
Alabama
Arkansas
Florida
Georgia
Kentucky
Louisiana
Mississippi
North Carolina
South Carolina
Tennessee
Virginia
West Virginia
Alabama
Materials Needed:
 USA Wall Map
 Food: BBQ Pork Sandwiches, Peach Cobbler (See recipes on following pages)
 Light house Craft (See directions on following pages)
Lesson 34:
 Practice States Memorization Song (See Appendix pg 270 for lyrics). Visit: http://
mrsjonesroom.com/songs/50capitals.html to hear the music for class practice time.
 Locate Alabama and Capital (Montgomery) on US Map
 Alabama was named the 22nd state on December 14, 1819. It is known as “The Heart of Dixie”
because of it’s central role that Alabama played in the history of the South. It is home to the Ap-
palachian Mountains where iron ore, coal, and limestone are mined. This supply makes the state
the largest supplier of cast-iron and steel pipe products in the U.S.
 Read: National Geographic US Atlas: Pg 58-61 (The Southeast & Alabama)
 National Geographic US Atlas: Find Montgomery AL Pg 61 E4
 Alabama is known as the “Heart of Dixie”. It received statehood on December 14, 1819. Iron ore,
coal and limestone mined from the Appalachian Mountains in Alabama make this state the larg-
est supplier of cast-iron and steel pipe in the US. It is the only state with these natural resources.
 State Flag: Although Alabama entered the Union in 1819, it wasn’t until the state seceded from
the Union in 1861 that it adopted a flag of it’s own. The flag was designed by a group of Mont-
gomery women, the “Secession Convention Flag” became Alabama’s first official flag. One
month after the flag was adopted it was damaged in a severe storm and was moved to the Gov-
ernor’s office, never to fly over Alabama again. On February 16, 1895, 76 years after being admit-
ted to the Union the Alabama Legislature authorized the crimson cross of St. Andrew on a field of
white as it’s official flag.
 State Bird: The Yellowhammer was designated as Alabama’s state bird in 1927. It is also commonly
known as the Northern Flicker or the yellow-shafted flicker. It is a member of the Woodpecker
family, and is the only one of these birds that commonly feeds on the ground instead of in trees. It
is large bird reaching a maximum length of 14 inches and having a wingspan as wide as 22 inch-
es. The male has unmistakable black mustache that shows up easily against it’s gray crown. Fe-
males are the same as males except the girls do not have this mustache. They also have very
sharp claws that allow them to perch on tree trunks so the are perpendicular to the ground. They
eat mainly insects with ants being a favorite.
 State Fish: The Tarpon can reach sizes up to 8 feet and weigh up to 280 pounds! They typically live
for about 50 years and are nicknamed the “silver king”. Tarpon have a special ability to gulp air
at the surface when they are in a habitat that doesn’t provide enough oxygen for them. They are
also found in Florida, along the coast of Africa, the Gulf of Mexico and the Caribbean Sea.
 READ: If You Were There When They Signed the Constitution - Pg 58 – 64 (Who President? - Su-
preme Court)
 Check out some of Alabama’s Fun Facts: www.50states.com
Alabama
Lesson 35:
 Locate Alabama and Capital on US Map (review), put up piece on map
 State Flower: Camellia is an easy to grow evergreen flowering shrub with many uses. Though it is
Alabama’s state flower, it is not native to AL, instead it is found in subtropical Asia. It is an easy to
grow shrub that is highly valued in Japan. It can vary in color from white to pink, red and yellow.
 Rosa Parks was born February 4, 1913 in Tuskegee, Alabama. She has been titled the “First Lady of
Civil Rights” and the “Mother of the Freedom Movement”. On December 1, 1955, in Montgomery,
AL, Parks refused to obey bus driver James Blake’s order that she give up her seat to make room
for a white passenger. Parks’ action sparked the Montgomery Bus Boycott, a political and social
protest of the city’s policy of racial segregation on its public transit system.
 Additional Reading: Who was Rosa Parks? by Yona Zeldis McDonough
 Helen Keller was born in Tuscumbia, Alabama on June 27, 1880. She was an American author,
activist, and lecturer. She was also the first deaf, blind person to earn a Bachelor of Arts degree. In
1886 a young visually impaired woman named Anne Sullivan became Helen’s instructor. She
taught her to communicate by spelling words into her hand, beginning with the word “d-o-l-l”.
You can read of her biography at www.afb.com. You can order a free Braille alphabet card and
learn more about Braille at www.afb.org.
 Additional Reading: Who Was Helen Keller? By Gare Thompson
 Famous Landmarks: The Middle Bay Lighthouse was constructed in 1885 and is in the mid point of
the Mobile Bay. It is a wooden hexagonal-shaped structure that is accessible only by boat. It first
shined it’s light on December 1, 1885. The lighthouse was placed on the National Register of His-
toric Places in 1975 and after being refurbished it shined once again on December 1, 1985 for
it’s100 year anniversary celebration.
 Complete Lighthouse Craft (Instructions on following page, printable in Student Workbook.)
 Learn more about Alabama: National Geographic Alabama
 Food: Alabama is known for peach cobbler, BBQ and crawfish festivals. Make Pulled Pork BBQ
Sandwiches and Peach Cobbler for dinner! (Recipe following coloring worksheet)
 READ: If You Were There When They Signed the Constitution - Pg 65 – 74 (Constitution - 13 States)
 Cut out the below postcard front and back sides and glue together with printed sides fac-
ing out. Design a front cover for the country. On the back side write a fun letter to some-
one telling them how you feel about it. For example: Do you like this country, why or why
not? Would you invite your friend to come visit you here? What are the people like here?
 Optional: Laminate completed postcards, hole punch the top left corner, and store on an
O-Ring for quick reference.
More Information:
 Learn more about Alabama at www.alabama.gov
 Learn more about Alabama Historic Landmarks at Wikipedia
Alabama - Recipes
Pulled Pork BBQ Sandwiches:
Ingredients:
 1.5 lbs pork tenderloin
 1/2 C apple cider vinegar
 1/4 C water
 3 T brown sugar
 2 t kosher salt
 3/4 t ground black pepper
 1/2 t ground red pepper
 1/2 t chili powder
 1/4 t garlic powder
 Rolls
Directions:
 Combine all ingredients (except pork loin) in saucepan and bring to a boil. Add Pork to
pan. Cover, reduce heat and simmer about 1 hour or until tender. Remove pork from
cooking liquid and shred using 2 forks. Place pork in serving dish and pour remaining sauce
over pork. (Can also be cooked in Crockpot on low heat 6-8 hours)
 Serve on biscuits or rolls.
Peach Cobbler:
Ingredients:
 4 cups peeled, sliced peaches (Can substitute canned peaches, but not as tasty!)
 1/2 C water
 2 C sugar, divided
 8 T butter
 1 C flour
 1 C milk
 Optional: ground cinnamon
 Optional: Vanilla ice cream
Directions:
 Preheat oven to 350 degrees F
 Combine peaches, 1 cup sugar and water in saucepan and mix well. Bring to boil
and simmer for about 10 minutes then remove from heat.
 Add butter to 8x8 baking dish and place in oven to melt
 Combine remaining sugar and flour mixing well. And milk slowly to prevent clump-
ing. Pour mixture over melted butter then top with peach mixture. (Don’t worry,
batter will rise to top during baking)
 (Optional: Can sprinkle top of peaches with cinnamon if you like)
 Bake for 50-60 minutes until peaches are bubbly and crust is lightly browned.
 Serve warm with vanilla ice cream!
Alabama - Activity
Lighthouse Craft:
Supplies:
 15-ounce cylindrical tube, (i.e. bread crumbs container)

 9-ounce paper cup or white Styrofoam cup
 3-ounce paper cup or white Styrofoam cup
 Acrylic paint: white
 Construction paper or card stock: white, tan, red
 Wooden toothpick or skewer
 Paintbrush
 Scissors
 Craft glue
 2 rubber bands
Step 1: If cups are not white already, paint both cups and bread crumb container with sever-
al coats of white paint. Let dry.
Step 2: Turn 15 oz cylindrical tube upside down so opening is on bottom. Stack and glue big-
ger cup to the top of it, then the smaller cup to the top of that one.
Step 3: Cut 2 pieces of tan paper, one 1-3/4 x 15-1/2 inches and the other 3/4 x 11-1/2 inch-
es. Fold both strips into an accordion pleat bending back and forth in opposite directions.
Overlap the end pleats and glue together. Glue larger strip onto the base of the lighthouse
and smaller strip between the top 2 cups.
Step 4: Print and cut doors and windows from student workbook. Then glue onto lighthouse as
seen above.
Step 5: For the lightening rod, paint toothpick or skewer black and let dry. Stick a toothpick or
cut off skewer in the top of the top cup.
Step 8: Cut a 3 Inch circle out of red construction paper and cut a slit from one edge to the
center. Overlap the circle to form a cone and glue the edges together. Push it down on top
of the lightening rod. Add glue around the edge of the top cup to secure red roof.
Step 9: Cut light beam from following page in student workbook and fold along dotted line.
Glue folded edge to the top window.
Arkansas
Materials Needed:
 USA Wall Map
 Food: Fried Green Tomatoes, Fried Catfish (See recipes on following pages)
 Digging for Diamonds Activity (See directions on following page)
Lesson 36:
 Locate Arkansas and Capital (Little Rock) on US Map
 Arkansas became a state on June 15, 1836 and is known as “The Natural State” because of its
“unsurpassed scenery, clear lakes, free-flowing streams, magnificent rivers, meandering bay-
ous, delta bottomlands, forested mountains, and abundant fish and wildlife.” It is the only state
in the U.S. where diamonds are found. You can dig for diamonds at Crater of Diamonds State
Park which you’ll learn more about tomorrow. Most stones found here are imperfect and used
for industrial purposes.
 Read: National Geographic US Atlas: Pg 62-63 (Arkansas)
 National Geographic US Atlas: Find Little Rock AR Pg 63 D4
 State Flag: The Arkansas flag was adopted in 1913. The red field represents the only place in
North America where diamonds have been discovered and mined. The 25 stars around the
diamond means Arkansas was the 25th state to join the Union. Arkansas was a member of the
Confederate States during the Civil War, this is symbolized by the top star in the center. The
other 3 stars represent Spain, France, and the US, countries that had previously ruled the land
that includes Arkansas.
 State Bird: The Arkansas state bird is the Mockingbird. It is about 9-11 inches long and eats in-
sects, fruit, crayfish, snails, berries and some small vertebrates. It can mimic many other birds’
calls and the sounds of other animals including insects. It can sing very loudly for hours at a
time. It makes its nest from twigs, moss and is lined with feathers. Click here for more infor-
mation!
 State Gem: The diamond was designated the official state gem in 1967. Arkansas is one of the
few places in North America where diamonds are present. Tourists may hunt for them at
Carter of Diamonds State Park.
 READ: If You Were There When They Signed the Constitution - Pg 75 – 79 (The U.S. - Amend-
ments to Remember)
 Check out some of Arkansas’ Fun Facts: www.50states.com
Arkansas
Lesson 37:
 Locate Arkansas and Capital on US Map (review), put up piece on map.
 State Flower: The Apple Blossom : The apple blossom was designated as Arkansas’ official
state flower in 1901. It bears pink and white petals. The appearance of flowers means that the
tree is mature and crab apples will soon be produced.
 Famous Landmarks: Fort Smith: Fort Smith is a National historic Site located in Fort Smith, Arkan-
sas. It was established in 1961 to protect the remains of two 19th century U.S. Military forts, in-
cluding a building which once housed the US District Court. Click here for more information!
 State Insect: The Honey Bee is the Arkansas official state insect. All honeybees are social in-
sects. Workers are the only bees people usually see. They are busy gathering food, they build
and protect the hive, clean, and circulate air by beating wings. The queen solely lays eggs. If
a queen dies, the workers will create a new queen by feeding one of the worker females a
special diet called “royal jelly” to make her fertile.
 Historical Figure: General Douglas MacArthur was born January 26, 1880 in Little Rock, AR. He
was a U.S. general who commanded the Southwest Pacific Theatre in World War II. He was a
famous soldier and statesman, and the only man ever to become a field marshal in the Philip-
pine Army. He was one of only five men ever to rise to the rank of general of the army in the
U.S. Army.
 Famous Landmarks: Learn about the Crater of Diamonds State Park
 Digging for Diamonds Activity: Supplies: Sand and clear faceted beads resembling diamonds.
Directions: Fill a Rubbermaid tub with sand, then mix the “diamonds” in. Let your children sift
through the sand to discover their own treasures!
 Learn more about Arkansas at www.arkansas.com
 US Presidents: Bill Clinton, the 42nd President of the U.S. (1993-2001) was born August 19, 1946
in Hope, Arkansas.
 Arkansas Food: A popular food in Arkansas is catfish, typically it is breaded and fried. They are
also known for fried green tomatoes. (Recipes on following pages)
 READ: If You Traveled on the Underground Railroad - Pg 7 - 11 (Intro - U.R. Name)
More Information: Arkansas at www.arkansas.gov , Arkansas Historic Landmarks at Wikipedia
Arkansas - Recipes
Fried Green Tomatoes
Ingredients:
 4 large green tomatoes
 2 eggs
 1/2 c milk
 1 c all purpose flour
 1/2 c Cornmeal
 1/2 c bread crumbs
 2 t course salt
 1/4 t ground black pepper
 1 quart vegetable oil for frying
Directions:
 Slice tomatoes 1/2 inch thick (discard ends)
 Whish eggs and milk together in medium sized bowl.
 Mix cornmeal, bread crumbs, salt and pepper and put on plate
 Put flour on a separate plate
 Dip tomatoes into flour to coat then into milk and egg mixture then into breadcrumbs to com-
pletely coat.
 In large skillet pour vegetable oil (enough so there’s 1/2 inch of oil in the pan) and heat over
medium heat. Place tomatoes in the frying pan in batches making sure they do not touch. Flip
and fry on other side until well browned, drain on paper towels and serve.
Fried Catfish:
Ingredients:
 1 lb catfish fillets, cut in strips
 1/2 c buttermilk
 1/2 c water
 Salt and pepper to taste
 1 1/2 c fine cornmeal
 1/2 c all-purpose flour
 1 t seafood seasoning
 1 quart vegetable oil for frying
Directions:
 In small bowl, mix buttermilk, water, salt and pepper
 Pour mixture into flat pan large enough to hold the fillets.
 Spread fish in one layer over bottom of pan turning to coat each side, marinate about
5 minutes.
 In Gallon Freezer bag combine cornmeal, flour and seafood seasoning.
 Add fish a few at a time to cornmeal bag and tumble gently to coat.
 Heat oil in deep fryer to about 365 degrees F
 Deep fry fillets until golden brown (about 3 minutes, do not over crowd pan.)
 Drain on paper towel
Review
Lesson 38:
 Locate Alabama and Arkansas on map, and review capitals
 Complete mini-books for AL and AR (See student workbook)
Supplies: White board, markers, jeopardy cards (See AL and AR Jeopardy Cards in Appendix)
Directions:
1. On white board write “Alabama vs. Arkansas Jeopardy”
example below)
Name Points
Student 1 30
Student 2 5
Student 3 20
Florida
Materials Needed:
 USA Wall Map
 Food: Citrus Fruit, Key Lime Pie (See recipe on following pages)
 Space Shuttle Craft (See directions on following pages)
Lesson 39:
 Locate state and capital (Tallahassee) on US Map
 Florida was named the 27th state on March 3, 1845. In 1513, Juan Ponce de Leon landed on
the coast of northeastern Florida. He claimed it for Spain naming it “La Florida” in honor of
Spain’s Easter time celebration called “Pascua Florida” (Feast of the flowers). It has been nick-
named “The Sunshine State” due to the great amount of sunshine that falls on it each year.
Florida’s coastal waters is home to one of the US’s most endangered mammals, the manatee.
Only about 3,000 manatee live here and thanks to public education efforts they are helping
to strengthen the manatee’s chances of survival in the wild.
 Read: National Geographic US Atlas: Pg 64-65 (Florida)
 National Geographic US Atlas: Find Tallahassee FL Pg 65 B4
 State Flag: Florida’s state flag has a field of white with a red X and the state seal in the center.
The seal represents the land of sunshine, flowers, palm trees, rivers and lakes.
 State Reptile: The American Alligator was adopted as Florida’s official state reptile in 1987. Alli-
gator comes from the Spanish word “el lagarto” or “the lizard”. This alligator is native to the
Southeastern US. They construct burrows or holes for shelter and hibernation. They feed on fish,
turtles, snakes and small mammals, but will eat just about anything if hungry, including hu-
mans. They can grow to be 13-14 feet in length weighing over 600 pounds. You can read
more about the American Alligator at www.nationalgeographic.com
 State Bird: The Mockingbird is the official state bird of Florida. It is well known as a song bird,
they sing almost endlessly, even sometimes at night. They are typically gray with white under-
sides and grow to about 9 inches long. They typically nest in high perches where they can sing
and defend their nests. Their primary diet consists of beetles, ants, grasshoppers, berries and
seed. Read more information!
 State Flower: The Orange Blossom was designated the state flower on November 15, 1909. It is
known as one of the most fragrant flowers in Florida. Orange Blossoms are waxy white flowers
that bloom on the orange tree. They come in clusters of 1-6 during spring which will result in
oranges the following autumn or winter. They are perfect 5 petals and sepals which form a
small cup at the bottom. The orange blossom is the only state flower that has been made into
a commercial perfume! Visit www.theflowerexpert.com for more information!
 READ: If You Traveled on the Underground Railroad - Pg 12 - 17 (Start - What was slavery)
 Check out some of Florida’s Fun Facts: www.50states.com, www.netstate.com
Florida
Lesson 40:
 Kennedy Space Center: The National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) was start-
ed in 1958. NASA is responsible for aviation and space flight exploration! NASA’s Kennedy
Space Center is located in Orlando Florida and operates America’s astronaut launch facilities.
Kennedy Space Center has been the launch site for every U.S. human space flight since De-
cember 1968. visit their website to see when the next launch is scheduled for takeoff!
www.kennedyspacecenter.com
 Historical Figures: Don Juan Ponce de Leon was the first Spanish explorer (known as conquista-
dors or conquerors) to arrive in Florida. In 1943 Ponce de Leon sailed with Christopher Colum-
bus on Columbus’ second voyage to the Americas. He initially settled in the Caribbean island
of Hispaniola (Dominican Republic) where he became a military commander. In 1513 he
sailed north through the Bahamas towards Florida. Read more about Juan Ponce de Leon!
 Florida's world famous attractions: Walt Disney World, Busch Gardens, Sea World, Universal Stu-
dios and Florida Islands of Adventure.
 Activity: Make NASA Space Shuttle Craft! (See instructions following Florida coloring work-
sheet) If you’re feeling like something more exciting check out the Seltzer Rocket on Kaboose!
 Food: Florida is one of the citrus capitals of the world! You’ll find things like oranges, avocados,
star fruit, coconut, papaya, mango and passion fruit! They are also known for Spiny or Rock
Lobster. If you’re feeling adventurous you could always try some alligator meat, but for this
week just have a mixed fruit salad! (Go on a shopping field trip and gather some of the
above mentioned fruits to taste!) For dessert Key Lime Pie is popular. See recipe following
space shuttle craft.
 READ: If You Traveled on the Underground Railroad - Pg 19 - 22 (Buy Yourself? - Run Away)
More Information: Florida State at www.myflorida.com, Florida Historic Landmarks at Wikipedia
Florida - Space Shuttle Craft
Space Shuttle:
Supplies:
 Empty Paper towel roll
 White tempera paint and paint brush
 White cardstock or construction paper
 Black construction paper
 Red tissue paper, construction paper or ribbon
 Scissors, glue, markers
Directions:
 Paint paper towel roll white (can also cover using white construction paper if you pre-
fer)
 Cut Large triangle from white construction paper for wings
 Crumple small piece of black construction paper and stick it in the top of the paper
towel roll for tip of rocket.
 Glue torn strips of red paper or red ribbon to tail end of tube inside so it sticks out some
like engine fire.
 Using Markers write name of your space shuttle along the side and decorate as de-
sired.
 Glue completed roll onto large white triangle and start the count down to blast off!
Florida - Recipes
Key Lime Pie:
Ingredients:
Crust:
 1 package graham crackers crushed (about 1 c plus 2.5 t crumbs)
 5 T melted unsalted butter
 1/3 c sugar
Pie Filling:
 3 egg yolks
 2 limes, zest grated (about 1.5 t)
 1 14oz can sweetened condensed milk
 2/3 c freshly squeezed lime juice (preferably key limes, can use regular limes)
Topping:
 1 c heavy or whipping cream chilled
 3 T confectioners’ sugar
Directions:
 Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
 Grease a 9 inch pie pan
 Pour crushed graham crumbs in with melted butter and sugar and stir until combined.
 Press the mixture into the bottom of pie pan.
 Bake crust 8 minutes and set aside on wire rack leaving oven on.
 In electric mixer beat egg yolks and lime zest until fluffy, about 5 minutes
 Gradually add condensed milk and continue to beat until thick, about 3-4 minutes
longer.
 Pour mixture into pie crust and bake for about 10 minutes or until the filling has set.
 Cool on wire rack then refrigerate. Freeze for about 15—20 minutes before serving.
 Topping: Whip cream and confectioners’ sugar until nearly stiff, cut pie in wedges and
serve very cold topping each wedge with topping!
Georgia
Materials Needed:
 USA Wall Map
 Food: Peach Ice Cream (See recipe on following pages)
 Additional Reading: Who was Jackie Robinson? by Gail Herman
Lesson 41:
 Locate state and capital (Atlanta) on US Map
 Georgia was named the 4th State on January 2, 1788, and was one of the original 13 Colo-
nies. It is known as “The Empire State of the South” which represented a determination in the
Georgia citizenry to be leaders in industrial and economic development in the southern tier of
states. Georgia’s Okefenokee Swamp is home to hundreds of species of birds and wildlife. It
covers over 600 square miles along the Georgia/Florida border, and is the largest freshwater
swamp in the world.
 Read: National Geographic US Atlas: Pg 66-67 (Georgia)
 National Geographic US Atlas: Find Atlanta GA Pg 67 C2
 State Flag: The Georgia flag was adopted on May 8, 2003 and has 3 red and white stripes and
the state coat of arms on a blue field in the upper left corner. The 13 stars surrounding the seal
represent Georgia’s position as one of the original 13 colonies. The 3 pillars on the coat of arms
represent the three branches of government; legislative, judicial and executive. The date 1776
represents the signing of the Declaration of Independence.
 State Bird: The Brown Thrasher was named Georgia’s official state bird on April 6, 1935. It is a
large bird approximately 9-11 inches in length with one of the largest song repertoires of any
North American bird. Their diet consists of insects, worms, berries and fruits of all sorts. Click
here for more information!
 State Flower: The Cherokee Rose was named Georgia’s official state flower on August 18,
1916. It is a very thorny plant with vivid green leaves and scented Cherokee Rose flowers. The
flowers are 6-10 cm in diameter and very fragrant. The petals are typically white with a large
golden center. It has antibacterial, astringent properties and has been used in the treatment
of dysentery and to restore hair cover. Visit The Flower Expert for more info!
 READ: If You Traveled on the Underground Railroad - Pg 23 - 27 (Where would you go? - Safe
Place)
 Check out some of Georgia’s Fun Facts: www.50states.com, www.netstate.com
Georgia
Lesson 42:
 Jackie Robinson was born January 31, 1919 in Cairo, GA. He was the first African American
Major League Baseball player in the modern era. He broke the baseball color line when he
debuted with the Brooklyn Dodgers in 1947. He was the first black man to play in the major
leagues since the 1880’s and was instrumental in bringing an end to racial segregation in pro-
fessional baseball. Additional Reading: Who was Jackie Robinson? by Gail Herman
 State Marine Mammal: The Right Whale was named Georgia’s official state marine mammal in
1985. They grow to be about 50 feet long and weigh about 120,000 pounds! They are baleen
whales and feed on plankton and crustaceans from the water. The right whale’s existence has
been threatened since it was named by whalers about 800 years ago. They were named the
“right” whale to hunt because they swim slow and close to the surface. The whale’s oil was
used in lamps and perfume, their baleen for buggy whips and umbrella ribs, hair brushes and
more. By the 1800’s there were so few whales left that they became unprofitable to hunt. To-
day they are on the critically endangered list with only about 350 left.
 US President: Jimmy Carter the 39th U.S. President (1971-1975) was born on October 1, 1924 in
Plains, Georgia. He is known as a peanut farmer. He served 7 years as a naval officer then re-
turned to Georgia where he entered into state politics. He announced his candidacy for Presi-
dent in December 1974 and began a 3 year campaign that gained him the Presidency. You
can read more about Jimmy Carter at www.whitehouse.gov
 Food: Coca-Cola was founded by John Pemberton, an Atlanta pharmacist, in 1886 when he
stirred up a caramel-colored liquid that he sold for 5 cents a glass. By 1891 an Atlanta busi-
nessman, Asa Griggs Candler, secured the rights to the business for about $2,300. You can
read more about the history of Coca-Cola at heritage.coca-cola.com.
 State Fruit - Peach: The peach was designated as the official state fruit of Georgia in 1995. The
state is known for its high quality of peaches with superior flavor, texture, appearance and nu-
trition qualities. Make some homemade Georgia Peach Ice Cream! (See recipe on following
page)
 READ: If You Traveled on the Underground Railroad - Pg 28 - 31 (Canada - Fugitives)
More Information: Georgia State: www.georgia.gov, Georgia Historic Landmarks at Wikipedia
Georgia - Recipes
Homemade Peach Ice Cream:
Ingredients:
 2 1/2 pounds fresh peaches, peeled, pitted and chopped
 1/2 c white sugar
 1 pint half-n-half cream
 1 14-oz can sweetened condensed milk
 1 12-oz can evaporated milk
 1 tsp. vanilla extract
 2 c whole milk
 Gallon Ice Cream Freezer container
Directions:
 Puree peaches with sugar and half-n-half in batches in a blender
 In a gallon ice cream freezer container, mix together the peach mixture, sweetened
condensed, evaporated milk and vanilla. Pour in enough whole milk to fill the container
to the fill line (about 2 c)
 Follow manufacturers instructions to freeze the ice cream.
Review
Lesson 43:
 Locate Florida and Georgia on map, and review capitals
 Complete mini-books for FL and GA (See student workbook)
Supplies: White board, markers, jeopardy cards (See FL and GA Jeopardy Cards in Appendix)
Directions:
1. On white board write “Florida vs. Georgia Jeopardy”
example below)
Name Points
Student 1 30
Student 2 5
Student 3 20
Kentucky
Materials Needed:
 USA Wall Map
 Food: Kentucky Fried Chicken
 Additional Reading: Who was Daniel Boon? by Sydelle Kramer
Lesson 44:
 Locate state and capital (Frankfort) on US Map
 Kentucky is the 15th state and known for it’s finest thoroughbred race horses. It is known as
“The Bluegrass State” due to the vast expanses of Bluegrass across part of the state. They also
have underground deposits of limestone which make the bluegrass in Kentucky famous! Also
located in Kentucky is the Louisville Slugger Museum where you can go see the world’s largest
baseball bat and glove!
 Read: National Geographic US Atlas: Pg 68-69 (Kentucky)
 National Geographic US Atlas: Find Frankfort KY Pg 69 B7
 State Flag: Kentucky’s state flag was adopted in 1918 by the General Assembly, but the de-
sign was not approved until 1928. It has a blue background with the words “Commonwealth
of Kentucky” and the state seal. Goldenrod sprays frame the state seal. Click here to read
more about Kentucky’s State Flag
 State Fish: The Kentucky Spotted Bass was adopted as the official state fish in 1956. It can
reach a length of about 25 inches long weighing up to 10 pounds. A spotted bass has similar
coloration to the large mouth bass but has a smaller mouth. They can be found in mountain
streams, reservoirs with rocky bottoms and will feed on insects, frogs, and smaller fish.
 State Bird: The Cardinal became Kentucky’s official state bird in 1926. It is a type of finch that
can be found in gardens, streamside thickets, mesquite patches and woodlands through out
the US. Although they do not migrate for winter, they prefer areas with mild winters. Females
are typically olive—brown with reddish wings and have a crest and black mask. The males are
the bright red with a black mask around their eyes.Click here for more information!
 State Flower: The Golden Rod is the official state flower of Kentucky. Most of us have seen it
growing along side the road. It is a hardy perennial and grow about 2-8 feet tall depending
on the type. They have hairy stems and pointed leaves. The leaves smell like licorice when
crushed and make a nice anise-flavored tea! This plant attracts birds, bees, and butterflies.
 READ: If You Traveled on the Underground Railroad - Pg 32 - 35 (Disguises)
 Check out some of Kentucky’s Fun Facts: www.50states.com
Kentucky
Lesson 45:
 State Horse: The Thoroughbred was adopted as the Kentucky State horse in 1996. The Thor-
oughbred is noted for its speed on the race track, but also for it’s ability as a hunting, polo and
event jumping horse. The breed originated in Great Britain and it’s ancestors were Arabians
who were imported and bred to native sprinting mares. Click here to read more about Thor-
oughbred’s , there’s even some fun videos at the bottom of the site.
 The Kentucky Derby is an annually held, Grade 1 stakes race, for three-year-old Thoroughbred
horses. It is one of USA’s oldest Thoroughbred horse races. The race is 2km long, and known as
“The Most Exciting Two Minutes in Sports” or “The Fastest Two Minutes in Sports” since the race
takes approximately two minutes to complete. There are three legs to the race, and a horse
must win all three to win the Triple Crown. Attendance at the Kentucky Derby ranks first in
North America, surpassing all other stakes races. Learn more here, & watch videos!
 Famous Landmarks: In 1856, J Frederick Hillerich started a woodworking shop which grew into
the world famous Slugger Baseball Bat company! You can read more about the history of the
company here. Visit the Louisville Slugger Museum. You can also download an education
packet from the museum here.
 Mammoth Cave in Kentucky is one of the world’s longest known cave systems with over 390
miles explored! There are creatures that spend their entire lives in Mammoth Cave! The cave
contains thousands of stalactites, stalagmites and flowstone deposits throughout. You can
learn more about the Cave here: www.mammothcave.com
 Famous People: Daniel Boone was an American pioneer, explorer and frontiersman whose
frontier exploits made him on of the first folk heroes in the U.S. He was most known for the ex-
ploration and settlement of the Commonwealth of Kentucky. Click here to read more about
Daniel Boone.
 Additional Reading: Who was Daniel Boon? By Sydelle Kramer
 US Presidents: Abraham Lincoln, the 16th President of the US (1861-1865), was born February
12, 1809 in Hardin County, KY.
 Food: Kentucky is famous for corn, soybeans, wheat, fruit and dairy products. Kentucky Fried
Chicken Corporation is also located here! Have some KFC for dinner, or make your own
healthier version at home!
 Activity: Using plastic ducks, have your own version of a Kentucky Derby race! Take the ducks
to a nearby stream, establish an ending point then let them go, see which one wins!
 READ: If You Traveled on the Underground Railroad - Pg 36 - 39 (Signals and Codes)
More Information:
 Learn more about Kentucky at www.kentucky.gov
 Learn more about Kentucky’s Historic Landmarks at Wikipedia
Louisiana
Materials Needed:
 USA Wall Map
 Food: Cajun (see following pages for recipe links)
 Mardi Gras Mask Craft (See following pages for directions)
Lesson 46:
 Locate state and capital (Baton Rouge) on US Map
 Louisiana was the 18th state admitted to the Union on April 30, 1812. It is known as “The Peli-
can State” for the abundance of Brown Pelicans found along the coast. Louisiana is also
known for it’s state capital which is the tallest state capital in the U.S. The building has 34 floors
and is 450 feet tall. Louisiana is also known for its many bayous, slow moving streams or rivers,
which flow across the state. Crawfish, shrimp, shellfish, catfish and alligators can all be found in
the bayous of Louisiana! The weather there is hot and humid in summer, with occasional snow
in winter.
 Read: National Geographic US Atlas: Pg 70-71 (Louisiana)
 National Geographic US Atlas: Find Baton Rouge LA Pg 71 F6
 State Flag: The state flag of Louisiana was adopted in 1912. It has a blue field with a group of
pelicans from the state seal. There is a white ribbon with the state motto “Union, Justice and
Confidence” below the pelicans.
 State Reptile: The American Alligator was designated the state reptile of Louisiana in 1983. A
typical male reaches about 13-14 feet long and can weigh over 600 pounds! They are gener-
ally green, olive or nearly black in color. They have large claws with webbing between the
toes to aid in swimming. They can remain underwater for several hours if not actively swim-
ming or hunting. They feed on fish, birds, turtles, snakes, mammals, and amphibians. The
American Alligators are mostly found in the Southeastern U.S. Louisiana has an estimated pop-
ulation of 1.5 million alligators. Learn more: American Alligator at National Geographic
 State Bird: The Eastern Brown Pelican is Louisiana’s state bird. They are among the world’s sev-
en species of pelicans and found along ocean shores. They have dark body feathers with a
white head. They tend to soar close to the water surface searching for fish and some marine
invertebrates. Click here for more information.
 State Flower: The Magnolia is Louisiana’s state flower was approved on July 12, 1900. There are
currently about 210 different species in the Magnolia family. They are abundant in Louisiana
and have fragrant creamy white blooms. The Magnolia tree is an evergreen, which means it
keeps its leaves throughout the winter months.
 READ: If You Traveled on the Underground Railroad - Pg 40 - 45 (Slave Hunters - Stations)
Louisiana
Lesson 47:
 State Crustacean: Louisiana was the first state to adopt an official crustacean! In 1983, the
crawfish was designated the official state crustacean of LA. A.k.a. crayfish, mudbugs and
crawdads, the crawfish resemble a very small lobster. There are more than 500 species of
crawfish. You can learn more about Crawfish here
 On April 30, 1803, The Louisiana Purchase Treaty was signed by Robert Livingston, James Mon-
roe, and Barbe’ Marbois in Paris. Jefferson announced the treaty to the American people on
July 4. After the signing, Livingston make this famous statement, "We have lived long, but this is
the noblest work of our whole lives...From this day the United States take their place among
the powers of the first rank." The Louisiana Purchase was the acquisition by the U.S.A. of
828,800 square miles of France’s claim to the territory of Louisiana in 1803. It encompassed
part of 14 current US states and 2 Canadian provinces. The purchase doubled the size of the
United States. Learn more.
 Additional Reading: Louisiana Purchase by Peter Roop
 Famous Landmarks: New Orleans is one of the most famous cities in the US. They are known
for their Jazz Festivals and they host the annual Mardi Gras each year. Mardi Gras Carnival
season roots back to the Christian season of Lent. It is a season of parades, balls, and parties. It
spans about 2 weeks before and through “Fat Tuesday” (The day before Ash Wednesday.)
The celebration was brought to Louisiana by early French settlers when their men celebrated it
as an observance of Catholic practice. In 1875 Louisiana declared Mardi Gras a legal state
holiday. War, economic, political and weather conditions sometimes lead to cancellation of
some of the parades, however the city has always celebrated Carnival. You can learn more
at http://www.mardigrasneworleans.com .
 Mardi Gras Mask Craft: Supplies: Plastic Mask from hobby store, sequins, gemstones, feathers,
craft glue. Directions: Glue on feathers and gems to decorate mask. Purple and Green are
typical Mardi Gras colors, but you can feel free to decorate as you like!
 Food: Louisiana is known for it’s Cajun, gumbo, and crawfish recipes! Here is a great list of tra-
ditional recipes to try.
 READ: If You Traveled on the Underground Railroad - Pg 46 - 51 (The Trip - Workers)
More Information:
 Learn more about Louisiana at http://www.louisiana.gov/
 Learn more about Louisiana Historic Landmarks at Wikipedia
Review
Lesson 48:
 Locate Kentucky and Louisiana on map, and review capitals
 Complete mini-books for KY and LA (See student workbook)
Supplies: White board, markers, jeopardy cards (See KY and LA Jeopardy Cards in Appendix)
Directions:
1. On white board write “Kentucky vs. Louisiana Jeopardy”
example below)
Name Points
Student 1 30
Student 2 5
Student 3 20
Mississippi
Materials Needed:
 USA Wall Map
 Food: Mississippi Mud Pie (See following pages for recipe)
Lesson 49:
 Locate state and capital (Jackson) on US Map
 Mississippi was admitted into the Union on December 10, 1817 as the 20th State. It was nick-
named “The Magnolia State” which honors the beauty of the Magnolia Trees of Mississippi. It
became the birthplace of the teddy bear when President Theodore (Teddy) Roosevelt refused
to shoot a captured bear in 1902 while on a hunting trip in Mississippi.
 Read: National Geographic US Atlas: Pg 72-73 (Mississippi)
 National Geographic US Atlas: Find Jackson MS Pg 73 F3
 State Flag: The flag of Mississippi was adopted on February 7, 1894. If has a top strip of blue,
middle stripe of white and bottom stripe of red. It has a blue cross with 13 white stars in the top
left corner. The stars are said to represent the original number of States of the Union.
 State Waterfowl: The Wood Duck became the official state water fowl of Mississippi in 1974.
They are a colorful duck found mostly in forested wetlands, rivers, swamps, marshes, ponds,
and lakes. They typically feed on seeds, fruits, aquatic and terrestrial invertebrates. They are
considered a medium-sized duck with an iridescent green and purple head. The throat is
white with 2 projections on to the face and neck, and a red bill. Click here for more infor-
mation!
 State Bird: The Mocking Bird was named the official sate bird in 1944. They are slender gray
birds and sing almost endlessly, even sometimes at night. They are typically found in open are-
as with shrubby vegetation like hedges, bushes, and thickets. They’re favorite meal items are
beetles, earthworms, moths, butterflies, ants, bees, and even sometimes lizards. Click here for
more information!
 State Flower: The Magnolia was named the official state flower of Mississippi on April 1, 1938.
They are mostly brown for their beautiful flowers and fruit. Petals are typically white, pink or
purple and range from 3-12 inches in diameter.
 Check out some of Mississippi Fun Facts: www.netstate.com
 READ: If You Traveled on the Underground Railroad - Pg 52 - 57 (Learn - Caught)
Mississippi
Lesson 50:
 State Land Mammal: The White Tailed Deer was named the official state mammal of MS in
1974. The deer’s coat is a reddish-brown in the spring and summer and turns to a grey-brown
through fall and winter. It is most easily recognized by the white underside to it’s tail, which
they raise as a signal of alarm. It is currently classified as near-threatened. Most males re-grow
their antlers each year, they begin to grow in late spring, and are covered with a vascularised
tissue known as velvet. They mostly feed on legumes, plants, leaves, cacti, and grasses. They
can also eat things that humans cannot such as some poisonous mushrooms and Red Sumac,
which can cause severe allergic reactions in humans.
 Famous Landmark: Friendship Cemetery is located in Columbus, MS (aka “Where Flowers
Healed A Nation”). On April 25, 1866 a group of ladies of Columbus, MS decided to decorate
the graves of both Confederate and Union soldiers with bouquets of flowers. As a result of this
kind gesture, Americans now celebrate what we now call “Memorial Day” each year. It is a
day to honor the memories of those who have died in our nation’s service. The South refused
to honor the day until after World War I when the holiday changed from honoring Civil War
Veterans to any Americans who died during any war. It is now celebrated nationally on the
last Monday in May.
 Mississippi River: The Mississippi River is the largest river system in North America. It runs approxi-
mately 2,320 miles long originating at Lake Itasca, MN, and ending in New Orleans at the Gulf
of Mexico. Hundreds of Native American tribes have depended on the Mississippi River for sur-
vival. The Ojibwe word “gichi-ziibi” meaning Big River gave the river its present-day name. The
river previously served as the border for New France, New Spain, and the early United States.
Today the river serves as partial boundaries for ten states, and has served as a major naviga-
tion route through the center of North America.
 Steamboats played a major role in the 19th Century development of the Mississippi River, one
of the world’s great rivers (spans 3,860 miles). A Steamboat is a ship propelled by steam pow-
er, typically having either driving propellers or paddle-wheels. In the U.S. they were primarily
used as commercial passenger and freight transportation. The “New Orleans”, was the first
Mississippi steamboat. It was launched in 1811 at Pittsburgh, PA for a company organized by
Robert Livingston. She was the first steamboat on the western waters of the U.S. The boat sunk
near Baton Rouge on July 14, 1814 after 3 years of service Learn more about Mississippi
Steamboats here.
 Food: Mississippi mud pie is a favorite dessert in the heart of the south. See following page for a
yummy recipe.
 READ: If You Traveled on the Underground Railroad - Pg 58 - 64 (Who Helped - When did it
stop?)
More Information:
 Learn more about Mississippi at www.mississippi.gov
 Learn more about Mississippi Historic Landmarks at Wikipedia
Mississippi - Recipe
Mississippi Mud Pie:
Ingredients:
 1 C. Chopped Walnuts
 1/2 C. all-purpose flour
 1/2 C. butter, softened (Can substitute margarine)
 2 Large packages instant chocolate pudding mix (2.1 oz each)
 5 C. cold milk
 1 8-oz package cream cheese, softened
 1 C. confectioners’ sugar
 1/2 C. heavy whipping cream
Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F

2. In a medium bowl, combine walnuts and flour mixing well.
3. Stir in softened butter until ingredients form a ball.
4. Press mixture into bottom of 9x13 inch pan. And bake at 350 degrees for 20 min. until golden
brown, remove and cool.
5. Place pudding mix in medium bowl and whisk in milk. Mix until smooth allowing to set for 5
minutes.
6. Spread set pudding on top of cooled crust.
7. In large bowl whip cream cheese until fluffy. Beat in confectioners’ sugar until mixture is
smooth.
8. In separate bowl, whip cream until soft peaks form, then fold into cream cheese mixture.
9. Spread whipped mixture over the top of the pudding layer and chill.
Enjoy!
North Carolina
Materials Needed:
 USA Wall Map
 Food: Krispy Kreme Doughnuts
Lesson 51:
 Locate state and capital (Raleigh) on US Map
 North Carolina was made the 12th state on November 21, 1789, and was one of the original 13
colonies. It was named “The Tarheel State” as tar was one of the state’s major products in its
early years. The Venus fly-trap, an insect eating plant, is native to North Carolina. It grows in the
wild in just a 60 mile radius of Wilmington, NC in an area called The Green Swamp.
 Read: National Geographic US Atlas: Pg 74-75 (North Carolina)
 National Geographic US Atlas: Find Raleigh NC Pg 75 B7
 State Flag: The flag of North Carolina was approved in 1885. It has a blue field on the left side
with NC and a star in the middle. The upper right stripe is red and an equally sized white stripe
below. The logo is framed by 2 banners, one with the date May 20, 1775 , which represents the
Mecklenburg Declaration of Independence, and below it one with the date May 20, 1861,
which represents the date of North Carolina’s succession from the union.
 State Bird: The Northern Cardinal was named the state bird of NC in 1943. Cardinals have a dis-
tinctive appearance and song that sounds like “whit-chew whit-chew”. The males are brilliant
red and females a buff brown color with reddish wings. They can be found in dense shrubby ar-
eas such as forest edges, backyards, marshy thickets and the like. They eat mainly seeds and
fruit, along with some insects, centipedes, spiders, butterflies, and moths. Click here for more in-
formation!
 State Flower: The American Dogwood was named the official state flower in 1941. It is one of the
most common trees in NC, and can be found in all parts of the state. It blooms in early spring
and on into summer. Most are white, although shades of pink/red are not uncommon.
 State Berry: The Strawberry was named the official red berry of NC in 2001. They are high in Vita-
min C and A, and contain only 60 calories and zero grams of fat per cup. Strawberries (and
Blueberries) are important to the agricultural economy of the state, bringing in over $19 million in
2005. (Blueberries are the official state blue berry and brought in over $37 million in 2005)
 Check out some of North Carolina’s Fun Facts: www.50states.com
 READ: If You Lived at the Time of the Civil War: Pg 6-12 (Intro-Leaving the Union)
North Carolina
Lesson 52:
 State Mammal: The Eastern Squirrel was named the official state mammal in 1969. They thrive in
several regions of the U.S. They are predominately gray but can have a reddish color as well.
They have a white underside and large bushy tail. Squirrels hoard food in numerous small cach-
es for later recovery. They eat foods such as tree bark, seeds, acorns, walnuts and other nuts.
They have a high tolerance for humans and can live in residential neighborhoods and frequent-
ly raid bird feeders.
 US Presidents:
 Andrew Jackson, the 7th President of the U.S. (1829-1837), was born on March 15, 1767 in Wax-
haws region between North and South Carolina. He was nicknamed “Old Hickory” in response
to his toughness. He was the military governor of pre-admission Florida, and the commander of
the American forces at the Battle of New Orleans (1815). His political ambition and widening po-
litical participation shaped the modern Democratic Party.
 James Polk, the 11th President of the US (1845-1849) was born November 2, 1795 in Mecklen-
burg, NC. He is noted for his foreign policy successes.
 Andrew Johnson, the 17th President of the US (1865-1869) was born December 29, 1808 in Ra-
leigh, NC.
 Famous People:
 John Coltrane was born September 23, 1926 in Hamlet, NC. He was an American jazz saxopho-
nist and composer. He helped pioneer the use of modes in jazz, and was later at the forefront of
Free Jazz. He organized at least fifty recording sessions as a leader during his career, and ap-
peared along with the famous trumpeter Miles Davis. Visit Pandora to hear some of John Col-
trane’s music! (Just type his name in the box and click “Listen”.)
 Activity: Listen to some Jazz today during class work time.
 Food: The Krispy Kreme doughnut company was founded by Vernon Rudolf in Winston-Salem,
NC in 1937. He sold his first doughnuts for 25 cents per dozen after borrowing the ingredients
from a near-by grocer. Since then Krispy Kreme’s have grown and are available in several U.S.
states as well as internationally. Visit the Krispy Kreme website and see if there’s one in your area!
 READ: If You Lived at the Time of the Civil War: Pg 13-19 (Which States—Confederate Army)
More Information: North Carolina State: www.ncgov.com, N.C. Historic Landmarks at Wikipedia
Review
Lesson 53:
 Locate Mississippi and North Carolina on map, and review capitals
 Complete mini-books for MS and NC (See student workbook)
Supplies: White board, markers, jeopardy cards (See MS and NC Jeopardy Cards in Appendix)
Directions:
1. On white board write “Mississippi vs. North Carolina Jeopardy”
example below)
Name Points
Student 1 30
Student 2 5
Student 3 20
South Carolina
Materials Needed:
 USA Wall Map
 Food: Boiled Peanuts
Lesson 54:
 Locate state and capital (Columbia) on US Map
 South Carolina was one of the original 13 colonies, and the 8th state admitted to the union on
May 23, 1788. It is nicknamed “The Palmetto State” in honor of the type of trees used in the con-
struction of an American fort on Sullivan Island in Charleston Harbor. During the Revolutionary
War, British cannonballs bounced off the spongy palmetto logs used to build the fort.
 Read: National Geographic US Atlas: Pg 76-77 (South Carolina)
 National Geographic US Atlas: Find Columbia SC Pg77 D5
 State Flag: The state flag of South Carolina dates back to 1765 to remind us of its role in the
American Revolution. The flag has a blue field that is the same color as the soldier’s uniforms,
with The Palmetto tree in the center. The tree was instrumental in Colonel Moultrie’s defense of
Sullivan’s Island against an attack by British warships in June, 1776. Cannonballs fired at the fort
from the British ships couldn’t destroy the walls of the fort which were built of Palmetto logs. In-
stead the cannonballs sank into the soft, tough Palmetto wood. A crescent (new moon) was
added to the flag and represented the symbol worn on the soldiers caps.
 State Bird: The California Wren was designated the official state bird of South Carolina in 1948.
They are usually 6-7 inches long and about 20 grams in weight. The upper-side is an orange col-
or and the head has a striking pure white supercilium (eyebrow) and whitish throat. The chest is
a lighter yellowish color. They are known for their loud song, rendered as “teakettle-teakettle-
teakettle”. The Carolina Wren is sensitive to cold weather, since they do not migrate and stay in
northern Carolina, the wren population decreases quite a bit after severe winters. Learn more
here!
 State Flower: The Yellow Jessamine was named the state flower in 1924. It was not only selected
for its beauty and sweet fragrance, but also because “its delicate flower suggests the pureness
of gold, its perpetual return out of the dead winter suggests the lesson of constancy in, loyalty
to, and patriotism in the service of the state”(quote from South Carolina legislature). The flowers
grow in clusters of bright yellow, fragrant, tubular blossoms, with flared petals. They boom from
December to March.
 Check out some of South Carolina’s Fun Facts: www.50states.com
 READ: If You Lived at the Time of the Civil War: Pg 20-26 (Battles—Life in the North)
South Carolina
Lesson 55:
 State Insect: The Carolina Mantis was named the official state insect in 1988. This elongated
creature stalks the golden rod patch in fall and grabs anything that moves with its unique front
legs. It is the forelegs that give the “Praying Mantis” its name. The insect holds its front legs folded
like hands (like it is praying) until a passing insect comes close enough to grasp. It is typically 2-4
inches long and may vary greatly in color. Some are pale solid green, while others are brownish-
tan or gray, with or without spots. They have been known to capture prey as large as Ruby-
throated Hummingbirds. Learn more here!
 State Reptile: The Loggerhead Sea Turtle was named the official state reptile in 1988. It is the
world’s largest hard-shelled turtle and is distributed throughout the world. They have an average
weight of 180-440 pounds and are about 28-37 inches long. They spend most of their life in salt
water, with females coming ashore briefly to lay eggs. They usually lay four egg clutches and
then produce no eggs for two to three years. They are considered an endangered species and
are protected by the International Union for the Conservation of Nature.
 Famous Landmark: USS Yorktown was one of 24 Essex-class aircraft carriers built during World
War ll for the U.S. Navy. She is named after the Battle of Yorktown of the American Revolutionary
War. She participated in the Korean War and Vietnam War where she earned five battle stars,
and later as a recovery shop for the Apollo 8 space mission. Learn more here!
 Activity: Play a game of Battleship
 Food: Boiled Peanuts are the state snack of S.C. They are made by boiling green peanuts (as
opposed to roasted peanuts) in heavily salted water for 2-4 hours. Boiling peanuts became a
cultural practice in the south in the 19th century when the peanut crops would come in, in late
August. Unsold surplus peanuts would be boiled and friends and neighbors would gather to-
gether around the peanut boil for a celebration of the harvest.
 READ: If You Lived at the Time of the Civil War: Pg 27-33 (Life in South—School in South)
More Information: S.C.: www.sc.gov, S.C. Historic Landmarks at Wikipedia
Tennessee
Materials Needed:
 USA Wall Map
 Food: Tennessee Stack Cake (See following pages for recipe)
Lesson 56:
 Locate state and capital (Nashville) on US Map
 Tennessee was named the 16th state on June 1, 1796. It is known as “The Volunteer State” as
thousands of Tennesseans enlisted during the War of 1812. Reelfoot Lake, Tennessee’s largest
naturally formed lake, was created when the New Madrid Earthquake of 1811-1812 caused
the Mississippi River to fill a low area. Much of it is more of a swamp, with bayou-like ditches. It
is noted for its bald cypress trees and nesting pairs of bald eagles.
 Read: National Geographic US Atlas: Pg 78-79 (Tennessee)
 National Geographic US Atlas: Find Nashville TN Pg 79 B5
 State Flag: The state flag of Tennessee was adopted on April 17, 1905. It has a red background
with a geometric design symbolizing the geographical and cultural heritage of the state of
Tennessee. The red, white, and blue echo the colors of the United States flag. The 3 stars rep-
resent the three grand divisions of the state; Great Smoky Mountains, Cumberland Plateau,
and the narrow valleys and forested hills.
 State Bird: Tennessee named the Mockingbird its official state bird in 1933. Mockingbirds have
extraordinary vocal abilities and can sing up to 200 songs, including the songs of other birds,
insect and amphibian sounds, and even an occasional mechanical noise. They are consid-
ered one of the finest songbirds in North America. Learn more here!
 State Flower: The Iris was named the official state flower in 1933. They are a large purple or
white flower and one of the most loved garden plants. Iris plants have long stems and six-
lobed flowers. The flowers have 3 petals that sag downwards, and 3 that stand upright. Each
flower lasts about three days.
 State Insect: The Zebra Swallowtail Butterfly was named the official state butterfly in 1995. It is
easily identifiable by it’s zebra like black and white stripes running down the length of its body.
They have triangular shaped wings with red and blue spots on the lower back. They can be
seen from late March to August in the north, and from February to December in the south.
They are often found near pawpaw trees, open woodlands, grassy fields, savannas, and
southern pine woods.
 Check out some of Tennessee’s Fun Facts: www.50states.com
 READ: If You Lived at the Time of the Civil War: Pg 34-43 (Food in North—Entertainment in
South)
Tennessee
Lesson 57:
 State Wild Animal: The Raccoon was adopted as the state wild animal in 1971. Raccoons are
a medium-sized mammal native to North America. They are typically 16-28 inches long
weighting 8-20 pounds. They are usually nocturnal and omnivorous. They have a grayish coat
with a distinctive facial mask and dexterous front paws. The five digit front paws are “hyper-
sensitive” . They are able to identify objects before even touching them with vibrissae located
above their sharp, non-retractable claws. Their diet consists of about 40% invertebrates, 33%
plant material, and 27% vertebrates.
 Famous People: David (Davy) Crockett was born in Greene County, TN on August 17, 1786. He
was a celebrated 19th century American folk hero, frontiersman, soldier, and politician. He
gained a reputation for hunting and storytelling. Crockett opposed President Andrew Jack-
son’s Indian Removal Act which lead to his defeat in the 1834 elections. He then left for Texas,
where he took part in the Texas Revolution, and was killed at the Battle of the Alamo in March.
 Famous People: Elvis Presley, one of the most popular American singers of the 20th century,
lived in Memphis, TN. You can still visit his home today, “Graceland” in Memphis. He is widely
known as the “King of Rock and Roll”. He started making records in 1954 and had an upbeat
mix of country and rhythm and blues that was new to the music scene. His first RCA single
“Heartbreak Hotel” was released in January 1956 and was a number one hit. He also starred in
33 successful films and appeared in many record-breaking live concert performances. He’s
sold over one billion records globally, more than any other artist to date. He’s also been in-
ducted into several halls of fame. Elvis died at his Memphis home, Graceland, on August 16,
1977. You can listen to samples of his music at the Elvis Presley website, and learn more about
his life here: http://www.elvis.com/about-the-king/biography_.aspx
 Famous Landmark: The Great Smoky Mountain National Park are part of the Blue Ridge Moun-
tain range which is part of the larger Appalachian Mountain chain. Before the arrival of Euro-
pean settlers, the region was part of the homeland of the Cherokee Indians. In 1830 President
Andrew Jackson signed the Indian Removal Act, beginning the process that eventually result-
ed in the forced removal of all Indian tribes east of the Mississippi River. At the summit of Cling-
mans Dome (6,643 feet) is a concrete observation tower, built in 1959, which offers a pano-
ramic view of the mountains in every direction.
 Activity - Coon Skin Cap
Supplies
 Old baseball cap (Alternately can use piece of shirt-board cut to about 5 inches tall
and long enough to wrap around child’s head, secure ends with staples or tape)
 Craft fur
 Hot Glue (use with adult supervision)
Directions
1. Cut off the bill of the cap
2. Cover remainder of cap by gluing craft fur all over it
3. Add a strip of fur hanging down the backside
 Food: Tennessee Stack Cake is a favorite in this part of the country! See following page for rec-
ipe.
 READ: If You Lived at the Time of the Civil War: Pg 44-47 (Support—News)
More Information: Tennessee - www.tn.gov, Tennessee Historic Landmarks at Wikipedia
Tennessee - Recipe
Tennessee Stack Cake:
Dry Ingredients:
 4 1/4 c. all-purpose flour
 1 tsp. baking soda
 1 tsp. baking powder
 1/4 tsp. cinnamon
Creaming Ingredients:
 1 1/2 sticks unsalted butter
 1 1/4 c. granulated sugar (sifted)
 3/4 c. molasses
 2 eggs
 1/2 c. buttermilk
Dried Apple Filling:

 8 to 12 cups dried apples
 4 c. granulated sugar (sifted)
 2 tsp. cinnamon
 2 tsp. nutmeg
 2 Tbsp. molasses
 3 c. water
Topping: Confectioners’ sugar (dusted on top of finished cake)
Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F with rack in the middle position
2. Combine dry ingredients in a bowl and whisk to combine.
3. Using standing mixer, combine butter and sugar on medium speed until wet and grainy.
4. Add molasses and scrape sides of bowl to make sure it is all incorporated.
5. Add the eggs one at a time, mixing on low speed.
6. Alternate adding buttermilk and dry mixture about 1/4 at a time. Scrape bowl in between each
addition. The mixture should be stiff like a soft cookie dough.
7. Shape the dough into a ball and wrap in plastic wrap. Refrigerate for 30 minutes.
8. Divide dough into 6 to 8 equal portions and place each one on a round piece of parchment
paper a little larger than a 9 inch cake pan. Roll out the dough to the size of the parchment
then place the cake pan over the disk and trim away any excess around the edges.
9. Leave on parchment paper, lift disks onto baking sheets and bake them for approximately 10
minutes or until the top surface appears dry and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out
clean.
10. Slide baked disks onto a flat surface to cool.
Filling:
1. Combine all filling ingredients in a large sauce pan and bring to a light simmer. Immediately
transfer mixture into a food processor or blender and pulse into a thick paste.
Putting it all together:

1. Spread about 1 cup of filling onto each cake layer, and place on top of each other taking care
to center each disk on top of the one beneath it. Do not put apple filling on top of cake.
2. Wrap cake well and refrigerate for up to 24 hours. Dust with confectioners'’ sugar, serve chilled.
Review
Lesson 58:
 Locate South Carolina and Tennessee on map, and review capitals
 Complete mini-books for SC and TN (See student workbook)
Supplies: White board, markers, jeopardy cards (See SC and TN Jeopardy Cards in Appendix)
Directions:
1. On white board write “South Carolina vs. Tennessee Jeopardy”
example below)
Name Points
Student 1 30
Student 2 5
Student 3 20
Virginia
Materials Needed:
 USA Wall Map
 Food: Virginia Honey Glazed Ham
Lesson 59:
 Locate state and capital (Richmond) on US Map
 Virginia became the 10th state on June 25, 1788, and was one of the original 13 colonies. It
was nicknamed “The Old Dominion” referring to complete ownership of a particular piece of
land or territory during Colonial times. Virginia’s Assateague Island is home to a group of wild
ponies that claimed in legend to be survivors of a Spanish galleon that shipwrecked along the
coast. The ponies were made famous by Marguerite Henry in her children’s book titled “Misty
of Chincoteague”.
 Read: National Geographic US Atlas: Pg 80-81 (Virginia)
 National Geographic US Atlas: Find Richmond VA Pg 81 D9
 State Flag: The Virginia state flag, adopted in 1861, bears the Great Seal of the Common-
wealth on a field of blue. The seal depicts the goddess “Virtus” dressed as an Amazon, armed
with a spear and sword, standing over a defeated despot.
 State Bird: The Northern Cardinal was designated the official state bird in 1950. It is one of
America’s favorite backyard birds, distinctive in appearance and song. Male cardinals are
brilliant scarlet red, females are a buff brown color, both have a black mask, pronounced
crest and heavy bill. Learn more here!
 State Flower: The American Dogwood was adopted as the state flower in 1918. They are com-
monly seen in northern regions of the U.S.. Flowers are small and consist of four petal-like
bracts, usually snow white or pink in color. The flowers occur in small, greenish-yellow clusters
at the center of the bracts. The bracts are 1-2 inches long and usually have a cleft at the tip.
They bloom in late April and early May.
 State Dog: The American Foxhound was named the official state dog in 1966. The breed is
bred to hunt foxes by scent. They are usually 21-25 inches tall and weigh anywhere between
65-75 pounds. They have a short, harsh coat, with a white underside and legs with a white
tipped tail. They have a brown face, a brown-black upper back and tail. They are a sweet,
kind, loyal breed and are common house pets. Owners must give them ample exercise.
 Check out some Virginia Fun Facts: www.50states.com
 READ: If You Lived at the Time of the Civil War: Pg 48-55 (Famous People—Underground Rail-
road)
Virginia
Lesson 60:
 US Presidents: George Washington, 1st President of the US (1732-1799), Thomas Jefferson, 3rd
President of the US (1743-1826), James Madison, the 4th President of the U.S. (1751-1836),
James Monroe, 5th President of the US (1758-1831), William Henry Harrison, 9th President of the
US (177301841), John Tyler, the 10th President of the US (1790-1862), Zachary Taylor, the 12th
President of the US(1784-1850), Woodrow Wilson, 28th President of the US (1856-1924).
 Jamestown, VA was the first permanent English settlement in what is now the U.S.A. It was
founded by the London Company. It is located on the James River about 40 miles inland from
the Atlantic Ocean. Jamestown was the capital of the Virginia Colony through the 17th cen-
tury from 1616 until 1699. In the 18th century the capital was moved to Williamsburg, and in the
20th century it was moved to Richmond.
 Lewis & Clark Expedition: Meriwether Lewis (born in 1774 in Albermarle County, VA) and Wil-
liam Clark (born in 1770 in Caroline County, VA) lead a famous expedition to the Pacific
ocean between 1804-1806. The goal was to find a “direct and practicable water communica-
tion across the continent for the purpose of commerce.” The expedition actually made a firm
claim of “discovery” to the Pacific Northwest to compete with the British for control of land
and the fur trade. Learn more here.
 Additional Reading (Older Students Only): Lewis & Clark Expedition by Carol A. Johmann
 Famous Landmark: Arlington National Cemetery is located in Arlington County, VA and is a
military cemetery in the US established during the American Civil War. Veterans and military
casualties from each of the nation’s wars are interred in the cemetery. Originally part of
George Washington’s estate, it has become one of the most important shrines that the U.S.
maintains.
 Food: Virginia is known for it’s famous Virginia honey glazed ham and Virginia Peanuts. The Vir-
ginia Diner in Wakefield is famous for the peanuts it packages and sends around the world.
 Activity: Take a “Lewis & Clark” expedition of your neighborhood or school. Bring along a
notebook to take notes, draw maps, and mark down notable landmarks. Make sure to bring
along a magnifying glass incase you find some interesting insects or plant life along the way!
 READ: If You Lived at the Time of the Civil War: Pg 56-62 (Famous Expressions—Life after War)
More Information: Virginia state: www.virginia.gov, Virginia Historic Landmarks at Wikipedia
Lewis & Clark Expedition Trail
West Virginia
Materials Needed:
 USA Wall Map
 Food: West Virginia Slaw Dog, Apple Butter (See following pages for recipes)
Lesson 61:
 Locate state and capital (Charleston) on US Map
 West Virginia became the 35th state on June 20, 1863. West Virginia was given statehood sta-
tus with the “Agreement” that the citizens would phase out slavery. It was named “The Moun-
tain State” due to the rugged terrain of the scenic Allegheny Mountains that cross the state. It
is also known as the marble-making capital of the U.S. The state has large deposits of silica-rich
sandstone, and has become a major producer of fine glassware and glass marbles.
 Read: National Geographic US Atlas: Pg 82-83 West Virginia
 National Geographic US Atlas: Find Charleston WV Pg 83 F3
 State Flag: The current flag of WV was adopted in 1905. The flag has a white background with
a navy blue border. The official state seal is in the center. The two men pictured represent
farming and mining, and the state flower, the big laurel frames the seal.
 State Bird: The Cardinal was named the official state bird of WV on March 7, 1949. During
courtship, the male feeds seed to the female beak-to-beak. Females lay a clutch of 3-4 eggs
at a time, and only 2-4 clutches are produced each year. The Cardinal was once prized as a
pet, however the Migratory Bird Treaty Act of 1918 banned the sale of the Cardinal as a
caged bird. Learn more here!
 State Flower: The Rhododendron was named the official state flower in 1903. It is native to the
eastern US and produce showy funnel-shaped flowers. The flower is produced of 5 lobes that
are typically 1 inch long. The color ranges from white to pale pink and occasionally deep pink
to rose red. Rhododendron leaves are poisonous to cattle and deer.
 Check out some WV Fun Facts: www.50states.com
West Virginia
Lesson 62:
 State Mammal: The Black Bear was selected as the official state animal by a poll of students,
teachers and sportsmen and adopted officially in 1973. Black bears are omnivores (eat both
plants and animals), with their diets depending on the season. They typically live in large for-
ested areas, but will leave in search of food. They often mark trees with their claws to show
dominance in an area. Dominance is determined by the highest claw mark found on the tree.
Their weight varies according to age, sex and health. Adult males typically weigh between
200-600 pounds, while females weigh between 90-370 pounds. They can be between 4-6 feet
in length. The largest Black Bear ever recorded was a male from North Carolina that weighted
880 pounds! Learn More Here.
 State Reptile: The Timber Rattlesnake was named the official state reptile in 2008. This is the on-
ly rattlesnake species featured prominently in the American Revolution as the symbol of the
first Continental Navy and the First Navy Jack. The Timber Rattler is one of North America’s
most dangerous snakes, due to its long fangs, impressive size, and high venom yield. They usu-
ally grow to anywhere between 35-59 inches long. They have tan scales with distinct black
stripes down their bodies and a large triangular shaped head. They mainly feed on small
mammals, but may also eat small birds, frogs, or even other snakes. They are found in decidu-
ous forests and rugged terrain. During summer, females prefer open, rocky ledges where tem-
peratures are higher, while males spend time in cooler, denser woodland. During winter, they
hibernate in dens.
 Food: The West Virginia Slaw Dog is a popular treat in this part of the country. See Recipe on
following page. West Virginia is also home to the annual fall Apple Butter Festival. See follow-
ing page for a fun recipe!
More Information: WV state: www.wv.gov, WV Historic Landmarks at Wikipedia
West Virginia - Recipes
West Virginia Slaw Dog:
Ingredients
 8 all-beef hot dogs
 8 buns
 2 cups meat sauce (See recipe Below)
 Yellow mustard
 1 sweet Vidalia onion, chopped
 2 cups coleslaw (See recipe below)
Directions: Cook the franks on the grill. Steam the bun. Put the dog in the bun, top with mustard,
then the meat sauce, then the onions, then the slaw.
Sour Cream Coleslaw:

Slaw:
Dressing:
 1 pound green cabbage, cored, shredded
 1/4 C. Sour Cream
 1 large carrot, peeled, shredded
 1/4 C Mayonnaise
 1/2 bell pepper, green, red, or yellow cored,
 3 Tbsp. Sweet pickle relish
diced fine
 1 Tbsp. sugar
 1/2 small onion, diced fine
 1 Tbsp. Distilled white vinegar
 1/4 tsp. mustard powder
 1/4 tsp. white pepper
 1/2 tsp. celery seed
 1/4 tsp. salt
Directions: Mix all dressing ingredients, and combine with slaw ingredients. Chill for at least 1 hour
before serving.
Meat Sauce:  1/2 tsp. ginger powder

 1/2 tsp. salt
Ingredients:
 1/2 tsp. ground black pepper
 1 lb lean ground sirloin
 1 large onion, chopped
 3 c. water
 1 red bell pepper, chopped
 3 Tbsp. Worcestershire sauce
 3 cloves garlic, minced
 4 ounces tomato paste
 2 Tbsp. chili powder
 2 tsp. balsamic vinegar
 1tsp. Ground cumin
 1/2 tsp. Tabasco Chipotle Sauce
 1 tsp dried oregano
 1 Tbsp. olive oil
 1/2 tsp. cinnamon
 1/2 tsp mustard powder
Directions:
1. In small bowl assemble dry ingredients: chili powder, cumin, oregano, cinnamon, mustard, gin-
ger, salt, and pepper.
2. In another bowl mix the wet ingredients: Water, Worcestershire, tomato paste, vinegar, and hot
sauce.
3. Crumble meat into a medium hot pan and grown about 15 minutes.
4. Push meat to side of pan and olive oil, onions and peppers to the empty side, frying for about 5
minutes or until onions are limp. Add garlic and fry 1 more minute, then mix everything in the
pan together.
5. Add the wet ingredients to the pan and simmer, uncovered, for about an hour. If it dries out
add more water. Cook down to desired thickness, typically that of a sloppy Joe.
West Virginia - Recipe
West Virginia Apple Butter:
Ingredients
 5 1/2 pounds apples—peeled, cored, and finely chopped
 4 cups white sugar
 1/4 tsp ground cloves
 1/4 tsp. salt
Directions:
1. Place the apples in a slow cooker.
2. In a medium bowl, mix sugar, cinnamon, cloves and salt.
3. Pour mixture over apples in slow cooker and mix well.
4. Cover and cook on high 1 hour.
5. Reduce heat to low and cook 9-11 hours, stirring occasionally until the mixture is thickened
and dark brown.
6. Uncover and continue cooking on low 1 hour, stirring occasionally. Mixture can be smoothed
out by stirring with a wire whisk if necessary.
7. Spoon mixture into sterile containers, cover and refrigerate or freeze.
Enjoy on bread or crackers.
Southeast Review
Lesson 63:
 Locate Southeast states on map, and review capitals (Alabama, Arkansas, Florida, Georgia,
Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee, Virginia, West Virgin-
ia)
 Complete mini-book for VA and WV (See student workbook)
 Assemble Southeast states puzzle (See following page, you may want to print one per student.
go.)
to help them remember state names.) Add in Northeast Puzzle pieces.
card to the appropriate state puzzle pieces and capital cards, include Northeastern pieces.
 Play Southeast States Jeopardy:
Supplies: White board, markers, jeopardy cards - Print VA and WV jeopardy cards, also need re-
maining Southeast Jeopardy Cards in Appendix (These should have already been printed in previ-
ous state review lessons.)
Directions:
1. On white board write “The Southeast States Jeopardy”
example below)
3. Use Southeast Jeopardy cards from Appendix (Should have already been printed during previ-
all Southeast States Jeopardy winner.)
9. Bring everyone to BBQ to celebrate making it through the entire Southeastern region of the U.S!
Name Points
Student 1 30
Student 2 5
Student 3 20
The Midwest
The Midwest
Illinois
Indiana
Iowa
Kansas
Michigan
Minnesota
Missouri
Nebraska
North Dakota
Ohio
South Dakota
Wisconsin
Illinois
Materials Needed:
 USA Wall Map
 Food: Deep Dish Pizza, Chicago Style
Lesson 64:
 U.S. Presidents Song (See Appendix pg 270 for President Song Lyrics.) Visit Mrs. Jones Room for
music to practice in your class. We will practice this daily until students have mastered it. If you
have young ones, you may want to take a verse at a time, then add the next verses slowly as
they are ready.
 Locate state and capital (Springfield) on US Map
 Illinois was named the 21st state on December 3,1818. Illinois was nicknamed “The Prairie State”
as most of the state was covered with prairie grasses. Today it still pays homage to the prairie
by celebrating the third week of September as “Illinois Prairie Week”. It is one of the nation’s
top corn-growing states. It is known for a wide variety of weather including major winter storms,
deadly tornadoes and even hot and cold waves are common.
 Read: National Geographic US Atlas: Pg 88-91 (The Midwest & Illinois)
 National Geographic US Atlas: Find Springfield IL Pg 91 E3
 State Flag: The Illinois state flag was adopted on July 16, 1915. It was made of white taffeta and
the great seal of Illinois is printed on a white background with the states name below it.
 State Fish: The Bluegill was named the Illinois official state fish in 1986. They can be identified by
their stripy olive to yellow colors and distinctive black spot just behind their gills. They are abun-
dant in clear lakes as well as ponds and swamps. They are carnivorous eating mostly aquatic
insects and larvae along with crayfish, snails and algae.
 State Bird: The Cardinal is a beautiful red long-tailed song bird. They do not migrate so you can
see their brilliant color even in the winter snow. The males are a brilliant red color while the fe-
males are a pale brown with warm reddish fringe in the wings, tail, and crest. Click here for
more information!
 State Flower: The Purple Violet was adopted as the Illinois state flower on January 21, 1908. It is
a small flower only about 3/4 of an inch across with 5 small petals. They bloom in mid to late
spring. While they do not have any noticeable fragrance, the petals are frequently covered
with sugar and used as decorations on cakes. Click here for more information
 Check out some of Illinois’ Fun Facts: www.50states.com
Illinois
Lesson 65:
 Practice U.S. Presidents Song Mrs. Jones Room Presidents Song(See Appendix pg 270 for Presi-
dent Song Lyrics.)
 State Reptile: The Painted Turtle is the Illinois official state reptile. It is a small turtle with an adult
length of 4-10 inches. Their shell is green to black in color, however their underside has a bright
red and black design that looks like it has been painted! They are very calm and easy to take
care of making them wonderful pets. They eat meat and fresh vegetables. They are mostly
aquatic creatures meaning they spend most of their time in the water.
 Famous People: Al Capone was an American gangster who rose to power during the Prohibi-
tion era (1920’s). He moved to Chicago, IL where he became one of the top gangsters in the
area. He was finally arrested for failure to file his income taxes and sentenced to 10 years of
hard labor in October 1931. Click here to read Al Capone’s full biography
 Frank Lloyd Wright was born in Richland Center, Wisconsin in 1867. He later moved to Chicago
in 1887 where he worked as an architect and drafted the Unity Chapel. He has a unique style
that is known as one of the most influential and imaginative architects of the 20th century. His
home and studio is located in Chicago, IL and was declared a National Historic Landmark in
1976. Click here to read more about Frank Lloyd Wright.
 Wyatt Earp was born on March 19, 1848 in Monmouth, Illinois. He was an American peace of-
ficer, gambler, saloon-keeper, miner and farmer. He is best known for his participation in the
Gunfight at the O.K. Corral, along with Doc Holiday and two of his brothers. It was a 30 second
gunfight that took place at 3:00 p.m. on October 26, 1881 in Tombstone, Arizona. Only 3 men
were killed during the fight, it was recorded as the most famous gunfight in the history of the
Old West. Click here to read more!
 US President: Ronald Reagan , the 40th President of the U.S. (1981-1989) was born February 6,
1911 in Tampico, IL.
 Food: Chicago, IL is known for it’s deep dish pizza, some say it’s the best in the world! Find a
great local pizza place and order a deep dish for dinner! If you have an Uno’s pizza near by,
give them a try! Illinois is also known for it’s popcorn since they are the leading corn producing
state.
 Cut out the below postcard front and back sides and glue together with printed sides
facing out. Design a front cover for the country. On the back side write a fun letter to
someone telling them how you feel about it. For example: Do you like this country, why
or why not? Would you invite your friend to come visit you here? What are the people
like here?
an O-Ring for quick reference.
More Information: Learn more about Illinois at www.illinois.gov, Illinois Historic Landmarks at Wik-
ipedia
Indiana
Materials Needed:
 USA Wall Map
 Food: Sugar Crème Pie (Hoosier Pie) - (See recipe on following page)
 Paper Airplane Activity (See below for directions)
Lesson 66:
 Practice U.S. Presidents Song (See Appendix pg 270 for President Song Lyrics.)
 Locate state and capital (Indianapolis) on US Map
 Indiana was named the 19th state on December 11, 1816. It is nicknamed “The Hoosier State”
for several reasons, one is in reference to a boat named the “Indiana Hoosier”. Another possi-
bly is that the state was named after a group of nosey Indianans who called out “Who’s
here?” to every house they passed. Indiana is home to one of the largest limestone deposits
on earth. The Empire State Building, Rockefeller Center, the Pentagon U.S. Treasure and 14
state capitals are built of Indiana limestone!
 Read: National Geographic US Atlas: Pg 92-93 (Indiana)
 National Geographic US Atlas: Find Indianapolis IN Pg 93 E4
 State Flag: The Indiana state flag was adopted on May 31, 1917. It has a blue field with 19 stars
and a flaming torch in gold in the center. The largest star represents Indiana the 19th state,
while the outer 13 stars stand for the original 13 colonies. The inner 5 stars represent the next 5
states to be admitted to the Union.
 State Stone: Limestone is the official state stone of Illinois. It is popular in many landmarks
around the world. Giza, the Great Pyramid of Egypt is made of limestone. It is a sedimentary
rock composed of the minerals calcite and aragonite, and makes up 10% of the total volume
of all sedimentary rocks. Most cave systems are through limestone bedrock Click here to read
more about limestone
 State Bird: The Cardinal is the state bird of Indiana. The male cardinal defends it’s territory from
other males. If it sees its own reflection in glass it will spend hours fighting with the imaginary
intruder. Along with last week’s state of Illinois, the cardinal is the state bird for 7 states! Click
 State Flower: The Peony has beautiful large and fragrant blossoms that are typically red or
white in color. They need little care and can live through severe winters. They bloom each
spring and will last in an established garden for many years. They have been cultivated in Chi-
na for more than 2,000 years, not only for the flowers, but also for the roots which are used for
food and medicine.
 Famous People- The Wright Brothers: Wilbur Wright was born in Millville, Indiana on April 16,
1867. Inspired by a toy helicopter gift from their father, Wilber along with his brother Orville,
spent a lifetime developing different flying contraptions. In 1903 they launched the first con-
trolled and sustained human airplane flight ever. By 1905 they launched an airplane that
could fly for more than 30 minutes at a time, and by 1908 they’d reached a 1 hour flight time.
The Wright planes were the first U.S. military airplanes. Click here to learn more about the
Wright Brothers.
 Airplane Craft:
 Supplies: copy paper and your imagination!
 Directions: Fold paper in half length wise. Take upper right corner and fold it down to-
wards center of paper, repeat on opposite side. Repeat this folding 2 more times. Fold
entire triangle backwards along center fold and flip out wings. Have flying contests to
see whose goes the furthest.
 Need help? Here’s a great site with paper airplane instructions! 10paperairplanes.com
 Check out some of Indiana’s Fun Facts: www.50states.com
Indiana
Lesson 67:
 Indy 500: The Indy 500 is a 500 mile American automobile race, held annually over the Memo-
rial Day weekend at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway. The speedway has been open since
1909 and covers 253 acres! Four cars have finished the race without a pit stop, the last time
that happened was 1949! Click here for more information on the Indy 500 race! Click here to
learn more about the Indianapolis Motor Speedway
 Food: While Indiana does not have a specific state food, the Hoosier Pie (Sugar Cream Pie) is
popular. See recipe on following coloring worksheet.
 Activity: Have an Indy 500 of your very own! Use matchbox cars and create a ramp out of ply-
wood or cardboard. Hold races to see which car wins.
 Alternate Activity: Box Car Derby
Supplies:
 Empty Box from bar of soap
 Colored plastic tape to decorate
 Small numbered stickers
 Sharpened pencil
 Two 5-inch lengths of wooden skewers
 Craft Glue
 Four 1” wooden beads with 1/8” holes in center
 1 Small Balloon per car
 1 Bendable Drinking straw per car
Directions
 Decorate soap box with colored tape, and add on numbers using stickers or markers
 Using pencil, poke 2 axle holes on each side of the box about 3/4” from the end and
1/4” from bottom.
 Push a skewer through each section of holes for wheel axels. Glue wooden beads onto
each side of axels for wheels and allow to dry. (Can use hot glue with adult supervision)
 Blow up a balloon a few times to stretch out. Stick bendy side of straw into neck of bal-
loon and secure with plastic tape.
 Secure tape to top of bar of soap with straw sticking out, To race the car, blow up the
balloon, pinch end until ready to go. Set car on flat surface and let go!
 More Information: Indiana State: www.in.gov, Indiana Historic Landmarks at Wikipedia
Indiana - Recipes
Sugar Cream Pie:
Ingredients:
 1 9inch pie crust, baked
 4 T cornstarch
 3/4 c white sugar
 4 T butter, melted
 2 1/4 c half-n-half cream
 1 t vanilla extract
 2 T butter, melted
 1/2 t ground cinnamon
Directions:
 Pre-heat oven broiler to high.
 In saucepan, mix cornstarch and sugar. Add 4 tablespoons butter and half-n-half. Cook
on high heat stirring constantly until thick and creamy.
 Add vanilla to mixture
 Pour mixture into pie crust and drizzle 2 tablespoons butter over top and sprinkle with
cinnamon. Put under broiler until butter bubbles. Watch carefully as it only takes about
1 minute!
 Refrigerate for about an hour, pie will set to a custard consistency.
Review
Lesson 68:
 Locate Illinois and Indiana on map, and review capitals
 Complete mini-books for IL and IN (See student workbook)
Supplies: White board, markers, jeopardy cards (See IL and IN Jeopardy Cards in Appendix)
Directions:
1. On white board write “Illinois vs. Indiana Jeopardy”
example below)
Name Points
Student 1 30
Student 2 5
Student 3 20
Iowa
Materials Needed:
 USA Wall Map
 Food: Corn, Quaker Oats
 Activity: Geodes
Lesson 69:
 Locate state and capital (Des Moines) on US Map
 Iowa was named the 29th state on December 28, 1846. It is nicknamed “The Hawkeye State”
supposedly after the scout, Hawkeye, in James Fenimore Cooper’s “The Last of the Mohicans”
published in 1826. It is the only state in the United States whose east and west borders are al-
most entirely formed by water; the Mississippi River (east border) and the Missouri River (west
border). Iowa is one of our largest producers of corn and soybeans.
 Read: National Geographic US Atlas: Pg 94-95 (Iowa)
 National Geographic US Atlas: Find Des Moines IA Pg 95 D5
 State Flag: The state flag of Iowa was adopted in 1921. It has the state motto written on the
blue streamer held in the bald eagle’s beak. It has blue, white and red vertical stripes with an
eagle in the center.
 State Rock: The geode was adopted as Iowa’s official state rock in 1967. It has an earth like
outer shell but then when cut it reveals a hollow core full of sparkling mineral crystals usually
made of quartz and calcite. Click here to see some pictures of geodes!
 State Bird: The American Goldfinch is the official state bird of Iowa. It a small (approximately
4.25” long) seed-eating bird with a beautiful yellow head, back, breast and belly. The Ameri-
can Goldfinch is almost strictly vegetarian. Click here for more information!
 Activity: Visit a local nature store and purchase an un-opened geode. Crack the geode open
to discover the beauty inside!
Iowa
Lesson 70:
 State Flower: The Wild Prairie Rose was designated as the Iowa official state flower in 1897. It is
a deciduous shrub that blooms from June through late summer. It’s petals are various states of
pink with a bright yellow stamens in the center. While they are typically grown as an ornamen-
tal plant they can also be use din salads, to make tea, or can even be candied!
 Famous Landmarks: The George M. Verity (towboat) is one of only 3 steam-powered tow-
boats in existence in the U.S. It was built in 1927 by the U.S. Government. After serving for 33
years on the Mississippi and Ohio Rivers, the towboat retired in 1960 and in 1961 was given to
the City of Keokuk for use as a river museum.
 Famous People: Buffalo Bill (William Frederick Cody) was born in LeClaire, Iowa in 1846. He left
home at the age of 12 and headed to Wyoming working for a wagon train. He was best
known as an illustrious prairie scout. He was continuously employed by the US Army as a scout
and in 1872 received a congressional Medal of Honor. In 1872 he appeared on stage playing
himself in “Scouts of the Prairie”. He created the Wild West Show in 1883 and from there trav-
eled the country performing in his show. At the time he was one of the most famous and rec-
ognizable men in the world! Click here to read more about Buffalo Bill!
 US President: Herbert Hoover, the 31st President of the U.S. (1926-1933) was born August 10,
1874 in West Branch, IA.
 Food: Iowa raises more hogs than any other state, thus hogs are one of Iowa’s leading live-
stock income. It is also known as being part of the “corn belt” meaning corn is its most pre-
dominant crop. Make sure to have some popcorn for a snack or add corn to dinner in honor
of Iowa this week! They are also known for being soy beans, Quaker Oats, and the world-
famous Maytag Blue Cheese!
More Information:
 Learn more about Iowa at http://iowa.com/, www.iowa.gov
 Learn more about Iowa Historic Landmarks at Wikipedia
Kansas
Materials Needed:
 USA Wall Map
 Food: Wheat, Beef
Lesson 71:
 Locate state and capital (Topeka) on US Map
 Kansas was named the 34th state on January 29, 1861. It was nicknamed “The Sunflower
State” as a reminder of the wild sunflowers that grow across the state. Kansas is the geograph-
ical center of the contiguous 48 states. It is the beginning reference point for land surveying in
North America. It is named after the Kansas River which flows through it, which was in turn
named after the Kansa tribe which inhabited the area. Click here to read more about Kan-
sas!
 Read: National Geographic US Atlas: Pg 96-97 (Kansas)
 National Geographic US Atlas: Find Topeka KS Pg 97 B9
 State Flag: The Kansas state flag was adopted on May 21, 1927. It displays the Great Seal of
Kansas centered on a blue field. The seal has 34 stars at the top as Kansas was the 34th state
to be accepted into the Union. The seal contains rolling hills around Fort Riley, Native Ameri-
cans hunting Bison, prairie schooners heading west and the oxen mirror the expanding fron-
tier.
 State Reptile: The Ornate Box Turtle is the official state reptile of Kansas. It is one of only two ter-
restrial species of turtles native to the Great Plains of the United States. The Ornate Box Turtle is
a small sized turtle with yellow lines from the center of the shell to the edges. You may also find
gray, red-brown, or black coloration on its shell. Males have bright red or orange eyes, with
that same color usually on their front claws, face, and neck. You can tell the turtles age by
looking for growth rings on it’s shell. Box turtles can live to be about 30 years old.
 State Bird: The Western Meadowlark is the official state bird of Kansas. It is a medium-sized bird
about 8.5cm long. It nests on the ground in open country and feeds mostly on insects, seeds
and berries. They are a pretty yellow breast with white and brown striped backs and wings
and a long pointy beak. Click here for more information!
 State Flower: The Sunflower is the official state flower of Kansas. It is an annual plant native to
the America’s. They have large flowering heads and rough thick stems. Each head consists of
1,000-2,000 individual flowers joined together by a receptacle base. Sunflower seeds became
popular in the 16th century along with sunflower oil. The leaves can be used as cattle food
while the stems contain a fiber that can be used in making paper!
 Check out some of Kansas Fun Facts: www.50states.com
Kansas
Lesson 72:
 State Mammal: The American Bison is the official state mammal of Kansas. They were known to
roam the grasslands of North America in massive herds. Due to commercial hunting the bison
nearly went extinct and are now restricted to national parks and reserves. The Bison has a
shaggy, long, dark brown winter coat and a lighter brown coat in summer. They can reach up
to 6 feet tall and 11 feet long and weight up to 2,200 pounds! They are herbivores, grazing n
grasses of North American prairies.
 Famous People: Amelia Earhart was born July 24, 1897 in Atchison, KS. She was a noted Ameri-
can aviation pioneer and author. She was the first woman to receive the U.S. Distinguished Fly-
ing Cross award for becoming the first woman pilot to fly solo across the Atlantic Ocean. Dur-
ing an attempt to make a flight around the globe in 1937, Earhart disappeared over the cen-
tral Pacific Ocean near Howland Island.
 Brown vs. Board of Education: Linda Brown attempted to enroll in the Sumner Elementary
School (located in Topeka, KS.) in 1954. The school was closer to her house than the all African
American Monroe School she had been attending. Her enrollment was rejected by the Tope-
ka Board of Education. Her father joined a class action lawsuit against the Topeka Board of
Education that eventually resulted in the landmark decision of the United States Supreme
Court, that declared state laws establishing separate public schools for black and white stu-
dents, unconstitutional. You can read more about Brown vs. Board of Education here!
 Food: Kansas is the top wheat and beef producer in the United States. They also grow corn,
sugar beets, oats and apples. Kansas is famous for BBQ of such items as smoked ribs, catfish
and steak. In 1990 and 1997 Kansas farmers produced enough wheat to provide everyone on
Earth with six loaves of bread! Pick any of the foods above to include in your meal this week!
More Information: Kansas State: www.Kansas.gov, Kansas Historic Landmarks at Wikipedia
Review
Lesson 73:
 Locate Iowa and Kansas on map, and review capitals
 Complete mini-books for IA and KS (See student workbook)
Supplies: White board, markers, jeopardy cards (See IA and KS Jeopardy Cards in Appendix)
Directions:
1. On white board write “Iowa vs. Kansas Jeopardy”
example below)
Name Points
Student 1 30
Student 2 5
Student 3 20
Michigan
Materials Needed:
 USA Wall Map
 Food: Cherries
 Invention Activity (See following page for directions)
 Additional Reading: Who was Thomas Alva Edison by Margaret Frith
Lesson 74:
 Locate state and capital (Lansing) on US Map
 Michigan was named the 26th state on January 26, 1837. It was nicknamed “The Great Lake
State” because the Michigan shores meet four of the five Great Lakes and in reference to the
number of inland lakes in the state. It has the longest freshwater shoreline in the world. There
are 11,000 inland lakes and more than 36,000 miles of streams in the state.
 Read: National Geographic US Atlas: Pg 98-99 (Michigan)
 National Geographic US Atlas: Find Lansing MI Pg 99 H6
 State Flag: The state flag of Michigan has a blue field with an elk, moose and eagle. The elk
and moose are symbols of the state, while the eagle represents the U.S.
 State Bird: The Robin is the state bird of Michigan. They are a fairly common bird and easy to
spot with their warm orange breast and dark head and wings. Robins are typically found in
fields, city parks, woodlands, and forests. They are big fans of earthworms as well as insects
and some snails. They also love a variety of fruits including chokecherries, hawthorn, dogwood
and juniper berries. Click here for more information!
 State Flower: The Apple Blossom was adopted as the official state flower of Michigan in 1897. It
is a very fragrant flower with white to pink tinted flowers. The Apple Blossom tree produces
bright green fruit.
 Great Lakes: Lake Superior, Lake Michigan, Lake Huron, Lake Ontario and Lake Erie form the
largest group of freshwater lakes on Earth by total surface volume. The surface is 80,545 square
miles and the total volume is 5412 cubic mi and hold 21 percent of the world’s surface fresh
water. Identify all the Great lakes on your wall map, label the lakes on today’s worksheet.
 Check out some of Michigan’s Fun Facts: www.50states.com
Michigan
Lesson 75:
 State Reptile: The Painted Turtle was named the official state reptile of Michigan in 1995. It’s
the only turtle commonly found in Michigan. It lives in slow-moving fresh water. The adult fe-
male is about 4-10 inches long and weighs about 11-18 ounces. Their shell is a smooth oval
shape, and the turtle itself has black, red, and yellow stripes on it’s skin. Their under-shell is
bright yellow and red in color. They eat mostly aquatic vegetation, algae and small water
creatures including insects and fish. It is typically active during the day when it basks on logs or
rocks for warmth. Adult Painted Turtles can live in the wild for approximately 55 years!
 Famous Landmarks: Motown Records Historical Museum is located in Detroit Michigan. The
Motown record label was originally founded on April 14, 1960 by Berry Gordy, Jr., a local De-
troit songwriter. Motown played an important role in the racial integration of popular music
and was the first record label owned by an African American. Motown has owned or distribut-
ed releases from more than 45 subsidiaries although it is most famous for its release of rhythm
and blues, soul, hip-hop, and pop genres of music. In 1988, MCA and Boston Ventures took full
ownership of Motown and the company is now owned by MCA Records.
 Famous People: Thomas Edison, a famous inventor, was born in 1847 in Milan, Ohio. In 1854, his
family moved to Port Huron, MI. At age seven, his mother with-drew Thomas from school and
began to Homeschool him. Thomas was a serious minded student who was very interested in
the workings of anything and everything. By age 12 he had read many impressive works along
with the World Dictionary of Science and several works on Practical Chemistry! Thomas had
poor hearing, but he didn’t let that stop his quest for knowledge, and eventually he went on
to work with electricity. In 1879 he invented the first commercially practical incandescent
electric lamp. The first light maintained its incandescence for over 40 hours! Click here to read
Thomas Edison’s full bio. Check out Thomas Edison for Kids for some great activities!
 Additional Reading: Who was Thomas Alva Edison by Margaret Frith
 Other famous Michigan’s: Henry Ford, Charles Lindberg
 Activity - Make your own Invention: Directions on following page.
 Food: Cherries. Each year Michigan holds an annual Cherry Festival! In 1929, Hawkins Baker in
Traverse city baked a huge cherry pie and presented it to U.S. president Calvin Coolidge. The
pie was three feet in diameter and contained more than 5,000 cherries! In 1931 Michigan
state legislature passed a resolution making the Cherry Festival a national celebration. Click
here for more information and some unique Cherry Recipes!
More Information: Michigan State: www.michigan.gov, Learn more about Michigan Landmarks
Michigan - Activity
Make your own Invention
Thomas Edison was a great inventor. All it takes to invent something is the
desire and a great imagination! Today we are going to create our own
inventions to make our world a better place.
Supplies:
 Copy paper and colored pencils (For invention rough draft)
 cardboard boxes
 tempera paint
 brushes
 glue
 scissors
 pipe cleaners
 fabric scraps
 construction paper
 Markers
 other household objects that you may find useful
Directions:
1. Discuss an invention that would make life in this century easier. Briefly discuss how the
machine will work.
2. Create a rough drawing of your invention using copy paper and colored pencils
3. Use cardboard boxes and other found objects to build a model of your invention.
4. Paint, color, and add extra items such as fabric, buttons, pipe cleaners etc to your in-
vention as desired.
5. Once machine’s are complete, give a presentation to your family or class.
 Make sure to include the following information in your presentation:
 What is the name of your invention?
 What is the purpose of your invention?
 How does the invention work?
 How much would it cost if you sold it?
 How would you market your invention? Advertising, flyers, etc.
 Where can one purchase your invention? For example online sales, storefront,
etc.
Minnesota
Materials Needed:
 USA Wall Map
 Food: Honey Crisp Apples
 Butterfly Craft (See following page for directions)
Lesson 76:
 Locate state and capital (St. Paul) on US Map
 Minnesota was admitted to the Union on May 11, 1858 as the 32nd state. It is known as the
“Land of 10,000 lakes” because it has 11,842 lakes and 90,000 miles of shore line. The waters in
Minnesota flow in three different directions, north to Hudson Bay in Canada, east to the Atlan-
tic Ocean, and south to the Gulf of Mexico.
 Read: National Geographic US Atlas: Pg 100-101 (Minnesota)
 National Geographic US Atlas: Find St. Paul MN Pg 101 F5
 State Flag: The Minnesota state flag has a royal blue background with gold fringe. The state
seal is in the center. Around the seal is a wreath of lady slipper which is the state flower.
Around that are 19 stars, the largest representing Minnesota.
 State Fish: The Walleye was named the official state fish in 1965. It is found throughout Minne-
sota lakes and rivers. They tend to go into deep, dark waters during the day as their eyes are
sensitive to light. They can weigh up to 17 pounds.
 State Bird: The Common Loon was named the official state bird of Minnesota in 1961. They are
large black and white birds with red eyes and a wingspan of up to five feet. They are high-
speed flyers and excellent underwater swimmers. They can dive up to 90 feet in pursuit of fish.
Click here for more information! (Fun fact: Minnesota mosquitoes are so large some people
joke they are the official state bird!)
 State Flower: The Lady Slipper is one of Minnesota’s rarest wildflowers. They have white petals
with a pink labellum. The Lady Slipper plant is a robust plant with numerous roots and grows
from 25-90 cm high. They only bloom between June 20 to July 5.
 Check out some of Minnesota’s Fun Facts: www.50states.com
Minnesota
Lesson 77:
 State Insect: The Monarch Butterfly was named the official state butterfly in 1998. Monarch
caterpillars feed on milkweed which grows throughout Minnesota. The caterpillars are bright
yellow, black, and white striped signifying their toxicity. The male butterfly has small black dots
on it’s lower wings. They are easily recognizable by their orange and black wings. They are
typically 2” long with a wingspan of 3.5” - 5”. Monarch lay eggs on the milkweed plants.
When the eggs hatch the larva eat the leaves of the milkweed then form a chrysalis. An adult
Monarch emerges from the chrysalis in about 20-30 days.
 Butterfly Craft:
 Supplies: Orange and black tissue paper squares, Elmer’s glue, butterfly printout in Stu-
dent Workbook.
 Directions: Crumple tissue paper squares, dip in glue and stick to butterfly template until
completely covered.
 Famous People: Francis Scott Key Fitzgerald was born in 1896 in Saint Paul, MN. He was an
American author of novels and short stories, and is widely regarded as one of the greatest
American writers of the 20th century. He is most well known for writing novels such as The
Great Gatsby and Tender is the Night.
 Food: The Honey Crisp Apple was named the official state fruit in 2006. The Honey Crisp Apples
are crisp and juicy. They are 90 percent red with a yellow background.
 Baked Cinnamon Apple:
Ingredients:
 1 Honey Crisp Apple
 1/2 tsp. Cinnamon
 1 Tbsp Sugar.
Directions:
 Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
 Core apple and place in center of baking pan.
 Fill apple core hole with cinnamon and sugar
 Bake at 350 degrees for about 25 minutes. Enjoy!
More Information:
 Learn more about Minnesota at www.state.mn.us, Minnesota Historic Landmarks at Wikipedia
Review
Lesson 78:
 Locate Michigan and Minnesota on map, and review capitals
 Complete mini-books for MI and MN (See student workbook)
Supplies: White board, markers, jeopardy cards (See MI and MN Jeopardy Cards in Appendix)
Directions:
1. On white board write “Michigan vs. Minnesota Jeopardy”
example below)
Name Points
Student 1 30
Student 2 5
Student 3 20
Missouri
Materials Needed:
 USA Wall Map
 Food: Toasted Ravioli, Gooey Butter Cake (See recipes on following pages)
Lesson 79:
 Locate state and capital (Jefferson City) on US Map
 Missouri became the 24th state on August 10, 1821. It was nicknamed “The Show Me State”,
possibly due to a speech made by U.S. Congressman Willard Duncan Vandiver who in a
speech concluded “I come from a state that raises corn and cotton and cockleburs and
Democrats, and frothy eloquence neither convinces nor satisfies me. I am from Missouri. You
have got to show me.” It is also known as the “Gateway to the West” because it was the
starting point for several historic trails including the Oregon and Santa Fe Trails. In the 1800’s
pioneers stopped in St. Louis to purchase supplies for their journey westward.
 Read: National Geographic US Atlas: Pg 12-103 (Missouri)
 National Geographic US Atlas: Find Jefferson City MO Pg 15 D5
 State Flag: The state flag of Missouri has red, white and blue stripes with the Missouri state seal
in the center. There are 24 stars on the flag representing the number of states at that time.
 State Fish: The Channel Catfish was named Missouri’s official state fish on May 23, 1997. It is a
slender fish with a deeply forked tail. The catfish does not rely on sight to find its food, instead it
uses cat-like whiskers to assist in finding prey. It is the most abundant large catfish in Missouri
streams. They grow to be anywhere from 12-32 inches long and can weigh from a half-pound
to 15 pounds! They feed on plant and animal material.
 State Bird: The Bluebird was named the official state bird of MO on March 30, 1927. They are
most notably recognized by their bright orange breast and blue wings. They typically live in
meadows surrounded by trees that offer suitable nest holes. They feed on caterpillars, beetles,
crickets, grasshoppers, and spiders. In winter they eat large amounts of fruit including blueber-
ries, black cherry, currants, wild holly, and the like. Click here for more information!
 State Flower: On March 16, 1923 the White Hawthorn Blossom was designated the official
state flower of Missouri. It is also known as the “red-haw” or “White-haw” They typically grow in
bunches on hawthorn trees. They are the most common blossom in southern Missouri. They are
small trees, reaching about 5-15 meters tall with small berry-like fruit and thorny branches.
 State Landmark: The Gateway Arch, or Gateway to the West, is located in St. Louis, Missouri. It
was built as a monument to the westward expansion of the United States. It is 630 feet tall and
the tallest man-made monument in the U.S. Construction was completed on October 28,
1965. The arch cost $13 million at the time which would equal approximately $95,900,000 to-
day!
 Check out some of Missouri Fun Facts: www.50states.com
Missouri
Lesson 80:
 State Amphibian: The American Bullfrog became the official state amphibian on June 5,
2005. It is the largest frog native to Missouri and can be found all over the state. If you’ve ever
been in MO you may have heard it’s resonant call, which is typically heard on rainy nights
between mid-May and early July. They are about 8 inches long and can weigh up to 1.5
pounds! Click here to learn more from National Geographic
 State Invertebrate: The Crayfish became the official state invertebrate June 21, 2007. Crayfish
are an important food source for MO fishes. There are more than 30 species of crayfish, in-
cluding seven species that occur nowhere else in the world! Crayfish are found all across the
state.
 Famous People: Harriet Robinson Scott was born into slavery in Virginia around 1815. She lat-
er moved to Missouri where she tried for more than a decade to gain her freedom through
the court system. In separate cases, Harriet Scott and her husband, Dred, sued for freedom
before several courts in Missouri. Their case reached the U.S. Supreme Court in Washington,
DC. in what became the famous Dred Scott V. Sanford Case. It was one of the most im-
portant cases ever tried in the U.S. eventually leading to the end of slavery in America.
 Samuel Clemens (Mark Twain) was born November 30, 1835 in Hannibal, MO. He worked as
a typesetter and contributed articles to his older brother Orion’s newspaper. He achieved
great success as a writer and public speaker and is most well known for his novels Adventures
of Huckleberry Finn, and The Adventures of Tom Sawyer.
 US President: Harry S. Truman, the 33rd President of the U.S. (1945-1953) was born May 8, 1884
in Lamar, Missouri.
 Food: Toasted Ravioli and Gooey Butter Cake are popular dishes in Missouri! See recipes on
following page.
More Information: Missouri State: www.mo.gov, Missouri Historic Landmarks at Wikipedia
Missouri - Recipes
Toasted Ravioli:
Ingredients:
 2 Tbsp whole milk

 1 egg
 3/4 C. Italian seasoned bread crumbs
 1/2 package frozen cheese ravioli, thawed
 3C vegetable oil for frying
 1 T. grated Parmesan Cheese
 1 16oz jar spaghetti sauce for dipping (also great with Ranch dressing!)
Directions:
1. Combine milk and egg in small bowl.

2. Place breadcrumbs in separate shallow bowl.
3. Dip ravioli in milk mixture then in coat in breadcrumbs
4. In large saucepan, heat spaghetti sauce over medium heat until warm.
5. In large pan, add oil until about 2 inches deep. Heat oil over medium heat until
small amount of breading sizzles when dropped in.
6. Fry a few ravioli at one time, about 1 minute on each side or until golden brown.
7. Drain on paper towels
8. Sprinkle with parmesan cheese and serve immediately
Gooey Butter Cake:

Ingredients:
 1 (18.25 ounce) package yellow cake mix

 1/2 cup butter, melted
 4 eggs
 2 teaspoon vanilla extract
 1 (8 ounce) package cream cheese
 4 C Confectioners’ sugar
Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).

2. Mix cake mix, melted butter or margarine, 1 teaspoon vanilla, and 2 eggs with a spoon.
Pat into a 9 X 13 inch pan.
3. Mix cream cheese, 2 eggs, and 1 teaspoon vanilla with an electric mixer. Slowly beat in
confectioner's sugar. Pour over cake layer.
4. Bake for 40 to 45 minutes. Cool.
Nebraska
Materials Needed:
 USA Wall Map
 Food: Kool-aid, Omaha Steak Strips (See recipes on following pages)
Lesson 81:
 Locate state and capital (Lincoln) on US Map
 Nebraska was named the 37th state on March 1, 1867. It is nicknamed “The Cornhusker State”
in recognition of the University of Nebraska football team, the Cornhuskers. Nebraska has
more miles of river than any other state. It also has more underground water reserves and the
largest aquifer in the U.S.
 Read: National Geographic US Atlas: Pg 104-105 (Nebraska)
 National Geographic US Atlas: Find Lincoln NE Pg 15 D9
 State Flag: The flag of Nebraska was adopted in 1963. It has a blue background with a silver
and gold state seal in the center.
 State Fish: The Channel Catfish was named the official state fish in 1997. It is the most numer-
ous catfish species in North America. The average size is between 2 and 4 pounds. They can
be found in rivers, reservoirs, natural lakes and ponds. They have a very keen sense of smell
and have taste buds distributed over the entire surface of its body.
 State Bird: The Western Meadowlark is the official state bird of Nebraska in 1929. It is noted for
its joyous song and are abundant through the state. They are typically 8-11 inches long and
are brown on top with a yellow breast Click here for more information.
 State Flower: The Golden Rod was named the official state flower in 1895. It is native to the U.S.
and seen in dry, moderate moisture, woods, meadows, prairies, and shores. It is typically yel-
low in color but can have cream-colored rays as well. The flowers are clustered at the top
edge of the branches near the top of the plant. They bloom July-October.
 State Mammal: The White-Tailed Deer was named the official state mammal in 1981. They can
run up to 40 miles per hour, jump 9 foot fences, and swim 13 miles per hour! They wave their
tail as a warning when danger is sensed. They have a reddish-brown coat in spring that turns
to grey-brown through fall and winter. They have a distinctly white under-side to their tail.
 Check out some of Nebraska’s Fun Facts: www.50states.com
Nebraska
Lesson 82:
 State Gem: Blue Agate was named the state gemstone in 1967. The blue agate sometimes
has dark internal forms with bands of blue and white and often has a colorless streak as well.
They are typically used to make jewelry. They can be found in northwestern Nebraska, where
they are formed by wind-blown silt and clay stone.
 Art Project: Using tempera paint and white paper, paint a replica of a blue agate gemstone.
Make sure to include the color variations and layers.
 Famous People: Malcolm X was born in Omaha, NE on May 19, 1925. He had 7 brothers and
sisters. He is known as one of the most successful civil rights activist and advocate for the rights
of African Americans in history. He was assassinated on February 21, 1965 when speaking at
an Afro-American Unity meeting. Click here to learn more.
 Grover Cleveland Alexander was one of the greatest Major League Baseball pitchers in base-
ball history. He was born in Elba, NE on February 26, 1887. He won 373 games during a 20-year
Major League career, the third-highest total in Major League history. He won 30 or more
games three consecutive seasons and lead the league in ERA on four occasions, wins in six
different seasons, complete games six times and shutouts during seven campaigns. Click here
to learn more.
 U.S. President: Gerald Ford, the 38th President of the U.S. (1974-1977) was born July 14, 1913 in
Omaha, Nebraska.
 Food: Kool-aid is the official drink of Nebraska. They are also known for their Omaha Steaks
which come from grain fed cows. You can order Omaha steaks from www.omahasteaks.com
or purchase from local stores. See following page for a fun recipe.
More Information: Nebraska State: www.nebraska.gov, Nebraska Historic Landmarks at Wikipedia
Nebraska - Recipe
Sunset Kool-Aid Punch:
Ingredients:
 1 cup pre-sweetened tropical punch Kool-Aid
 2 cups water
 1 cup orange juice
 1 liter Sprite or 7-Up
 Optional: fresh sliced pineapple for garnish.
Directions:
Mix Kool-Aid, water, and orange juice in pitcher and refrigerate. Just before serving stir in
one liter of Sprite or 7-Up. Pour over ice and enjoy!
Garnish with a fresh slice of pineapple!
Omaha Steak Strips:

Ingredients:
 Omaha Steak of your choice
 Worcestershire Sauce (Enough to cover bottom of marinating dish)
 Small Onion, chopped
 Garlic Powder to taste
Directions:
1. Cut the steak on the diagonal, making sure slices are thin
2. In plastic marinating dish, cover bottom with Worcestershire sauce and chopped onion.
3. Sprinkle in garlic salt to taste and add steak to marinate
4. Marinate in refrigerator overnight
5. Spray pan with non-stick cooking spray and turn on high heat.
6. Once pan is warm, add steak strips and flip after 30 seconds per side or until done to your
taste.
Serve with rice or potatoes and veggies!
Review
Lesson 83:
 Locate Missouri and Nebraska on map, and review capitals
 Complete mini-books for MO and NE (See student workbook)
Supplies: White board, markers, jeopardy cards (See MO and NE Jeopardy Cards in Appendix)
Directions:
1. On white board write “Missouri vs. Nebraska Jeopardy”
example below)
Name Points
Student 1 30
Student 2 5
Student 3 20
North Dakota
Materials Needed:
 USA Wall Map
 Food: Cream of Wheat
Lesson 84:
 Locate state and capital (Bismarck) on US Map
 North Dakota became the 39th state on November 2, 1889. It is known as “The Peace Garden
State” to commemorate the International Peace Garden on North Dakota’s border with Mani-
toba, Canada. The geographic center of the North American continent lies just south of Rug-
by, ND. From this point is approximately 1,500 miles to the Pacific, Atlantic, and Arctic Oceans,
and the Gulf of Mexico. North Dakota is known for its waterfowl, grouse, pheasant, and deer
hunting and bass, trout, and pike fishing.
 Read: National Geographic US Atlas: Pg 106-107 (North Dakota)
 National Geographic US Atlas: Find Bismarck ND Pg 107 E5
 State Flag: The state flag of North Dakota was adopted in 1911. It has a dark blue field with a
bald eagle holding an olive branch and a bundle of arrows. The stars on the eagle’s shield
represent the original 13 states.
 State Bird: The Western Meadowlark was named the official state bird in 1947. It is a familiar
songbird of open country across the western part of the continent. They are typically 6-10
inches long and have a black and white striped head and wings with a yellow breast. They
forage on the ground and beneath the soil for insects, seeds, grains, beetles, cutworms, cater-
pillars, grasshoppers, spiders and snails. They also nest on the ground, building their nest in sur-
rounding vegetation. Click here for more information!
 State Flower: The Wild Prairie Rose was adopted as the state flower of North Dakota in 1907.
They have five bright pink to white petals with a tiny cluster of yellow stamens in the center.
They can be found growing along roadsides, in pastures, and in native meadows. The flowers
are about 2 inches broad and have a nice fragrance.
 Check out some of North Dakota’s Fun Facts: www.50states.com
North Dakota
Lesson 85:
 State Fish: The Northern Pike was named the state fish in 1969. The Northern Pike are often ol-
ive green, shading into yellow or white along the belly. They have large sensory pores on their
head and underside of their lower jaw. They can grow to be about 59 inches long and weigh
55 pounds. The longest pike ever recorded was 60 inches long and weighed 62 pounds! The
waters of North Dakota are home to mammoth size northern pike which has given ND a na-
tional reputation for sports fishing.
 State Equine: The Nokota Horse was named the honorary equine in 1993. The breed devel-
oped in the 19th century from foundation bloodstock consisting of ranch-bred horses pro-
duced from local Nokota Tribe horses mixed with Spanish, Thoroughbreds, harness horse and
other related breeds. They are a silvery blue in color and have an ambling gait. They stand be-
tween 14-17 hands tall (56-68 inches). They are typically used in endurance racing, and west-
ern riding, some are used for show jumping and fox hunting. The name derives from the Noko-
ta Indian tribe that inhabited North and South Dakota.
 Famous People: Theodore “Teddy” Roosevelt, the 26th president of the U.S. (1901-1909)
ranched on Elk Horn, 35 miles north of Medora, North Dakota. He learned to ride western style,
rope, and hunt. He credited his Badlands experience from 1883-1886 for molding him into a
president. Learn More.
 Sitting Bull: Sitting Bull was a notable Native American most noted for his victory at the Battle of
the Little Bighorn against Lt. Col. George Armstrong Custer on June 25, 1876. The Sitting Bull
Burial State Historic Site is located on the western edge of Fort Yates. It marks the original grave
of the Hunkpapa Sioux leader. He was born in c. 1831 in Grand River SD and lived the last
years of his life at Standing Rock Sioux Reservation, near Fort Yates. His courage was legend-
ary. Learn more about Sitting Bull here.
 Food: Cream of Wheat is a hot breakfast cereal invented in 1893 by wheat millers in Grand
Forks, North Dakota. Today you can purchase Cream of Wheat at your local grocery store, it
is made by boiling water, then pouring in the farina while stirring. Cinnamon and apple is a
common way to make the meal a bit tastier! Try Cream of Wheat for breakfast this week!
More Information: North Dakota www.nd.gov, North Dakota Historic Landmarks at Wikipedia
Ohio
Materials Needed:
 USA Wall Map
 Food: Tomato Juice, Buckeye’s (See recipes on following pages)
 Moon Phases Activity (See directions on following pages)
Lesson 86:
 Locate state and capital (Columbus) on US Map
 Ohio became the 17th state on March 1, 1803. It has been nicknamed “The Buckeye State”
due to the dense forests of buckeye trees that were once found in the state. Cleveland, OH is
the home of the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. It is dedicated to archiving the history of some of
the best-known and most influential artists, producers, engineers and others who have influ-
enced the music industry through the rock genre. Canton is home of the Pro Football Hall of
Fame.
 Read: National Geographic US Atlas: Pg 108-109 (Ohio)
 National Geographic US Atlas: Find Columbus OH Pg 109 E4
 State Flag: The flag of Ohio was adopted in 1902. It has a unique shape compared to other
flags. The union of the flag, a large blue triangle is populated with seventeen white stars. Those
grouped around the center circle represent the original 13 colonies. The four found at the apex
of the triangle combined with the others total 17, representing Ohio as the 17th state. There are
three red and two white horizontal stripes that represent roads and waterways of the state.
 State Bird: The Northern Cardinal was named the official state bird in 1933. Males are brilliant
red, females a buff brown with reddish wings. They are common in the eastern U.S. and can be
found in backyards, parks, and shrubby forest edges. They nest in the dense tangles of shrubs
and vines. Click here for more information!
 State Flower: The Red Carnation was designated the official state flower in 1904 to honor Presi-
dent William McKinley who was assassinated in 1901. The Red Carnation is one of the most
popular cut flowers in the world since they last a long time even after being cut. The flowers are
2-3 inches across with 5 petals. Each color of carnation has a meaning and the deep red ones
represent deep love.
 Check out some of Ohio ’s Fun Facts: www.50states.com
Ohio
Lesson 87:
 State Reptile: The Black Racer snake was named the official state reptile in 1995. The racer is
the only large, black snake in the New England area with smooth scales. It’s chin, throat and
jaw are white or gray and the belly is generally dark. The smooth scales give this snake a silky
appearance. They can be found in rocky ledges, pastures, overgrown fields, dry or moist wood-
lands and the edges of wetlands. They are very fast snakes and can usually flee from preda-
tors. Rattling their tails among dry leaves, they can sound like rattlesnakes. If caught they are
very difficult to handle, will fight, biting hard, defecate, and spray musk in attempt to escape.
They will eat almost any animal they can over power including rodents, frogs, and lizards.
 US Presidents: Seven United States Presidents were born in Ohio. Ulysses S. Grant (18th, 1869-
1877), Rutherford B. Hayes (19th, 1877-1881), James A. Garfield (20th 1881, his presidency lasted
only 200 days from March 4, 1881 until his death on September 19, 1881, from an assassin’s bul-
let fired July 2, 1881), Benjamin Harrison (23rd, 1889-1893), William McKinley (25th, 1897-1901),
William H. Taft (27th, 1909-1913), and Warren G. Harding (29th, 1921-1923).
 Neil Armstrong was born in Wapakoneta, OH on August 5, 1930. He is a former American astro-
naut, test pilot, university professor, and U.S. Naval Aviator. He is most well known as the first per-
son to set foot on the Moon. On July 20, 1969 Armstrong served as mission commander of Apol-
lo 11, the first manned lunar landing in history. Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin descended to the lu-
nar surface and spent 2.5 hours exploring. He is recipient of the Congressional Space Medal of
Honor.
 Phases of the Moon Activity: See following pages for instructions, printable in Student Workbook.
 Food: Tomato Juice is the official state drink of Ohio in 1965. Enjoy a glass with breakfast or
lunch this week! Buckeye candy is another fun treat to try. See recipe on following pages.
More Information: Ohio State: http://ohio.gov/, Ohio Historic Landmarks at Wikipedia
Ohio - Recipe
Buckeyes:
Ingredients:
1 1/2 cups creamy peanut butter
1 cup butter, softened
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
6 cups confectioners’ sugar
4 cups semi-sweet chocolate chips
Wax paper
Toothpicks
Directions:
1. In large bowl, mix together peanut butter, butter, vanilla. Gradually add confection-
ers’ sugar to the mix until it is well mixed. The dough will be dry.
2. Line cookie sheet with wax paper.
3. Roll into 1 inch balls and place on lined cookie sheet.
4. Place 1 toothpick in each ball and chill in freezer until firm, about 30 minutes.
5. Melt chocolate chips in a double boiler or in a bowl set over another pan of barely
simmering water. Stir frequently until smooth.
6. Dip frozen peanut butter balls in chocolate holding onto the toothpick. Leave a small
portion of peanut butter showing to get the “buckeye” look.
7. Put back on lined cookie sheet and refrigerate at least 2 hours before serving.
Yields approximately 5 dozen.
Store in tightly sealed Tupperware in the refrigerator, they also freeze well!
Ohio - Moon Phases Activity
Moon Phases Activity:
Supplies:
 Moon Journal in Student Workbook
 Paper plates (5 per student)
 Old sponges for painting
 Gray, blue, white, and black tempera paint
 String
 Hole Punch
Moon Journal:
On Moon Journal have students record moon state each night for 1 month. Discuss pattern seen
once 1 phase is complete.
Paper Plate Activity:

1. Cut paper plates into the above shapes, make 2 that are full circles. Note: you can use the
gibbous moon’s extracted shape as the crescent moon.
2.Using sponges and paint, dab each plate gently with various colors to get a nice blending of
colors for your moons. Make sure to paint one solid black for the new moon.
3. Punch a hole in the top of each moon and tie with string or yarn. Hang moons in order of ap-
pearance in the moon phases chart above as decoration for your room.
Waning vs. Waxing:

The period where the moon is getting larger each night is called “waxing”.
The period where the moon is getting smaller each night is called “waning”.
Full Cycle:
The time between two full moons (a Lunar month or “synodic period”) is about 29.53 days. The
moon makes one orbit around the Earth in about 27.32 days. This difference between days is
caused by the fact that the Earth-Moon system is orbiting about the Sun at the same time the
Moon is orbiting about the Earth. Since the orbit of the moon is elliptic and the orbit of the Earth
around the Sun is also elliptic, the speed of the moon and earth vary which affects the phases of
the Moon. Due to periodic perturbations in space, when the moon is closer to the earth it moves
faster, when it is farther, it moves slower.
Visit Wikipedia to see a lunar phases video!
Review
Lesson 88:
 Locate North Dakota and Ohio on map, and review capitals
 Complete mini-books for ND and OH (See student workbook)
Supplies: White board, markers, jeopardy cards (See ND and OH Jeopardy Cards in Appendix)
Directions:
1. On white board write “North Dakota vs. Ohio Jeopardy”
example below)
Name Points
Student 1 30
Student 2 5
Student 3 20
South Dakota
Materials Needed:
 USA Wall Map
 Food: Kuchen (See recipes on following pages)
Lesson 89:
 Locate state and capital (Pierre) on US Map
 South Dakota was named the 40th state on November 2, 1889. It is known as “The Mount Rush-
more State” because It is home to Mount Rushmore National Monument, located in Black Hills
National Forest. The monument took 14 years and $1 million to complete.
 Read: National Geographic US Atlas: Pg 11-111 (South Dakota)
 National Geographic US Atlas: Find Pierre SD Pg 111 D5
 State Flag: The current state flag of South Dakota was adopted in 1963. It has a blue back-
ground with the state seal set on a “blazing sun of gold” on both sides.
 State Bird: Chinese Ring-Necked Pheasant was named the official state bird in 1943. This bird is
a medium sized large chicken like bird. They are a distinctive and colorful species and a popu-
lar game bird. They eat seeds, grain, grasses, leaves, roots, wild fruits, nuts and insects. They
nest on the ground, in tall grass or weeds and can stay in roost for several days without eating
during very bad weather. Learn more here!
 State Flower: The American Pasque flower was named as the official state flower in 1903. It is
also know as the May Day flower and is commonly found throughout the state of South Dako-
ta. Each flower is approximately 3 inches wide and contains 5-8 lavender to white petal-like
sepals. They bloom early to mid-spring and last for only 2 weeks.
 Check out some of South Dakota’s Fun Facts: www.50states.com
South Dakota
Lesson 90:
 State Animal: The Coyote was adopted as the state animal in 1949. While the coyote is found
throughout Canada and the USA, it is found in the greatest numbers in the Black Hills of S.D.
Their coat varies from grayish brown to yellowish gray, while the throat and belly tend to be
white in color. They typically grow up to 30-34 inches in length not counting the tail and weigh
anywhere from 15-46 pounds. They are carnivores and mainly eat small mammals, such as
voles, prairie dogs, cottontails, squirrels, mice, birds, snakes, lizards, deer, livestock, insects,
cats, dogs and other large invertebrates.
 Famous Landmark: Mount Rushmore is the world’s greatest mountain carving, sculpted with
the faces of George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, Theodore Roosevelt, and Abraham Lin-
coln. The entire memorial covers 1,278 acres and is 5,725 feet above sea level. The project
started in 1927, and was completed in 1941 with some injuries but no fatalities. The entire pro-
ject cost $1 million to complete. It is controversial among Native Americans because the Unit-
ed States seized the area from the Lakota tribe after the Great Sioux War of 1876-77. The Trea-
ty of Fort Laramie (1868) had previously granted the Black Hills to the Lakota. In 1971 the Amer-
ican Indian Movement lead an occupation of the monument, naming it “Mount Crazy Horse”.
 Badlands National Park is in southwest South Dakota and preserves 244,000 acres of buttes,
pinnacles, and spires blended with the largest protected mixed grass prairie in the U.S. Native
Americans have historically used this area for their hunting grounds. From the top of the
Badlands Wall, they could scan the area for enemies and wandering herds. In the 19th centu-
ry homesteaders moved into S.D. and the U.S. government stripped Native Americans of
much of their territory forcing them to live on reservations. On November 10, 1978 the area
was re-designated as a National Park.
 Food: Kuchen was designated the official state dessert in 2000. “Kuchen” (Ku-kin) is the Ger-
man word for “cake”, and is a traditional food of their German ancestors. See following page
for Kuchen recipe.
More Information: South Dakota: www,sd,gov, South Dakota Historic Landmarks at Wikipedia
South Dakota - Recipe
Apple Kuchen:
Ingredients:
 1 (18.25 oz) package yellow cake mix
 1/4 cup margarine, softened
 1/2 c. flaked coconut
 4 large Granny Smith apples
 1/2 c. white sugar
 1 c. sour cream
 1 egg
Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees f.
2. Grease and flour a 9-13 inch pan.
3. Peel, core, and slice each apple into 8 wedges and set aside.
4. In a medium bowl, combine the cake mix, coconut and margarine until crumbly. Pat
mixture into prepared pan, building the edges up slightly to form a crust.
5. Arrange the sliced apple wedges on top of the crust mixture.
6. Mix together the cinnamon and sugar, and sprinkle over apples and the cake mixture.
7. In small bowl, whisk together 1 egg and sour cream. Drizzle over the top of the cake.
8. Bake in preheated oven for 35 minutes, or until the edges of the cake are golden and
apples are tender.
Serve warm and enjoy!
Wisconsin
Materials Needed:
 USA Wall Map
 Food: Wisconsin Cheese, Homemade Butter Activity (See recipes on following pages)
 Popsicle Stick Log Cabin Craft (See following pages for directions)
Lesson 91:
 Locate state and capital (Madison) on US Map
 Wisconsin was named the 30th state on May 29, 1848. It is nicknamed “The Badger State” which
originally referred to the lead miners of the 1830’s, who worked at the Galena lead minds in Illi-
nois. The mines were in northwestern Illinois, close to the Wisconsin border. The miners lived in
caves cut into the hillsides which were described as badger dens, and miners were referred to
as “badgers”. It is a heavily forested area with ample fresh water, which has made it the top pa-
per-producing state in the U.S. Over five million tons of paper pare produced here each year.
 Read: National Geographic US Atlas: Pg 112-113 (Wisconsin)
 National Geographic US Atlas: Find Madison WI Pg 113 G5
 State Flag: The current flag of Wisconsin was made official in 1913. The law specified a dark blue
background with the state coat of arms centered on each side. In 1979 they added the word
“Wisconsin” in white letters above the state coat of arms and the year “1848” to the bottom to
help distinguish the flag from other states.
 State Bird: The American Robin was designated the state bird in 1949. They are commonly seen
tugging earthworms out of lawns across North America. They are fairly large songbirds with a
large round body, and long tail. They have a bright orange breast with gray-brown heads and
wings and a white patch on the lower belly. They eat a large number of both invertebrates and
fruit. Learn more here!
 State Flower: The Wood Violet was named the official state flower in1909. It is commonly seen in
meadow areas and along roadsides. The flowers range from almost white, to deep blue or pur-
ple in color. They have 4 heart-shaped petals and can be seen blooming in early spring continu-
ing into early fall.
 Check out some Wisconsin Fun Facts: www.50states.com
Wisconsin
Lesson 92:
 State Animal: The Badger was named the official state animal in 1957. Wisconsin is also nick-
named “The Badger State”. In the 1800’s miners dug tunnels into hillsides searching for lead.
These tunnels reminded people of badgers, and thus the state nickname was born. Badgers are
short-legged, heavy-set omnivores (eating both plants and animals) in the weasel family. They
have a white strip going between their eyes and on either side of their cheeks, while the majority
of their body is gray to black in color. They mostly eat earthworms, insects, and grubs, but can
also be found snacking on small mammals, amphibians, reptiles, roots, and fruit. Although rarely
eaten today, the badger was once a main meat source for the Native Americans and colonists.
Today they are raised for their hair which is harvested to make shaving brushes, paint brushes,
and in some cases, doll hair.
 Famous People: Laura Ingalls Wilder was born February 7, 1867 near Pepin, Wisconsin. In her ear-
ly childhood Laura’s father, Charles Ingalls, settled on land not yet open for homesteading in
what was then Indian Territory. The experience formed the basis of her novel “Little House in the
Big Woods, and a later move inspired her most well known novel “Little House on the Prairie”.
Over the course of her life, she authored the “Little House Series”. You can Learn more here.
 Homemade Butter Activity: Making butter was a common task in pioneer times. To make your
own, you’ll need an empty mason jar, and whipping cream. Fill jar approximately half full of
whipping cream. Shake vigorously (approx. 15-20 minutes) until butter forms in the jar. Add salt to
taste and enjoy on some freshly baked bread!
 Log Cabin Craft: See following pages for craft instructions
 Food: Wisconsin is famous for their cheeses. In the early 1890’s farmers in Wisconsin shifted from
wheat to dairy production to make more sustainable and profitable use of their land. Many im-
migrants carried cheese making traditions that helped to build the state’s reputation as
“America’s Dairy Land”. Today the state continues to be the largest cheese producer in the U.S.
making over 600 different cheese varieties, and 2.4 billion pounds each year. It is also the only
state to offer a Master Cheese-maker program, patterned after the rigorous standards of similar
programs in Europe.
More Information: Wisconsin State: www.wisconsin.gov, Historic Landmarks at Wikipedia
Wisconsin - Activity
Log Cabin Craft:
Supplies:
 Building Sticks (They are similar to popsicle sticks, but have little
notches cut out of each side)
 Hot Glue or Wood Glue (Hot glue will make the process go fast-
er, but should be used only with the help of an adult)
 Scissors, or small saw to cut sticks.
 Pencil, paper for planning
 Tempera paint (for finished cabin, and landscape additions to
poster board base)
 Large sheet of cardboard or poster board to use as base to
build house on.
Directions:
1. Using paper and pencil, draw a basic sketch of what your log
cabin will look like, adding in windows, doors, a chimney and
any other feature you’d like to add.
2. Using poster board base, draw a rectangle or square shape
where your house will set.
3. Start by building the base of the house using the building sticks.
4. Slowly build up each layer taking into consideration where win-
dows and doors will go in your plan.
5. Cut or break sticks where necessary for windows and doors.
6. Finish by placing roof sticks in a “V” pattern row. Glue horizontal
sticks to them to secure.
7. Add roof to top of structure.
8. Paint completed log home with a dark brown color.
9. Add landscape features, horse corrals etc. onto poster board
base for added interest.
Alternatives for younger children:
 Cardboard box or empty milk container can be used as house

base. Craft sticks will be glued to the cardboard box.
 Lincoln logs - these can be easier for younger children to work
with.
Midwest Review
Lesson 93:
 Practice U.S. States Song
 Locate Midwest states on map, and review capitals (Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Michigan,
Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, North Dakota, Ohio, South Dakota, Wisconsin)
 Complete mini-book for SD and WI (See student workbook)
 Assemble Midwest states puzzle (See following page, you may want to print one per student.
go.)
to help them remember state names.) Add in Northeast and Southeast Puzzle pieces.
card to the appropriate state puzzle pieces and capital cards, include Northeastern & South-
eastern pieces.
 Play Midwest States Jeopardy:
Supplies: White board, markers, jeopardy cards - Print SD and WI jeopardy cards, also need re-
maining Midwest Jeopardy Cards in Appendix (These should have already been printed in previ-
Directions:
1. On white board write “The Midwest States Jeopardy”
example below)
3. Use Midwest Jeopardy cards from Appendix (Should have already been printed during previ-
all Midwest States Jeopardy winner.)
9. Bring everyone to a Steakhouse to celebrate making it through the entire Midwest region of
Name Points
Student 1 30
Student 2 5
Student 3 20
The Southwest
The Southwest
Arizona
New Mexico
Oklahoma
Texas
Arizona
Materials Needed:
 USA Wall Map
 Food: Cactus Jelly
 Paper Rattlesnake Craft (See directions on following pages)
 Sandy Desert Craft: (See below for directions)
Lesson 94:
 Locate Arizona and Capital (Phoenix) on US Map
 Arizona was named an official state of the U.S. on February 14, 1912 and is known as “The
Grand Canyon State” which is one of the 7 wonders of the natural world. The canyon floor
stretches 277 miles long. It is also the largest copper producer in the U.S. (You’ll learn more
about the Grand Canyon tomorrow.)
 Read: National Geographic US Atlas: Pg 118-121 (The Southwest & Arizona)
 National Geographic US Atlas: Find Phoenix AZ Pg 121 F4
 State Flag: The Arizona flag was adopted in 1917. It has rays of sun at the top which represent
both the 13 colonies of the Union and the rays of the Western setting sun. The bottom half of
the flag has the same liberty blue as the United States flag. Arizona is the largest producer of
copper in the nation thus a copper star was placed in the flag’s center.
 State Bird: The Arizona state bird is the Cactus Wren. They are fairly small birds, only 7-8 inches
long. They have brown heads and wings with a yellow belly and white around their eyes. They
build nests in the protection of thorny desert plants like the saguaro cactus. The Wren builds
several nests as decoys then chooses one to live in. They are also known to destroy the nests of
other birds, and will peck at or remove the eggs.
 State Fish: The Apache Trout became Arizona’s official state fish in 1986. It is only found in lakes
and streams of the White Mountains in Arizona. They are yellow-gold on the body with dark
olive green on the tip of the head and back. Several dark spots cover the tail and fins.
 Make Sandy Desert Craft:
Supplies:
 Crayons
 Paper
 Sandpaper.
Directions:
1. Lay 1 sheet of paper over sandpaper.
2. Unwrap brown crayon and rub it over the paper until the sandy texture is exposed.
3. On another sheet of paper color cactus, snakes, sun, and yucca plants. Glue to sandy
background.
 Historical Figure: Learn about Cesar Estrada Chavez founded and lead the first successful farm
workers union in US History.
 READ: If You Lived With The Hopi - Pg 6 - 15 (Tepee - Keeping Warm)
 Check out some of Arizona’s Fun Facts: www.50states.com
Arizona
Lesson 95:
 Locate Arizona and Capital on US Map (review), put up piece on map.
 State Flower: The Saguaro Cactus has 3 inch oval green fruit which ripens just before the fall
rainy season. It splits open to reveal bright-red, pulpy flesh which all desert animals love. There
are about 4,000 seeds to a single fruit, probably the largest number per flower of any desert
cactus. If you’re wanting to add in a fun science project, you can order a Desert Dome Gar-
den!
 State Reptile: The Arizona state reptile is the Ridge-Nosed Rattlesnake. It is about 24 inches
long and lives only in the south central part of Arizona. It gets its name from a unique ridge of
raised scales on its nose. It is dark brown with many white stripes across it’s body and it is ven-
omous just like other rattlers.
 Famous Landmarks: Grand Canyon: The Grand Canyon is full of colorful layers of rock and
sediment. It is located near the High Colorado Plateau near Flagstaff. The canyon stretches
for 277 river miles and is 18 miles across at its widest. It averages 4,000 feet deep, but is 6,000
feet at its deepest point. The Ancient Pueblo People were the first to live in the Grand Canyon
area. They lived in the cliffs and caves of the canyon area. Watch an Arial video of the
Grand Canyon and learn more at National Geographic.
 Learn more about Arizona at National Geographic
 Snake Activity: Make a chain snake craft: Supplies: Dark brown or black, tan and
red construction paper. Directions: Cut construction paper into strips and loop
together. Either glue or staple chains in place. Add Red tongue and black eyes.
 Grand Canyon Activity: Using brown, yellow, orange and green tempera paint,
re-create the layered cliffs of the Grand Canyon. Here’s another fun Grand Canyon Craft
from Crayola.
 Food: Arizona is known as a citrus state, they have several orchards there, growing many dif-
ferent types of apples, lemons and oranges., etc They also serve rattlesnake and cactus pad
recipes. You can also find cactus candies, jellies and marmalades in Arizona. Finding some of
these foods may be difficult. Since they are so close to Mexico, homemade tortillas and other
Mexican cuisine are common there, I suggest Mexican food night complete with homemade
tortillas!
 READ: If You Lived With The Hopi - Pg 16 - 25 (Clans - Water)
 Cut out the below postcard front and back sides and glue together with printed sides
facing out. Design a front cover for the country. On the back side write a fun letter to
someone telling them how you feel about it. For example: Do you like this country, why
or why not? Would you invite your friend to come visit you here? What are the people
like here?
an O-Ring for quick reference.
More Information:
 Learn more about Arizona State www.az.gov
 Learn more about Arizona Historic Landmarks at Wikipedia
New Mexico
Materials Needed:
 USA Wall Map
 Food: Fresh Tomato Salsa, Stuffed Sopapillas (See following page for recipes)
 Hot Air Balloon Craft (See following pages for directions)
Lesson 96:
 Locate state and capital (Santa Fe) on US Map
 New Mexico was named the 47th state on January 6, 1912. It is known as “The Land of En-
chantment” due to its scenic beauty and rich history. “Smoky the Bear”, the symbol of the U.S.
National Forest Service was born in New Mexico. In 1950, he was found trapped in a tree when
his home in Lincoln National forest was destroyed by fire. In 1963, in Smokey’s honor, the New
Mexican legislature chose the black bear to be the official state animal.
 Read: National Geographic US Atlas: Pg 122-123 (New Mexico)
 National Geographic US Atlas: Find Santa Fe NM Pg 123 C5
 State Flag: The flag of New Mexico is a simple and meaningful design that features an ancient
symbol of the sun in the center with 4 sets of rays stretching out in four directions. The back-
ground is yellow. The directions of the rays symbolize the North, East, South, and West, and the
4 seasons of the year; Spring, Summer, Autumn, and Winter.
 State Aircraft: The Hot Air Balloon was designated the official state aircraft in 2005. Albuquer-
que, NM is known worldwide for its famous annual hot air balloon event, “The International Bal-
loon Fiesta”. Click here to learn more about the Balloon Fiesta
 State Bird: The Roadrunner was named the official bird of New Mexico in 1949. They are a
chicken-like bird with a long tail. Roadrunners prefer desert and shrubby country in the south-
western U.S. They can run at speeds of about 18 miles per hour. They eat many venomous
prey including scorpions, spiders, and rattlesnakes. Click here for more information!
 State Flower: The Yucca Plant Blossom was designated the official state flower in 1927. They
are abundant on the plains and deserts of New Mexico. Yucca plants are pollinated by the
Yucca Moth, which carefully transfers pollen from one plant to another, while at the same
time laying an egg on each plant. They produce a large stalk of white or purplish flowers. The
fruits, seeds, flowers and stems are edible. The roots can be used for soap and shampoo.
 READ: If You Lived With The Hopi - Pg 26 - 35 (Mesa - Leaving Home)
 Check out some of New Mexico’s Fun Facts: www.50states.com
New Mexico
Lesson 97:
 State Gem: Turquoise was named the official state gem in 1967. It is one of the oldest known
gemstones and is an opaque glue-green mineral. The southwestern U.S. is the largest producer
of turquoise in the world. They are used in jewelry, carvings, and inlaid mosaics.
 Famous People: Geronimo (one who yawns) was born in 1829 in what is now western
New Mexico. He was a leader of the Apache Indians and fought against U.S. and
Mexico for their expansion into Apache tribal lands during the Apache Wars. He
fought until 1886 when he finally surrendered at Canon de Los Embudos in Sonora.
When he surrendered he had a U.S. Military Winchester Model 1876 lever-action rifle
with a silver-washed barrel and receiver. He also had a Colt Single Action Army revolv-
er with a nickel finish and ivory stocks. Both are on display at the Fort Sill museum in
Lawton, OK. Click here to learn more.
 Famous Landmarks: In 1821, the Santa Fe Trail became the first international commer-
cial highway and was one of the nation’s great routes of adventure and western ex-
pansion. The transportation route through connected Missouri with Santa Fe, New
Mexico. The route crossed the territory of the Comanche's, who demanded compen-
sation for right-of-way. The trail extends nearly 1,200 miles across five states and
played a vital role in the expansion of the U.S. into the lands it had acquired.
 Food: New Mexico is home to Hatch which is known as the “Green Chile capital of the world.”
The Chile can be red or green depending on the state of ripeness when picked. Typically har-
vested when still green, Chile is New Mexico’s prime agricultural crop. It is a popular ingredient
in everything from enchiladas and burritos, to cheeseburgers, and pizzas.
 Stuffed Sopapillas are also uniquely New Mexican. See following pages for some yummy reci-
pes this week!
 Hot Air Balloon Activity: See following page for a fun hot air balloon experiment.
 READ: If You Lived With The Hopi - Pg 36 - 44 (Girls - Kachinas)
More Information:
 Learn more about New Mexico at www.newmexico.gov
 Learn more about New Mexico Historic Landmarks at Wikipedia
New Mexico - Recipe
Fresh Tomato Salsa:
Ingredients:
 1 T. Diced seeded fresh or canned jalapeno pepper
 3 T. Finely diced onion
 2 T. Finely chopped fresh cilantro
 1 T. Balsamic vinegar or fresh lime juice
 1 Clove garlic; minced
 2 large fresh tomatoes, diced
 Salt to taste
Directions:
1. Put all ingredients in a blender and blend until smooth. Can leave it slightly chunky if
you prefer.
2. Enjoy with tortilla chips!
Stuffed Sopapillas:
Ingredients:
 1/2 cup warm water
 1 tablespoon yeast (scant)
 1 egg
 1/3 cup butter milk, scalded (cooled to lukewarm)
 1/3 cup sugar
 1 teaspoon salt
 1 tablespoon cornmeal
 5 cups flour
 Vegetable oil for frying
Stuffing:
Simple taco ingredients - ground beef, browned, tomatoes, lettuce, cheese, onion, etc.
Directions:
1. Dissolve yeast with water then combine all ingredients except flour.
2. Add 2 C. flour and mix until soupy
3. Let this mixture rise 1 hour
4. Roll out to 1/4 inch thickness on lightly floured surface to prevent sticking.
5. Cut into squares about 3x3 inches.
6. Let rise another 30 minutes
7. Heat about 2 inches of oil in frying pan until drop of dough bubbles.
8. Deep fry risen sopapillas in hot oil to golden brown on both sides.
9. Drain on paper towels.
10. Cut one side of sopapilla open and stuff with taco ingredients (browned ground beef,
lettuce, onions, tomato, cheese, etc)
Tip 1: If sopapillas aren’t buffing up, tap them lightly on the sides of the pan while frying.
Tip 2: Add a little honey to any left over pieces for a sweet treat!
New Mexico - Activity
Hot Air Balloon Craft:
Supplies:
 Plastic Grocery Bag

 Several Plastic Straws
 Duct Tape
 Thread
 Hair Dryer
 Plastic Cup
 Hole Punch
Directions:
1. Make sure plastic bag does not have any holes in it.
2. Use glue and about 3-4 straws to make a ring about 5 inches in diameter.
(Slip the end of one straw into the hole in the next straw, and so on.)
3. Once straw circle is complete, stick plastic bag through the center and
secure using Duct Tape so handles are hanging below straw circle.
4. Punch 2 holes on one side of plastic cup, and 2 holes on the other side of
plastic cup.
5. Tie a long piece of thread to each handle and secure ends to holes in
cup.
6. With the help of an adult, use the hair dryer on LOW to slowly heat up the
air inside the bag. While it may be tempting to switch to the HIGH setting,
this may cause the bag or cup to melt. If you smell any burning, turn off
dryer immediately.
7. As the air inside the bag heats up, the hot air balloon should begin to rise.
Continue slowly heating the air until the balloon lifts off the table.
8. Congratulations! You’ve created your own hot air balloon.
Troubleshooting:
Results may vary, if your balloon did not rise, you may have holes in the bag,
you can seal them off using scotch tape or try again with a different bag.
Review
Lesson 98:
 Locate Arizona and New Mexico on map, and review capitals
 Complete mini-books for AZ and NM (See student workbook)
Supplies: White board, markers, jeopardy cards (See AZ and NM Jeopardy Cards in Appendix)
Directions:
1. On white board write “Arizona vs. New Mexico Jeopardy”
example below)
Name Points
Student 1 30
Student 2 5
Student 3 20
Oklahoma
Materials Needed:
 USA Wall Map
 Food: Chicken Fried Steak, Oklahoma Dirt Cake (See following page for recipes)
Lesson 99:
 Locate state and capital (Oklahoma City) on US Map
 Oklahoma was the 46th state admitted to the Union in November 16, 1907. It was nicknamed
“The Sooner State” due to people illegally entering the district and laying claim to lands before
the designated entry time. Oklahoma is the only place in the world that has an oil well beneath
its capital building. The site is referred to as Capitol Site #1.
 Read: National Geographic US Atlas: Pg 124-125 (Oklahoma)
 National Geographic US Atlas: Find Oklahoma City OK Pg 125 C8
 State Flag: The current Oklahoma state flag was adopted in 1941. It has a blue field with the
Osage Warrior’s shield made from buffalo hide in the center. The shield is decorated with seven
eagle feathers. The flag honors more than 60 groups of Native Americans and their ancestors.
 State Bird: The Scissor-tailed Flycatcher was named the official state bird in 1951. They are a me-
dium sized songbird, and are easily recognizable by their long forked tail. Their head is almost
white with gray wings and tail and a pinkish underbelly. They can be found on open prairies,
along tree-lined roads, and perched on fences, land in isolated trees. They like grasshoppers,
crickets, spiders, and other ground-dwelling insects making them popular with farmers and
ranchers. Click here for more information!
 State Flower: The Mistletoe was designated the official state flower in 1893. Mistletoes are tradi-
tional decorations during the Christmas season. They have small flowers with 2-3 petals that are
usually white in color. The mistletoe shrubs are typically small, green-leaved and evergreen
shrubs. Druid priests used the flower in their winter celebrations because it remained green in
cold winter months. Kissing under the mistletoe is a Christmas tradition that has followed for ages.
 Weather: Oklahoma is known for severe weather. Tornadoes, violent rotating columns of air that
stretch from the clouds down to the surface of the earth, are common here. The Central U.S. in
general are prone to these types of severe storms, and often referred to as “Tornado Alley”. Ok-
lahoma averages about 64 tornadoes per year with winds reaching speeds of between 100 -
300 mph. Learn more here!
 READ: If You Lived With The Hopi - Pg 45 - 53 (Kivas - Games)
 Oklahoma Fun Facts: www.50states.com
Oklahoma
Lesson 100:
 State Amphibian: The Bullfrog was adopted as the state amphibian in 1997. They are known for
their baritone call that is deep and resonant and can resemble the mooing of a cow. Only
males make this call. The bullfrog can get to be about 3.5 to 6 inches in size, and females can
lay as many as 20,000 eggs at one time! Bullfrogs are nocturnal predators and will eat about an-
ything they can fit in their mouth, including mice, insects, fish, snakes, and birds. Click here to
hear a bullfrog call. (Click on the Audio link in the right column)
 State Reptile: The Collared Lizard was designated the official state reptile in 1969. Their name
comes from the distinct coloration which includes bands of black around their neck and shoul-
ders that resemble a collar. These lizards are often kept as pets and can be quite docile and tol-
erant of human interaction. Like many other lizards they can run on their hind legs, and are very
fast. They’ve been recorded running at about 16 miles per hour. Males have a blue-green body
with light brown head, while females have a light brown head and body. Have you noticed
males are usually more colorful than females from all of the animals we’ve studied thus far? Why
do you think that is? (Protection, males attract females with their colors, females use their muted
colors to protect them and their nests from predators)
 Famous People: Mickey Mantle, an American Professional baseball player, was born in Spav-
inaw, OK in 1931. He played Major League Baseball as the center fielder for the New York Yan-
kees, he won 3 American league MVP titles, and played in 16 All-Star games. He is regarded as
the greatest switch hitter of all time, and one of the greatest players in baseball history. Learn
more here!
 Food: Popular meal items in Oklahoma are fried okra, squash, cornbread, BBQ pork, biscuits, grits
and chicken fried steak, yum! See following page for some fun recipes!
 READ: If You Lived With The Hopi - Pg 55 - 63 (Winter - Eagles) (Note : Pgs 58-59 Talk about Di-
vorce among the Hopi, you may wish to skip these pages)
More Information: Oklahoma State: www.ok.gov , Oklahoma Historic Landmarks at Wikipedia
Oklahoma - Recipes
Chicken Fried Steak:
Gravy:
 4 (1/2 lb) cube steaks or tenderized round  1/4 cup all-purpose flower
steak  4 cups milk
 2 cups all purpose flour  Salt and pepper to taste
 3/4 tsp. salt
 1 pinch black pepper
 1 1/2 cups buttermilk
 1/2 tsp garlic powder
 1 egg
 1/2 cup milk
 Vegetable shortening or oil for frying
Directions:
1. Pound steaks to about 1/4 inch thickness.

2. Place 2 cups flour in a shallow bowl.
3. In a separate bowl stir in baking powder, baking soda, pepper and salt. Add in buttermilk, egg,
and garlic.
4. Dredge each steak first in flour, then in buttermilk mixture, then again in the flour mixture. Make
sure to pat flour into the surface to ensure each steak is completely coated.
5. Heat oil or lard (about 1/2-inch deep) in cast-iron skillet to about 325 degrees or until batter
bubbles when dropped in. Fry turning only once until golden brown on both sides.
6. Drain the fat from the skillet, then add gravy ingredients to pan scraping bottom with a spatula
to release any of the left over bits into the gravy. Raise heat to medium to bring gravy to a sim-
mer. Cook until thick, approximately 6-7 minutes. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
7. Top with a little gravy and serve with mashed potatoes and a nice big portion of anything
green.
Oklahoma Dirt Cake:

 2 sm or 1 lg pkg. instant vanilla pudding
 1 lg. package Oreo cookies, crushed
 1 Lg. container Cool Whip
 1 (8oz) cream cheese block
 3 c. milk
 1/2 c. butter, softened
 1 tsp. vanilla
Directions:
1. Put 1/2 of the cookie mixture into the bottom of a pan.
2. In bowl, mix butter and cream cheese.
3. In large bowl combine milk, vanilla, dry pudding and cool whip until smooth. Add in cream
cheese mixture, mixing till smooth.
4. In large pot, layer cookies, then cream, repeat layers finishing with cookie layer to resemble dirt.
5. Chill until ready to serve.
6. If you’re feeling fun, you can put it in a flower pot, add gummy worms, and a fake flower and
shovel to complete the theme!
Texas
Materials Needed:
 USA Wall Map
 Food: Texas Sheet Cake (See following page for recipes)
 Covered Chuck Wagon Craft (See following pages for directions)
Lesson 101:
 Locate state and capital (Austin) on US Map
 Texas (The Lone Star State) was adopted as the 28th state on December 29, 1845. It was
named “The Lone Star State” symbolizing the independent republic of Texas, and as a remind-
er of the state’s struggle for independence from Mexico. It is so large, that Congress gave it
permission to divide itself into five “new states of convenient size”. Early Texans did not split up
the state, which is now second in size only to Alaska.
 Read: National Geographic US Atlas: Pg 126-127 (Texas)
 National Geographic US Atlas: Find Austin TX Pg 127 F6
 State Flag: The current “Lone Star Flag” of Texas was approved in 1845. If has colors defined
as “old Glory Red, Old Glory Blue” and white, which is the same as the flag of the U.S. There is
a single five-pointed white star in the center of a blue vertical stripe down the left side of the
flag symbolizing Texas as “The Lone Star” state.
 State Bird: The Mockingbird was designated the official state bird in 1927. They are known for
their extraordinary songs. They are overall gray-brown, and paler on the breast and belly with
two white wing bars on each wing. They can be heard singing from February through August,
and again from September to early November. The oldest Mockingbird on record was 14
years old and 10 months. Learn more here!
 State Flower: The Texas Bluebonnet was designated as the state flower in 1971. The flowers are
cluster on a spike with blue petals that have a white tip. They bloom between March and
May. At full bloom the plants are 30-50 cm tall and 50-70 cm in diameter and have a mound-
ed form.
 Stetson Hats: In 1865 John B. Stetson rented a small room, bout $10 worth of fur, and some
tools. It was on that day that the “Hat of the West” or the now famous “Boss of the Plains” Stet-
son Hat company was started. Today the Stetson hat factory in Garland, Texas is one of the
largest in the country and one of the most well known hats in the world!
 READ: If You Lived With The Hopi - Pg 64 - 73 (Salt - Other Tribes)
 Check out some Texas Fun Facts: www.50states.com
Texas
Lesson 102:
 State Vehicle: The Chuck Wagon was named the official state vehicle in 2005. Chuck Wagons
carried food and cooking equipment on the prairies of the U.S. and Canada as part of wagon
trains. They were used for feeding nomadic workers like cowboys and loggers. The “Cookie”
was in charge of the Chuck Wagon and would often act as cook, barber, dentist, and bank-
er.
 Covered Chuck Wagon Craft: See following page for craft activity instructions
 US Presidents: Dwight D. Eisenhower (34th US President 1953-1961), Lyndon B. Johnson (36th US
President 1963-1969).
 State Large Mammal: The Texas Longhorn was designated the official state large mammal in
1995. It is a breed of cattle known for its characteristic horns which can extend to 7 feet tip to
tip for steers. This recognized breed is dedicated to preserving the purest Texas Longhorn
bloodlines. The Texas Longhorn is a beef animal known for its lean beef, which is lower in fat,
cholesterol and calories than most beef.
 State Small Mammal: The Nine-Banded Armadillo was designated the official state small mam-
mal in 1995. The Armadillo has a bony, scaled shell that protects them from predators. They
are nocturnal animals and primarily feed on ants, termites, and other small invertebrates
(insectivorous). They weigh between 12-22 pounds and can have a body and head length of
20-24 inches. Their outer shell is composed of ossified dermal scutes covered by non-
overlapping, keratinized epidermal scales connected by flexible bands of skin.
 Texas Oil (Black Gold): January 10, 1901 marked the discovery of oil when the Lucas No. 1 well
blew at Spindletop (a salt dome oil field) near Beaumont TX. It spewed oil more than 100 feet
into the air until it was capped nine days later! From then on the Texas’ economy was
wrenched from its rural, agricultural roots and launched into the petroleum and industrial age.
The event created such a frenzy of oil exploration, that it became known as the Texas Oil
Boom. Soon afterwards, the United States became the leading oil producer in the world. Learn
More.
 Food: Texas Sheet Cake—See recipe on following page.
 READ: If You Lived With The Hopi - Pg 74 - 79 (Americans - Hopi Today)
More Information: Texas: www.texas.gov, Texas Historic Landmarks at Wikipedia
Texas - Activity
Covered Chuck Wagon:
Supplies:
 Popsicle Sticks
 Skill Sticks
 Wood Glue
 Brown Paper Bag
 Cardboard
Directions:
1. Using skill sticks create the bed of your wagon. We did 3
sticks high all the way around.
2. Using regular Popsicle sticks, create a frame by gluing 4 sticks to-
gether at the corners.
3. Once corners are dry, fill in middle by placing sticks all the way across and gluing to form a
solid plank. Turn it over and apply glue to the bottom 2 sticks.
4. Set the wagon bed onto the glue and let dry. (Glue guns make this part go much faster)
5. Using 4 Popsicle sticks, glue one in each corner of the wagon like posts.
6. Cut a long shape from the paper bag and curve up edges. Glue to the wagon posts.
7. Trace 4 identically sized circle shapes onto cardboard for wheels.
8. Glue 2 popsicle sticks together to make a wheel axel and poke holes in the center of wheels
sticking through ends of popsicle sticks.
9. Glue axels to bottom of wagon at the front and back of the frame.
Craft used with permission by Valerie from The Crafty Classroom. Visit her site for step by step illus-
trated instructions.
Texas - Recipe
Texas Sheet Cake:
Ingredients:
 2 c. all-purpose flour
 2 c. white sugar
 1/2 tsp. salt
 1/2 c. sour cream
 2 eggs
 1 c. butter
 1 c. water
 5 Tbsp. unsweetened cocoa powder
Icing:
 6 Tbsp. milk
 5 Tbsp. unsweetened cocoa powder
 1/2 c. butter
 4 c. confectioners’ sugar
 1 tsp. vanilla extract
 1 c. chopped walnuts
Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
2. Grease and flour a 10x15 inch pan.
3. Combine the flour, sugar, baking soda and salt. Beat in sour cream and eggs and set aside.
4. Melt the butter on low in a saucepan, and add the water and 5 Tbsp. cocoa. Bring mixture
to a boil then remove from heat. Allow to cool slightly then stir cocoa mixture into the dry
ingredients, mixing until blended.
5. Pour batter into prepared jelly roll pan or cookie sheet.
6. Bake in preheated oven for 20 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into center comes out
clean.
Icing:
1. In large saucepan, combine milk, 5 Tbsp. cocoa and 1/2 c. butter.
2. Bring to a boil, then remove from heat.
3. Stir in the confectioners’ sugar and vanilla, then fold in the nuts mixing until blended.
4. Spread frosting over warm cake.
Southwest Review
Lesson 103:
 Practice the U.S. States Song
 Locate Southwestern states on map, and review capitals (Arizona, New Mexico, Oklahoma,
Texas)
 Complete mini-book for OK and TX (See student workbook)
 Assemble Southwest states puzzle (See following page, you may want to print one per student.
go.)
to help them remember state names.) Add in Northeast, Southeast and Midwest Puzzle pieces.
card to the appropriate state puzzle pieces and capital cards, include Northeastern, South-
eastern, and Midwest pieces.
 Play Southwest States Jeopardy:
Supplies: White board, markers, jeopardy cards - Print OK and TX jeopardy cards, also need re-
maining Southwest Jeopardy Cards in Appendix (These should have already been printed in previ-
Directions:
1. On white board write “The Southwest States Jeopardy”
example below)
3. Use Southwest Jeopardy cards from Appendix (Should have already been printed during previ-
all Southwest States Jeopardy winner.)
9. Bring everyone to Mexican Food to celebrate making it through the entire Southwestern region
of the U.S!
Name Points
Student 1 30
Student 2 5
Student 3 20
The West
The West
Alaska
California
Colorado
Hawaii
Idaho
Montana
Nevada
Oregon
Utah
Washington
Wyoming
Alaska
Materials Needed:
 USA Wall Map
 Food: Alaskan King Crab
 Eskimo Craft (See following pages for directions)
 Dog Mushing Mini Book (See following pages for directions)
 If you Traveled West in a Covered Wagon by Ellen Levine
Lesson 104:
 Locate Alaska and Capital (Juneau) on US Map
 Alaska became the 49th state on January3, 1959. It is known as “The Last Frontier” because of
the distance from the lower 48 states and because of its rugged landscape and climate. If it was
placed on top of the lower 48 states it would stretch from Florida to California. It is the largest
land state in the U.S. being twice as big as Texas and 488 times bigger than Rhode Island! The
state boasts nearly 34,000 miles of shoreline, and reaches 90 °F in summer, while in the winter,
the temperature can fall below −60 °F. Barrow, AK (located at the very top of the state) has a
two-month winter period where the sun doesn’t rise at all. In the summer, all of Alaska gets 24-
hour sunlight for at least one day at the solstice (June 21), while Barrow has continuous day light
for about 85 days in a row.
 Read: National Geographic US Atlas: Pg 132-135 (The West & Alaska)
 National Geographic US Atlas: Find Juneau AK Pg 135 F10
 State Flag: The Alaska state flag was designed by a 7th grade student, 13 year old John Bell Ben-
son from Chignik. He designed the present Alaska State Flag with a blue background to repre-
sent the sky. The eight gold stars represent the Big Dipper and the North Star. The Big Dipper forms
part of the constellation Ursa Major; symbolizing strength. The North Star represents the future
state of Alaska, the most northerly in the Union. Benny's simple, elegant design was adopted by
the Alaska Territorial Legislature in May, 1927.
 State Bird: The Willow Ptarmigan was Adopted by the Territorial Legislature in 1955. They are a
small arctic grouse that lives on open tundra in boggy areas. It has a red patch over its eye. Their
feathers are white, even in the winter, so they can blend in with snow as part of a defense tactic
if threatened. The Willow Ptarmigan also have feathered toes and wings that house white feath-
ers throughout the year. Click here to learn more.
 State Fish: The King Salmon a.k.a. the Chinook Salmon is Alaska's state fish and is the most im-
portant sport and commercial fish native to the Pacific coast of America. It is by far the largest of
all Pacific salmon, with weights of a single fish commonly exceeding 45 pounds. King salmon
hatch in fresh water, spend most of their life in the ocean, and then spawn in fresh water. All
King’s die after spawning.
 State Flower: The Forget Me Not Flower: A legend about the origin of the name forget-me-not is
as follows; Once a medieval knight and his lady-love were walking beside a river. The knight held
a bouquet in his hands. Because of the weight of the armor, he fell into the water. According to
the legend, he threw the bouquet at her shouting “forget-me-not”. There is a Christian religious
legend according to which the child Jesus Christ created forget-me-nots so that the generations
to come would be able to see him and his mother Mary, on whose lap he was sitting.
 Check out some of Alaska’s Fun Facts: www.50states.com
 READ: If you Traveled West in a Covered Wagon: Pgs 5-7 (Oregon Territory)
Alaska
Lesson 105:
 Locate Alaska and Capital on US Map (review), put up piece on map.
 Learn about Alaskan Eskimo “Inuit” The ‘Inuit” or Eskimos of Alaska are an ancient people that
have grown with the state. There are only about 60,000 Inuit left in population. They spread from
Siberia, Canada, Greenland and Alaska. They hold their elders in high esteem. Traditionally, they
wear seal and caribou skins with fur trim for warmth. Read more at encyclopedia.com.
 Additional Reading: Snow Bear by Jean Craighead George
 Eskimo craft (Student Workbook)
 Natural Wonders: The Aurora Borealis is a natural light display in the sky, particularly seen in the
polar regions. The phenomena are caused by the violent collision of charged particles directed
by the Earth’s magnetic field. They are commonly seen between 60 and 72 degrees north and
south latitudes or within the Arctic and Antarctic polar circles, This is due to the longer periods of
darkness and the magnetic field in these areas. Watch a Northern Lights Video.
 Dog Mushing: For the Alaskan Natives dog sledding was their main way of transportation. It was-
n't until the late 1890's that dog sledding became a sport. The miners bet on dog teams, then
held races to find out which dog was the best dog on the Yukon Trail. In 1908 the first organized
dog race, the "All Alaska Sweepstakes" was run. It was a 400 mile course that started in Nome.
Now, every March the “Iditarod” race takes place. It is 1,049 miles long representing Alaska as
the 49th state in the USA.
 Watch a fun Iditarod 2011 Race Video
 More about Alaska: soundstostories.alaskageographic.org
 Complete Dog Mushing mini-book (Student Workbook.)
 Food: Alaska is known for Alaskan King Salmon, King Crab, and wild game. They are harvested
off the coast of Alaska and Aleutian Islands during the winter months. Alaskan crab fishing is very
dangerous, it is believed that on average, one crab fisherman dies weekly during the seasons.
Have crab legs for dinner! (Thaw crab legs. Boil water with 1 T salt. Add crab legs and turn down
heat to medium. Simmer for about 6 minutes until dark red. Serve with melted garlic butter and
lemon wedges)
 Cut out the below postcard front and back sides and glue together with printed sides fac-
ing out. Design a front cover for the country. On the back side write a fun letter to some-
one telling them how you feel about it. For example: Do you like this country, why or why
not? Would you invite your friend to come visit you here? What are the people like here?
 Optional: Laminate completed postcards, hole punch the top left corner, and store on an
O-Ring for quick reference.
More information: Alaska State: www.alaska.gov, Alaska Historic Landmarks: Wikipedia
California
Materials Needed:
 USA Wall Map
 Food: California Cobb Salad (See following pages for recipe)
Lesson 106:
 Locate California and Capital (Sacramento) on US Map
 California received statehood on September 9, 1850 and is known as “The Golden State” due
to its long association with gold. It refers to The California Gold Rush of 1848, and the yellow
poppies that bloom in the springtime. It is home to the world’s oldest trees, the bristlecone
pines, the biggest trees, the sequoias, and the tallest trees, the redwoods.
 Read: National Geographic US Atlas: Pg 136-137 (California)
 National Geographic US Atlas: Find Sacramento CA Pg137 D3
 State Flag: The Historic Bear Flag was adopted by California in 1911. The star imitates the lone
star of Texas. The grizzly bear represented the many bears seen in the state. The word
“California Republic” was added beneath the bear.
 State Bird: The California state bird is the California Quail. It is a plump, gray-colored bird that is
smaller than a pigeon. These birds nest in hollows scratched in the ground and they conceal
them with foliage. Their eggs are creamy white with golden brown spots and average 6-28 in
number Click here for more information!
 State Fish: The official state fish of California is the Golden Trout. It is native only to California
and was named the official state fish in 1947. They have a golden colored top and sides with
a reddish belly.
 Historical Figure: Robert Frost was an American Poet born March 26, 1874 in San Francisco. He
was honored frequently during his lifetime, receiving four Pulitzer Prizes for Poetry. He sold his
first poem, “My Butterfly: An Elegy” in 1894 for $15.
 General George S. Patton Jr. was born November 11, 1885 in San Gabriel, CA. He was a U.S.
Army officer best known for his leadership while commanding corps and armies as a general
during World War II. is known for carrying pistols with ivory handles and his intemperate man-
ner. He is regarded as one of the most successful U.S. field commanders of any war.
 Check out some of California’s Fun Facts: www.50states.com
 READ: If you Traveled West in a Covered Wagon: Pgs 9 - 11 (Wagons)
California
Lesson 107:
 Locate California and Capital on US Map (review), put up piece on map.
 State Flower: The Poppy was designated the state flower in 1903. California Indians cherished
the poppy as a source of food and for oil extracted from it. It is a golden yellow color and
grows wild throughout California.
 State Insect: The State Insect is the Dogface Butterfly. It is found only in California from the foot-
hills of the Sierra Nevada to the coast ranges. The male has a yellow silhouette of a dog’s
head on its wings. The female is usually solid yellow with a black dot on each upper wing.
 Famous Landmarks:
 Golden Gate Bridge: The Golden Gate bridge opened in San Francisco in 1937. It is 1.7 miles
long and 90 feet wide. It is 220 feet above the water. Only 11 workers died during construc-
tion which was a new safety record for the time. They had expected about 35 deaths. One of
the safety precautions taken was a net suspended under the floor which saved 19 lives. Click
here to learn more! And Visit www.gocaliforna.about.com for even more facts on the Golden
Gate Bridge.
 Alcatraz Island: Alcatraz island is known as “The Rock” , it was a maximum security prison in
the bay of San Francisco. Each cell was 5 x 9 feet. They had a small sink with cold running wa-
ter, a small sleeping cot and a toilet. Most men could reach out with both arms and touch
each wall with their arms. They could have 1 approved visitor per month. They were not al-
lowed any physical conduct and talked through intercoms. Although several escape at-
tempts were made, officially speaking, no one ever succeeded in escaping from Alcatraz.
Out of 36 attempts, 23 were caught, 6 were shot and killed and 2 drowned. There are 5 prison-
ers listed as “missing and presumed drowned”. Learn more from www.alcatrazhistory.com
 U.S. President: Richard Nixon, the 37th President of the U.S. (1969-1974) was born January 9,
1919 in Yorba Linda, CA.
 Food: California is famous for its avocadoes, figs and Navel and Valencia oranges, You can
have oranges as a snack today! If you like, make a yummy cob salad for dinner! (recipe on
following page)
More Information: California State: www.ca.gov, California Historic Landmarks at Wikipedia
California - Recipes
Cobb Salad
Ingredients:
 4 slices cooked bacon, crumbled
 3 eggs, boiled and sliced
 1 head iceberg lettuce, shredded
 3 c chopped cooked chicken breast
 2 tomatoes, diced
 3/4 c blue cheese, crumbled
 1 avocado, pitted, peeled and sliced
 2 green onions, sliced
 Ranch Dressing
Directions:
 Spread shredded lettuce on serving plates
 Sprinkle remaining ingredients on salads
 Drizzle with favorite dressing (Ranch is traditional)
 Enjoy!
 NOTE: If this meal isn’t hearty enough, serve with baked potatoes - add shredded
cheese, sour cream and bacon bits!
Review
Lesson 108:
 Locate Alaska and California on map, and review capitals
 Complete mini-books for AK and CA (See student workbook)
Supplies: White board, markers, jeopardy cards (See AK and CA Jeopardy Cards in Appendix)
Directions:
1. On white board write “Alaska vs. California Jeopardy”
example below)
Name Points
Student 1 30
Student 2 5
Student 3 20
Colorado
Materials Needed:
 USA Wall Map
 Food: Rainbow Trout (See following pages for recipe)
 Cliff Dwelling Craft (See following pages for directions)
Lesson 109:
 Locate state and capital (Denver) on US Map
 Colorado is in the heart of the Rocky Mountain range. It is nicknamed “The Centennial State”
because it entered the union in 1876, just 100 years after the signing of the Declaration of In-
dependence. It has over 50 mountain peaks over 14,000 feet in elevation. The average ele-
vation of Colorado is 6,800 feet above sea level making it the highest state in the U.S. Denver is
known as “The Mile High City”. It has 4 major rivers flowing through it, the Colorado River, Rio
Grande, South Platte and Arkansas, can you find them on the map?
 Read: National Geographic US Atlas: Pg 138-139 (Colorado)
 National Geographic US Atlas: Find Denver CO Pg139 C6
 State Flag: The flag of Colorado consists of 3 stripes of blue, white and blue. The blue is the
same as the blue field of the national US Flag. In the center there is a circular red C which is
also the same red as the US Flag. In the center of the C is a golden disk.
 State Fish: The Greenback Cutthroat Trout was made Colorado’s official state fish in 1994. It is
indigenous to many small streams and rivers in Colorado. This fish was on the verge of extinc-
tion until the CO Division of Wildlife and National Parks took steps to prevent this. It’s maximum
size is 18 inches. It has large spots all over its body, and like all cutthroats, it has red coloration
in the area of the lower jaw and throat.
 State Bird: The Colorado state bird is the Lark Bunting. It has a black body and white wings and
is about 6 inches long. The bunting migrates in to the plains area in April then fly south in Sep-
tember. Click here for more information!
 State Flower: The Columbine Flower or Rocky Mountain Columbine is white and lavender in
color. It blooms in the spring and was named from a Latin Word Columba meaning dove, as it
looked like the bird of peace. It is the host honored state flower in all of the US. In 1925 the
General Assembly prohibited the destruction of this rare species of flower.
 Check out some of Colorado’s Fun Facts: www.50states.com
 READ: If you Traveled West in a Covered Wagon: Pgs 12 - 15 (Wagon Trains)
Colorado
Lesson 110:
 Locate Colorado and Capital on US Map (review), put up piece on map.
 State Insect: Thanks to a class in Aurora, Colorado, the Hairstreak Butterfly was named Colora-
do’s official state insect in 1996. It is native to American southwest and is easily identifiable by
the slender tail protruding from the hind wings. The upper side of the butterfly has dark purple
wings with a broad black or darker border. Each wing has orange spots at the lower outer
edges, and each tail wing has a thin hair like tail. They primarily eat tree sap, raindrops and
aphid honeydew.
 Famous Landmarks:
 Pikes Peak: Pikes Peak is one of the most famous landmarks in the state of Colorado. It is only
10 miles west of Colorado Springs and is 14,115 feet tall. It is part of the front range of the
Rocky Mountains. It was discovered in the early 1800’s by Zebulon Pike. Several adventurers
came to Colorado in the hopes of discovering gold in the area and thus came the banner
“Pikes Peak or Bust!” The words to America the Beautiful were written by Katharine Lee Bates
after visiting the top of Pikes Peak in 1893. Today you can still visit the top by riding the Pikes
Peak Railway to the summit.
 Durango Silverton Narrow Gauge Railroad: Built in the early 1880’s, the Durango and Silverton
narrow Gauge Railroad was put in place to carry gold and silver that had been mined out of
the San Juan Mountains. The railroad is still in use today but more for tourism. It is a 5 hour ride
where you can see the beauty of the Colorado Mountainous landscape up close! For more
pictures and information you can visit durangotrain.com
 Mesa Verde National Park, located in Montezuma County, CO, was established in 1906 to pro-
tect some of the best preserved cliff dwellings in the world. Mesa Verde, Spanish for green ta-
ble, shows us a glimpse into the lives of the Ancestral Pueblo people who lived there from A.D.
600 to A.D. 1300. Cliff Palace is the largest cliff dwelling at Mesa Verde. It has 150 rooms, plus
an additional 75 open areas. The number of Ancestral Puebloans living in Cliff Palace at any
one time was about 100-120.
 ACTIVITY: Make your own cliff dwellings using Flora Craft Bricks
 Food: Rocky Mountain Rainbow Trout is a popular dish in Denver, CO. See recipe following
coloring page.
More Information: Learn more about Colorado at www.ca.gov

 Learn more about Colorado Historic Landmarks at Wikipedia
Colorado - Recipes
Grilled Rainbow Trout:
Ingredients:
 4 six-ounce fillets of rainbow trout.
 ¼ cup of canola oil.
 2 tablespoons of fresh lime juice.
 1 tablespoon of ginger root, minced.
 1 teaspoon of grated lime peel.
 1 teaspoon of crushed red pepper.
Directions:
 In saucepan over medium heat, sauté minced ginger and grated lime peel in the
canola oil until just lightly browned.
 Remove saucepan from heat and stir in red pepper
 Once oil is completely cool, whisk in lime juice and set aside.
 Heat grill to moderate temperature and brush grill pan with oil to reduce sticking.
 Grill trout fillets with flesh side down for about 2 minutes
 Gently turn fillets and grill for 2 minutes more or until trout becomes opaque
 Serve immediately with a bit of the ginger/lime sauce.
Optional: Serve with rice and favorite veggies, I recommend steamed asparagus with this
meal.
Hawaii
Materials Needed:
 USA Wall Map
 Food: Dole Pineapple
Lesson 111:
 Locate state and capital (Honolulu) on US Map
 Hawaii is comprised of a chain of 132 islands. After several attempts Hawaii was finally named
the 50th state of the U.S. on August 21, 1959. It is nicknamed “The Aloha State” which is the
Hawaiian word for “hello”. It is the southernmost state in the U.S. and is also home of the
world’s most active volcano, Kilauea on Mauna Loa.
 Read: National Geographic US Atlas: Pg 140-141 (Hawaii)
 National Geographic US Atlas: Find Honolulu HI Pg 141 C4
 State Flag: The flag of Hawaii was adopted on July 31, 1843. It has eight alternating white, red
and blue stripes representing the main eight islands of Hawaii. The British Union Jack represents
Hawaii’s historical relationship with Great Britain.
 State Fish: The humuhumunukunukuapua'a (pronounced: hoo-moo-hoo-moo-noo-koo-noo-
koo-auhp-oo-ah-ah) also known as the Reef Triggerfish is Hawaii’s state fish.
 State Bird: The Nene Goose was named as Hawaii’s state bird in 1957. This bird was hunted
almost to the point of extinction and is now on the endangered animals list. The Nene Geese
have completely webbed feet and measure approximately 16 inches tall. They feed on vege-
tation that includes leaves, seeds, fruit and flowers. Click here for more information!
 State Flower: The Hibiscus is Hawaii’s official state flower. There are many colors of hibiscus and
approximately 200 species are known to exist. They bloom in late July, early August and keep
blooming until late fall. While each bloom only lasts for one day, a single plant can produce a
hundred blooms in one season. Click here for more info
 State Insect: The Kamehameha butterfly was named the official insect of Hawaii on January
23, 2009. It is one of only two species that is native to Hawaii. They have bright red wings, bold
black borders and a 2.5 inch wingspan. They feed on the sweet sap from broken Koa tree
branches.
 Famous Landmarks: Pearl Harbor - At 6:00am on December 7, 1941 six Japanese carriers
launched a first wave of 181 planes composed of torpedo bombers, dive bombers, horizontal
bombers and fighters. The Japanese achieved complete surprise when they hit American
ships and military installations on Oahu shortly before 8:00 a.m. They attacked military airfields
at the same time they hit the fleet anchored in Pearl Harbor. 21 ships were sunk or damaged
including the Battleship USS Arizona which is still visible from the ocean surface. Click here for
more information on the attack at Pearl Harbor
 Check out some of Hawaii’s Fun Facts: www.50states.com, www.netstate.com
 READ: If you Traveled West in a Covered Wagon: Pgs 16 - 19 (Trail Guides and People)
More Information: Hawaii: www.ehawaii.gov, Hawaii Historic Landmarks at Wikipedia
Hawaii
Lesson 112:
 Hawaii Volcanoes National Park, established in 1916, is a U.S. National Park located on the island
of Hawaii. It is made up of 5 volcanoes, and encompasses two active volcanoes: Kilauea, one of
the world's most active volcanoes, and Mauna Loa, the world's most massive volcano. Kilauea is
an invaluable resource for volcanologists who are able to study it up close due to its non-violent
activity. Below is a map of the five volcanoes that form the island Hawaii.
 Food: The Dole Pineapple Plantation is one of Hawaii’s main attractions. In 1922 James Dole pur-
chased the island of Lanai and developed it as a vast pineapple plantation which became the
world’s largest plantation with over 200,000 acres. Take a field trip to the grocery store and pick
out a fresh pineapple. Fresh green leaves at the top signify a ripe pineapple, the body can be
any color on the outside. It should smell fragrant but not too sweet. Avoid soft pineapples and
ones that smell overly sweet, this may indicate that the pineapple has begun to ferment.
 US Presidents: Barack Obama, the 44th President of the U.S. (2009-Present) was born August 4,
1961 in Honolulu, HI.
 Hawaiian Luau: A Luau is a traditional Hawaiian fest. It features foods such as poi, Kalua pig,
poke, lomi salmon, sweet potatoes, tropical fruit plates and haupia. They also have traditional
Hawaiian entertainment such as music and hula dancing. A Lei (garland) is presented to guests
upon arriving or leaving as a symbol of affection. (Click here for more Luau recipes)
 Activity: Have a Luau! If you can’t get a hold of the above foods, I suggest a baked ham, sweet
potatoes, a tropical fruit tray (pineapple, mango and papaya), Lomi Salmon, and non-alcoholic
Pina Coladas. (See recipes below). Decorate the table with a traditional runner of silk flowers
and leaves.
 Lomi Salmon Recipe:
 Ingredients: 8 oz. salted salmon filet, 1 cup diced tomatoes, 3 Tbsp. green onion (finely
chopped), 1/2 c. finely diced white onion, 16 iceberg lettuce leaves.
 Directions: Shred the salmon into small pieces using clean hands. Add chopped onions and
tomatoes, Toss gently until all ingredients are thoroughly mixed. Chill before serving. Place
about 3 Tbsp. of mixture on each lettuce leaf to serve.
 Tip: If you can’t find salted salmon filet, add 1/3 c. course sea salt and unsalted filet to a zip-
loc bag. Shake bag well to coat filet and chill 8 hours or overnight. Soak filet in ice water 2
hours, changing water every 30 minutes. Drain well and pat dry with paper towels.
 Non-Alcoholic Pina Colada - Ingredients: 4 oz. fresh pineapple juice, 2 oz. coconut cream, 2
C. crushed ice. Blend until smooth and serve in tall glass with a piece of sliced pineapple on
the rim.
 Hawaiian Lei Activity: Supplies: String, colored straw cut up into 2 inch lengths or fake flowers.
Hole punch or scissors. Directions: Poke a hole in the middle of each flower and string them
onto a long piece of string or yarn. Tie at the ends and present to guests as they arrive at your
luau.
Review
Lesson 113:
 Locate Colorado and Hawaii on map, and review capitals
 Complete mini-books for CO and HI (See student workbook)
Supplies: White board, markers, jeopardy cards (See CO and HI Jeopardy Cards in Appendix)
Directions:
1. On white board write “Colorado vs. Hawaii Jeopardy”
example below)
Name Points
Student 1 30
Student 2 5
Student 3 20
Idaho
Materials Needed:
 USA Wall Map
 Food: Potatoes
 Additional Reading: Who was Sacagawea? by Judith Bloom Fradin
Lesson 114:
 Locate state and capital (Boise) on US Map
 Idaho was named the 43rd state on July 3, 1890. It was named “The Gem State” because of its
abundance of natural resources and scenic areas in the state. Hell’s Canyon, which was
carved by the Snake River, is the deepest gorge in America. This canyon is about 10 miles
wide and 7,993 feet deep.
 Read: National Geographic US Atlas: Pg 142-143 (Idaho)
 National Geographic US Atlas: Find Boise ID Pg 143 GI
 State Flag: The Idaho state flag has a blue background and is bordered by guilt fringe 2.5
inches in width. The state seal of Idaho is in the center with the words “State of Idaho” embroi-
dered with block letters. In 1927 a law was passed to ensure that the Great Seal of the State of
Idaho would continue to be an element of the flag.
 State Fish: The Cutthroat Trout was named the official fish of the state of Idaho in 1990. Along
with the Rainbow and Bull Trout it is native to Idaho. The body color varies from steel gray to
olive green with sides of yellow and red or pink along the belly. The name comes from a dis-
tinctive red/orange slash on the underside of its lower jaw.
 State Bird: The Mountain Bluebird was named Idaho’s state bird in 1931. The male bluebird is a
brilliant sky blue color while the female is gray with blue on the wings and tail. They hover over
the ground flying down to catch insects. Their main diet consists of insects and berries. Click
 State Flower: The Syringa, more commonly known as the Lilac, was named Idaho’s state flower
on March 2, 1931. It is a deciduous shrub that grows about 2-10 meters tall. The flowers bloom
in spring and are only 5-10mm in diameter. They are typically light purple, but can also be
pale yellow and pink. They have a lovely fragrant smell and are often found in gardens.
 Check out some of Idaho’s Fun Facts: www.50states.com, www.netstate.com
 READ: If you Traveled West in a Covered Wagon: Pgs 20 - 24 (The Trip)
Idaho
Lesson 115:
 Famous Landmarks: Minnetonka Cave is a beautiful 9-room cave of stalactites, stalagmites
and banded travertine, located in Caribou-Targhee National Forest in Bear Lake County, Ida-
ho. The largest stalagmites in the cave are over 10 feet high with a diameter of approximately
4 feet. There are 400 steps down into the cave and it stays about 40 degrees all year round.
 Hell’s Canyon is the deepest gorge in America, and is located along the border of eastern Or-
egon and Western Idaho. The canyon was carved by the waters of Snake River which flows
more than 1 mile below the canyon’s west rim. In 1806 three members of the Lewis and Clark
Expedition entered the Hells Canyon region. In 1860 gold was discovered in the river bars near
Hells Canyon National Recreation Area however gold mining was not profitable in the area.
 Sacagawea was born in 1788 near present day Salmon, Idaho. She was a Lemhi Shoshone
woman who accompanied the Lewis and Clark Expedition acting as an interpreter and
guide. In 2000, the US. Mint issued the Sacagawea dollar coin in her honor, depicting Sacaga-
wea and her son.
 Additional Reading: Who was Sacagawea? By Judith Bloom Fradin
 Food: Of course we all know that Idaho is known for the potato. In 2002 state legislature de-
clared the potato to be Idaho’s state vegetable. The potato grows well due to Idaho’s rich
volcanic soil, water, clean air and climate. Have your favorite type of potato for dinner to-
night!
 Potato Painting Craft: Supplies: Potatoes, paint, paper. Directions: Cut potato in half and carve
fun shapes into each side. Use as paint stamps.
More Information:
 Learn more about Idaho at www.Idaho.gov, Idaho Historic Landmarks at Wikipedia
Montana
Materials Needed:
 USA Wall Map
 Food: Huckleberry Pie (See following page for recipe)
Lesson 116:
 Locate state and capital (Helena) on US Map
 Montana was named the 41st state on November 8, 1889. It was nicknamed “Big Sky Country”
as a reference to the unobstructed skyline in the state that can overwhelm the landscape at
times. It is home to more species of mammals than any other state. Elk, antelope, and deer
populations outnumber the humans in MT!
 Read: National Geographic US Atlas: Pg 144-145 Montana
 National Geographic US Atlas: Find Helena MT Pg 145 D4
 State Flag: The state flag of Montana was adopted in 1905. It has a blue background with the
Great Seal of Montana in the center. It has gold fringe on the top and bottom edges. The seal
represents mining and farming.
 State Bird: The Western Meadowlark is the official state bird of MT. It is most known for it’s me-
lodic song and can be frequently seen singing atop fence posts and along roadsides. They
are a larger bird with a short tail and they have a yellow belly, chest, and throat. They typically
eat insects, grain, and weed seeds. Click here for more information!
 State Flower: The Bitterroot was designated the Montana State Flower on February 27, 1895.
The flowers bloom on short stems during the month of March. There is a single flower on each
stem. They typically have white to deep pink petals.
 Check out some of Montana’s Fun Facts: www.50states.com
 READ: If you Traveled West in a Covered Wagon: Pgs 25 - 29 (Rivers and How Far)
Lesson 117:
 Review President Song & Locate state and capital on US Map (review), put up piece on map
 State Insect: The Mourning Cloak Butterfly was designated the official state insect in 2001.
They have hairy brush-like front legs and are velvety black with raised white dots, rows of red
spots, and spines down the middle of their backs. They are approximately 2 inches long.
 State Mammal: The Grizzly Bear was designated the official state animal in 1983. They can be
found in Glacier National Park and the mountains of northwest Montana. An adult Grizzly Bear
can stand up to 8 feet tall and weigh up to 1,500 pounds. They can run at speeds of up to 35
miles an hour! Their diet consists of nuts, berries, fruit, leaves, and roots. They also eat other ani-
mals from rodents to moose. Click here to learn more!
 Famous People: Robert Craig Knievel, better known as “Evel Knievel”, was an American mo-
torcycle daredevil most well known for his 1974 jump over Snake River Canyon at Twin Falls,
Idaho. Over his lifetime he recorded 37 broken bones which earned him several entries in the
Guinness Book of World Records. Click here to learn more!
 Food: Montana is famous for it’s huckleberries. During summer and fall, wild huckleberries grow
abundantly in Montana. Bears love huckleberries and so do people! Huckleberries are related
to blueberries, but taste quite different. See following page for recipes!
 READ: If you Traveled West in a Covered Wagon: Pgs 30 - 34 (The Ride - Dangers)
More Information: Montana: www.mt.gov, Montana Historic Landmarks at Wikipedia
Montana - Recipe
Huckleberry Pie:
Ingredients:
 1/4 C butter
 1/2 C white sugar
 1 C/ all-purpose flour
 1/4 tsp. salt
 1/2 C. milk
 2 1/2 C. huckleberries
 3/4 C. white sugar
 1/2 C. boiling water
 1 Tbsp. butter
Directions:
2. Grease the bottom of a 9 inch square pan.
3. In a large bowl, cream 1/4 cup butter and 1/2 cup sugar.
4. In a separate small bowl, combine flour, baking powder and salt. Stir into butter mixture.
5. Stir in milk; mixture will be thick and lumpy. Spread batter into the prepared pan.
6. In a large bowl, combine berries, 3/4 cup sugar and 1/2 cup boiling water.
7. Pour over the batter in the pan. Dot the top with remaining 1 tablespoon of butter.
8. Bake in the pre-heated oven for 45 to 50 minutes.
Enjoy!
Review
Lesson 118:
 Locate Idaho and Montana on map, and review capitals
 Complete mini-books for ID and MT (See student workbook)
Supplies: White board, markers, jeopardy cards (See ID and MT Jeopardy Cards in Appendix)
Directions:
1. On white board write “Idaho vs. Montana Jeopardy”
example below)
Name Points
Student 1 30
Student 2 5
Student 3 20
Nevada
Materials Needed:
 USA Wall Map
 Food: BBQ Ribs
 Popsicle Stick Dam Activity (See following page for directions)
Lesson 119:
 Locate state and capital (Carson City) on US Map
 Nevada was designated the 36th state on October 31, 1864 during the Civil War. That is why
it’s called the “Battle Born State”. It is the largest gold-producing state in the nation and is sec-
ond only to South Africa in the world. Nevada was made famous by the discovery of the
Comstock Lode, the richest known U.S. silver deposit, in 1859.
 Read: National Geographic US Atlas: Pg 146-147 (Nevada)
 National Geographic US Atlas: Find Carson City NV Pg 147 D2
 State Flag: Nevada’s current state flag was approved in 1991. It has a cobalt blue back-
ground and in the upper left corner is a 5 pointed silver star with sage brush crossed beneath
it. Atop the star is a golden scroll with the words “Battle Born” in black letters.
 State Bird: The Mountain Bluebird was named the official state bird in 1967. It has a clear, short
warble song. The male bird is a brilliant sky blue color while the female is brown-blue mixed.
They are typically found in agricultural areas, and prairies with groves of trees, short grass, and
few shrubs. They eat insects and small fruits. Only the female builds the nest, males act as if
they are helping but either brings no nest materials or drops it on the way. Click here for more
information!
 State Flower: The Sagebrush was designated the official state flower in 1917. The bushes can
grow up to 3 - 6 feet high, and are found along rivers and other wet areas. They produce small
fragrant yellow and white flowers in the late summer and early fall. The foliage and fruit of the
sagebrush are both edible.
 Check out some of Nevada’s Fun Facts: www.50states.com
 READ: If you Traveled West in a Covered Wagon: Pgs 35 - 39 (Sleep - Clothes)
Nevada
Lesson 120:
 State Mammal: The Desert Bighorn sheep was named the official state animal in 1973. They
are heavy-bodied sheep that grow to about 4 1/2 feet tall and can weigh as much as 200
pounds. They are typically found in Nevada’s mountainous desert. They can go for extended
periods of time without water and their unique padded hooves make them excellent climbers
of steep, rocky terrain with great speed and agility. They have excellent eyesight and can
easily detect predators such as mountain lions, coyotes, and bobcats.
 Famous Landmarks: The Hoover Dam was built between 1931 and 1936. It is 726 ft high and
1,244 ft long, and is named after U.S. President Herbert Hoover, the nations 31st President. It
straddles the Colorado River and forms the border between Nevada and Arizona. The workers
who built the dam were paid between .50 cents to $1.25 per hour. Click here to learn more.
 The Comstock Lode is one of the most important mining discoveries in American history. It was
the first major silver discovery in United States history, of the total ore taken from the area, ap-
proximately 57% of it was silver and the remaining 42% was that of metal. The discovery of
Comstock Lode contributed to Nevada’s statehood in 1864. It is located under what is now
Virginia City, Nevada.
 Popsicle Stick Dam: See directions on following page to build your own dam.
 Food: The Best in the West Nugget Rib Cook-off is held annually in Sparks, NV. It is held annual-
ly the last weekend in August through the first week of September. It began in 1989 and takes
place over six days.
 READ: If you Traveled West in a Covered Wagon: Pgs 40 - 45 (Food - Fire)
More Information:
 Learn more about Nevada at www.onlinenevada.org
 Learn more about Nevada Historic Landmarks at Wikipedia
Nevada - Dam Activity
Dam Trivia: The first known dam was built in 2900 B.C. across the Nile River to
protect the city of Memphis from flooding.
Popsicle Stick Hoover Dam:

Supplies:
 Long shallow plastic container

 10 lb bag of sand or dirt
 5 lb bag of aquarium gravel, pebbles, or river rock
 50-100 popsicle sticks
 Craft glue
 Duct Tape
 String, twine or yarn
 Scissors
 Large Spoon
 Water
Directions:
1. Learn about different Dam building basics at PGS Building Big

2. Discuss or draw a diagram of a popsicle stick dam that will withstand the flow of water.
3. Once plans are decided on, place plastic container on a solid surface and pour dirt or sand
into the container until it is about half full.
4. Using a spoon, carve out the area that your river will run through the entire length of the con-
tainer.
5. Fill the river bottom with a thin layer of gravel.
6. Decide where you will place your dam and make any modifications to your original plan as
needed.
7. Construct the dam according to your design using popsicle sticks, glue, and tape. Put com-
pleted dam into the container.
8. Test your dam: Slowly pour water into the river bed on one side of the dam until it flows down
to the dam. Does your dam sufficiently restrict the flow of water in your river? f the dam does
not control the water flow, discuss the weaknesses and strengths of your design then discuss
any modifications you can make to improve it’s working. Remember dam’s do not always
completely stop water flow, but are built to confine and utilize the flow of water for human
purposes such as irrigation or generation of hydroelectricity.
9. Repeat steps 7-8 until you are satisfied with the results.
Oregon
Materials Needed:
 USA Wall Map
 Food: Hazelnut Cake (See following pages for recipe)
Lesson 121:
 Locate state and capital (Salem) on US Map
 Oregon became the 33rd state admitted into the Union on February 14, 1859. It is nicknamed
“The Beaver State” because of the association of beavers with the early history of the state and
because of admirable qualities of intelligence, industry, and ingenuity associated with the bea-
ver. Oregon’s Crater Lake is the deepest lake in the U.S. and measures 1,949 feet deep in plac-
es.
 Read: National Geographic US Atlas: Pg 148-149 (Oregon)
 National Geographic US Atlas: Find Salem OR Pg 149 C2
 State Flag: The Oregon state flag was adopted in 1925. It has a navy blue field with gold letter-
ing. It is the only state flag to have a different design on each side. The front has a heart-
shaped shield with an eagle on the top surrounded by 33 stars. The stars represent Oregon as
the 33rd state to be admitted to the union along with the year 1859, which was the year they
were admitted. The reverse side is navy blue with a beaver.
 State Bird: The Western Meadowlark was chosen as the state bird in 1927. It is a medium-sized
bird, about 8.5 inches long. They have black and white striped head and wings with a bright
yellow chest area. They typically nest on the ground in open country. They like insects, seeds,
and berries and have a distinctive call that has been described as flute-like. Learn more here!
 State Flower: The Oregon Grape was designated the official state flower on July 18, 1892. Alt-
hough their name says “grape” they are actually not related to grapes. The flowers are yellow-
green and bloom in large numbers forming a grape like cluster. The Oregon Grape blooms in
early spring.
 Check out some of Oregon’s Fun Facts: www.50states.com
 READ: If you Traveled West in a Covered Wagon: Pgs 46 - 51 (Indians - School)
Oregon
Lesson 122:
 State Animal: The Beaver was designated the official state animal in 1969 and is the picture on
the reverse side of the state flag. Beavers are known for building dams and canals and lodges.
They are the second-largest rodent in the world. They are hunted for their fur, and fur glands
which are used in medicine and perfume. This has caused their population to decline steadily.
Beavers are known to slap their tale on the water as an alarm signal when danger is present.
They are very good swimmers and can stay under water for as long as 15 minutes.
 State Insect: The Oregon Swallowtail Butterfly was named the official state insect in 1979. They
have a bright yellow abdomen with black lines and a wingspan of 2.5 inches—4 inches. The
caterpillar is black with yellow markings. They reproduce only twice a year and can be seen
from April to September. Their color blends well with the color of early blooming plants.
 Famous Landmarks: The Historic Columbia River Highway is an approximately 75 mile long sce-
nic highway that runs through the Columbia River Gorge. It was built between 1913 and 1922.
It is the first scenic roadway in the U.S. designed specifically for providing visitors access to the
most outstanding scenic features of the Columbia River Gorge. It is the single most important
contribution to the fields of civil engineering and landscape architecture by Samuel C. Lan-
caster.
 Crater Lake National Park is located in southern Oregon. The park encompasses the Crater
Lake caldera which rests in the remains of a destroyed volcano. The lake is 1,949 feet at its
deepest point which makes it the deepest lake in the United States. The caldera rim ranges in
elevation from 7,000 to 8,000 feet. The water in the lake is a striking blue color and is entirely re-
filled by direct precipitation in the form of snow and rain. Learn more here!
 Food: Oregon is one of the four major world hazelnut growing regions. It produces 95% of the
domestic hazelnuts in the U.S. Hazelnuts are rich in protein and unsaturated fat and contain
significant amounts of thiamine and vitamin B6. Make Hazelnut cake (See recipe following
page)
 READ: If you Traveled West in a Covered Wagon: Pgs 52 - 58 (Chores - Fun)
More Information: Oregon State: www.oregon.gov, Oregon Historic Landmarks at Wikipedia
Oregon - Recipe
Hazelnut Cake:
Ingredients:
12 ounces hazelnuts
2 tsp baking powder
6 egg yolks
5/8 c white sugar
6 egg whites
1 pint heavy whipping cream
1/8 cup chopped hazelnuts for garnish
Directions:
1. Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F. Grease and flour a 9 inch spring form pan.
2. Grind hazelnuts until very fine. Add baking powder and set aside.
3. In a large bowl, whip the egg yolks with the sugar until pale yellow in color. Beat in the ground
hazelnut mixture.
4. In a separate bowl, whip the egg whites until stiff.
5. Quickly fold 1/3 of the egg whites into the yolk mixture, then add the remaining whites and
fold in until no streaks remain.
6. Pour mixture into a 9 inch spring form. Bake in preheated oven for 60 to 75 minutes, or until top
of cake springs back when lightly tapped. Cool on wire rack.
7. When cake is cool, slice horizontally into 3 layers.
8. Whip the cream until stiff, and spread generously between layers, on top and on the sides of
the cake.
9. Sprinkle chopped hazelnuts on top for decoration.
Review
Lesson 123:
 Locate Nevada and Oregon on map, and review capitals
 Complete mini-books for NV and OR (See student workbook)
Supplies: White board, markers, jeopardy cards (See NV and OR Jeopardy Cards in Appendix)
Directions:
1. On white board write “Nevada vs. Oregon Jeopardy”
example below)
Name Points
Student 1 30
Student 2 5
Student 3 20
Utah
Materials Needed:
 USA Wall Map
 Food: Honey
Lesson 124:
 Locate state and capital (Salt Lake City) on US Map
 Utah became the 45th state on January 4, 1896. It is nicknamed “The Beehive State” in refer-
ence to early Mormon settlers who were described as having carried “swarms of bees” with
them. Thus the nickname also commemorates the states virtues of thrift, perseverance, and
industry of the people of Utah. Early settlers also referred to the area as Deseret which was a
word for honeybee which also contributed to the states nickname. Utah is known for it’s Great
Salt Lake which has no outlets. This means that dissolved minerals carried into the lake by rivers
and streams are trapped there making the lake extremely salty. (Almost seven times as salty
as the world’s oceans.) Only brine shrimp and algae are able to live in the Great Salt Lake.
 Read: National Geographic US Atlas: Pg 150-151 (Utah)
 National Geographic US Atlas: Find Salt Lake City UT Pg 151 C4
 State Flag: The current Utah state flag was adopted in 1913. It has a blue background and the
state seal circled by a thin gold line. It has gold fringe on 3 sides.
 State Bird: The California Gull was named the official state bird in 1955. The “Miracle of the
Gulls” Monument in Salt Lake City honors the Gull, who was noted for saving the pioneers of
the area by consuming the Rocky Mountain crickets, which were destroying the crops in 1848.
They are known as the gymnasts of the sky, performing aeronautic maneuvers and sometimes
appearing motionless in mid-air by positioning them selves to catch wind currents. Their body
is white with a grey back and upper wings. They mainly eat insects, fish and eggs, but also
scavenge at garbage dumps or docks. Learn more here!
 State Mammal: The Rocky Mountain Elk became the official state animal in 1971. Elk are plenti-
ful in the mountain ranges of Utah, and the Rocky Mountain National Park area. They range in
size from calves to full grown 700 pound adults. Native Americans prized the elk for its meat
and hide. Male elk have large antlers which are shed each year. The males make a bugling
sound which is a loud series of vocalizations to establish dominance over other males and at-
tract females.
 State Flower: The Sego Lily was adopted as the Utah state flower in 1911. They grow in dry are-
as, open pine forests and on hillsides between 5000-8000 feet in altitude. They are tulip-like
flowers having 3 petals each, ranging from white to lavender in color with a yellow base. They
grow up to 6-8 inches in height and bloom between May and July. The bulb of the Sego Lily is
edible and can be roasted or boiled.
 Check out some Utah Fun Facts: www.50states.com
 READ: If you Traveled West in a Covered Wagon: Pgs 59 - 62 (Wild Animals - Letters)
Utah
Lesson 125:
 Famous People: Robert Leroy Parker, a.k.a. “Butch Cassidy”, was born in Beaver, UT in 1866. He
was a notorious American train robber, bank robber, and leader of the Wild Bunch Gang in
the American Old West. Cassidy and his partner, “Sundance Kid” were pursued by authorities,
then supposedly left to Bolivia to enjoy their winnings. They were supposedly killed by Bolivian
police.
 Famous Landmark: Arches National Park is a visually impressive sandstone park located just
outside of Moab, UT. It is 119 square miles in size and 5,653 feet high at the top of Elephant
Butte. The park lies atop an underground evaporate layer of salt bed, which is the main cause
of the formation of the arches, spires, and balanced rocks in the area. See pictures here.
 The Pony Express was a mail service crossing the Great Plains and the Rocky Mountains, the
trail went from St. Joseph Missouri to Sacramento CA. It was used between 1860 and 1861 and
was the west’s most direct means of communication with the east. The Pony Express was vital
for tying California with the Union just before the American Civil War. Mail was carried by
horseback riders from one location to the other. The 1900 mile route followed the Oregon Trail,
the California Trail to Fort Bridger in Wyoming and then the Mormon Trail into Salt lake City,
Utah. From there it followed the Central Nevada Route to Carson City, NV then passed over
the Sierras into Sacramento, CA. Learn More. Below is the route of the Pony Express:
 Famous Landmark: Temple Square is a 10 acre complex owned by the LDS Church. It is locat-
ed in the center of Salt Lake City, UT. In 1847, when Mormon pioneers arrived in the Salt Lake
Valley, church president Brigham Young selected a plot of ground to build a temple on. The
site attracts 3-5 million visitors a year and is the most popular tourist attraction in Utah.
 Food: Utah is known as the “beehive state”, so honey is popular. Fry Sauce: Utah is one of the
only places where you can get “fry sauce”, a mixture of one part ketchup and two parts
mayonnaise.
 READ: If you Traveled West in a Covered Wagon: Pgs 63 - 67 (Supplies - Mountains)
More Information: Utah State: www.utah.gov Utah Historic Landmarks at Wikipedia
Washington
Materials Needed:
 USA Wall Map
 Food: Red Delicious Apples , Apple Crisp (See following pages for recipe)
 Volcano Experiment
Lesson 126:
 Locate state and capital (Olympia) on US Map
 Washington was made the 42nd state on November 11, 1889. It was nicknamed “The Ever-
green State” because of the large fir and pine trees in the state that make it green year
round. It is also home to Mount St. Helens, located in the Cascade Range southeast of Seattle,
WA. The volcano last erupted in 1980 after 123 years of inactivity. The eruption blasted over
1,000 feet off the top of the mountain. This eruption changed the mountains elevation from
9,677 feet to 8, 363 feet.
 Read: National Geographic US Atlas: Pg 152-153 (Washington)
 National Geographic US Atlas: Find Olympia WA Pg 153 D3
 State Flag: The official state flag of Washington was adopted in 1923 , and was designed to
honor George Washington. An image of the first President is centered on a green back-
ground, with the year the state was admitted to the Union, in a gold circle around the image
of George Washington. It is the only state to have a flag with a green background, and the
only flag that has a picture of an actual person.
 State Bird: The Willow Goldfinch was designated the official state bird in 1951. The males have
a bright yellow body with black wings and tail, and a black spot on top of its head. Females
have a muted olive-yellow body with dark brown tail and wings, and a light tan breast. They
are very acrobatic little birds that cling to weeds and seed socks. They typically inhabit weedy
fields and flood plans where plants such as thistles are common. Their diet consists of almost all
seeds, such as sunflower, thistle, grasses, and the like. Learn more here!
 State Flower: The Coast Rhododendron was officially named the state flower in 1959. They are
the best flowering evergreen plants for the temperate landscape of Washington. They are
usually pink to purple in color with flowers 1-1/2 cm long. Each flower has 5 wavy petals united
to form a bell-shaped corolla. Flower clusters can contain more than 20 blooms, and are seen
during the months of May - June.
 Check out some Washington Fun Facts: www.50states.com
 READ: If you Traveled West in a Covered Wagon: Pgs 68 - 71 (Road Signs)
Washington
Lesson 127:
 State Ship: In 2007, the “Lady Washington” became the official ship of the state. She was a 90-
ton merchant ship, built in Aberdeen by the Grays Harbor Historical Seaport Authority. She was
first launched on March 7, 1989. She was named in honor of Martha Washington and was the
first American vessel to reach Japan in an unsuccessful attempt to move some unsold pelts.
She served as part of the Columbia Expedition, then in 1797 she foundered in the Philippines.
Learn More here.
 State Marine Mammal: The Orca Whale was designated the official marine mammal in 2005.
The designation was meant to promote orca awareness and encourage the protection of its
natural marine habitat. The Orca whale, commonly referred to as the “killer whale”, is a
toothed whale. They are highly social, and have sophisticated hunting techniques and vocal
behaviors which are passed across generations. These animals have a distinctive black back,
white chest and sides, and a white patch above and behind the eye. They can range from 20
-26 feet in length and weigh in excess of 6 tons. The largest male killer whale on record was 32
feet, weighing over 10 tons! Learn more here.
 Famous Landmarks: Mount St. Helens is an active strato-volcano located in Skamania County,
WA. It is 96 miles south of Seattle. It is most famous for its catastrophic eruption on May 18, 1980
at 8:32 am PDT. It was the deadliest and most economically destructive volcanic event in the
history of the United States. Fifty-seven people were killed, 250 homes, 47 bridges, 15 miles of
railways, and 185 miles of highway were destroyed. An avalanche triggered by an earth-
quake measuring 5.0 on the Richter scale, caused an eruption which reduced the elevation
of the mountain’s summit from 9,677 feet to 8, 363 feet. The summit was replaced by a 1 mile
wide horseshoe-shaped crater. Learn more here., Watch the 1980 eruption on You Tube.
 Volcano Experiment: See following pages for detailed instructions.
 Food: Washington is known for producing the best Red Delicious Apples around! See following
pages for a yummy apple crisp recipe!
More Information: WA State: www.access.wa.gov, Washington Historic Landmarks at Wikipedia
Washington - Activity
Volcano Experiment:
Supplies:
 Clay, Play-Doh , or dirt
 Small plastic container about the size of a film canister
 Red and yellow food coloring (optional)
 Vinegar
 2 tsp. Baking soda
 1 tsp. Liquid dish washing soap
 Cookie sheet
Directions:
1. Create a volcano shape using clay, Play-Doh or a mound of dirt. Remember to leave a
hole in the center for the film canister. TIP: Make this structure on a cookie sheet to hold in
the volcanic eruption making clean up a tad easier.
2. Put the small plastic film canister inside the volcano at the top.
3. Add 2 tsp. baking soda to the canister
4. Add 1 tsp. dish soap to the canister
5. Add 5 drops each of red and yellow food coloring to the canister
When you’re ready for the volcanic eruption:

Add 1 ounce of vinegar to the container and watch your volcano erupt!
Some Alterations to try:
1. Does vinegar temperature affect how fast the volcano erupts?

2. Does the shape of the volcano effect the direction the eruption travels?
3. What can be added to the “lava” to slow it down?
4. What combination of vinegar and baking soda creates the biggest eruption?
Washington - Recipe
Apple Crisp:
Ingredients:
 10 cups red delicious apples, cored, peeled and sliced

 1 c. white sugar
 1 Tbsp. all-purpose flour
 1/2 c. water
Topping:
 1 c. quick-cooking oats
 1 c. all-purpose flour
 1 c. packed brown sugar
 1/4 tsp. baking powder
 1/4 tsp baking soda
 1/2 c. butter, melted
Directions:

2. Place sliced apples in a 9x12 inch pan.
3. Mix the sugar, 1 tbsp flour and ground cinnamon together and sprinkle over apples.
4. Pour water evenly over all ingredients in pan.
5. Combine oats, 1 c. flour, brown sugar, baking powder, baking soda and melted butter to-
gether.
6. Crumble evenly over the apple mixture.
7. Back at 350 degrees F for about 45 minutes or until top of crust is golden brown in color.
8. Serve warm with a scoop of vanilla ice cream!
Review
Lesson 128:
 Locate Utah and Washington on map, and review capitals
 Complete mini-books for UT and WA (See student workbook)
Supplies: White board, markers, jeopardy cards (See UT and WA Jeopardy Cards in Appendix)
Directions:
1. On white board write “Utah vs. Washington Jeopardy”
example below)
Name Points
Student 1 30
Student 2 5
Student 3 20
Wyoming
Materials Needed:
 USA Wall Map
 Food: Buffalo Chili (See following pages for recipe)
Lesson 129:
 Locate state and capital (Cheyenne) on US Map
 Wyoming was named the 44th state on July 10, 1890. It is known as “The Equality State” be-
cause it was the first place where women were granted the right to vote. The law allowing this
was passed in 1869, 21 years before Wyoming became a state.
 Read: National Geographic US Atlas: Pg 154-155 (Wyoming)
 National Geographic US Atlas: Find Cheyenne WY Pg 155 G9
 State Flag: The state flag of Wyoming was adopted in 1917. The Wyoming state animal, the buf-
falo, is centered on the flag. The state seal is branded on the bison. It has a blue background
with white and red borders. The red represents the Native Americans who knew and loved the
country long before settlers came, and also the blood of the pioneers who gave their lives re-
claiming the land. White is for purity, and blue the color of the sky and mountains, fidelity, jus-
tice and virility.
 State Bird: The Western Meadowlark was named the official state bird in 1927. It is a large stocky
songbird with a yellow throat, chest, and belly. Their back is brown and streaked, with white
outer tail feathers and a black “V” across the chest. They eat insects, grain, and weed seeds.
They are found in open country including native grasslands, pastures, fields, roadsides, and de-
sert grasslands. Learn more here!
 State Flower: The Indian Paintbrush was designated the state flower in 1917. The flowers grow
upward from their base to about 60 cm tall. The flowers look as though they have been dipped
in bright red paint, hence the name. The flowers are set in clusters, and have 3 lobes that are
hairy. The flowers are edible and sweet. They were consumed in moderation by Native Ameri-
can tribes as a condiment with other fresh greens. The Ojibwe used a hair wash made from the
flower to make their hair glossy and full bodied.
 Check out some Wyoming Fun Facts: www.50states.com
 READ: If you Traveled West in a Covered Wagon: Pgs 72 - 75 (Continental Divide - Special
Tricks)
Wyoming
Lesson 130:
 Famous People: Jackson Pollock, an artist known for his abstract paintings, was born January
28, 1912 in Cody, Wyoming. He was introduced to liquid paint in 1936 and later used paint
pouring as one of several techniques on canvases in the early 1940’s. He would lay his canvas-
es out on the floor and use what was later called his “drip” technique to splatter paints across
the canvas. His unique style was thought to be one of the origins for the term action painting.
Visit http://www.jacksonpollock.org/ to create your own Pollock style work electronically, or
make your own action painting on paper! Learn more about Jackson Pollock here.
 State Mammal: The American Bison was named the official state mammal in 1985. Buffalo once
roamed the American prairie by the tens of millions and provided a way of life for the plains Na-
tive American Indians. The tribes of the American plains relied on bison for food, shelter, cloth-
ing, and spiritual symbols. The bison can grow to be between 5-6 feet tall, and weigh between
930-2,200 pounds. They feed on grasses, herbs, shrubs and twigs. During the 19th century, Euro-
pean settlers hunted the buffalo to the brink of extinction. Today they are restricted to a few
national parks and other reserves. Learn more here.
 State Sport: The Rodeo was named the official state sport in 2003. It is a competitive sport which
arose out of working practices of cattle herding in Spain, Mexico, and later the U.S. Events are
organized into two basic categories, the rough stock events, and the timed events. Other
events such as breakaway roping, goat tying, and pole bending may also be a part of some
rodeos. Following the American Civil War, rodeo competitions emerged with the first held in
Cheyenne, Wyoming in 1872. By 1910 several major rodeos were established including the
Cheyenne Frontier Days which have been held annually since 1897 in Cheyenne, WY. It claims
to be one of the largest outdoor rodeo celebrations drawing close to 200,000 people every
year.
 Food: Buffalo meat is popular in Wyoming. See the following page for a buffalo chili recipe.
 READ: If you Traveled West in a Covered Wagon: Pgs 76 - 79 (Diaries - Oregon Trail)
More Information: Wyoming: www.wyoming.gov, Wyoming Historic Landmarks at Wikipedia
Wyoming - Recipe
Buffalo Chili:
Ingredients:
 2 lbs. ground buffalo
 2 med. Sweet onions, finely chopped
 3 cloves garlic, finely chopped
 2 15-oz. cans diced tomatoes
 2 Tbsp. chili powder
 2 or 3 fresh jalapeño peppers, diced
 1 16-oz. can kidney beans
 1 16-oz. can chili beans
 Water
Directions:
1. Brown the buffalo meat, breaking it up into small chunks as it cooks until browned.
2. Stir in finely chopped onions and garlic.
3. When onions are translucent, add remaining ingredients to pan and add enough water to just
cover the mixture.
4. Simmer covered for 45-60 minutes, stirring occasionally. You can also move all ingredients to a
crock pot and simmer on warm until ready to serve. If mixture becomes dry, add a bit of extra
water to moisten.
The West Review
Lesson 131:
 Practice U.S. States Song
 Locate Western states on map, and review capitals (Alaska, California, Colorado, Hawaii, Ida-
ho, Montana, Nevada, Oregon, Utah, Washington, Wyoming)
 Complete mini-book for WY (See student workbook)
 Assemble West states puzzle (See following page, you may want to print one per student. Cut
them out and place in baggie for storage, have student assemble states as they should go.)
to help them remember state names.) Add in Northeast, Southeast, Midwest and Southwest
Puzzle pieces.
card to the appropriate state puzzle pieces and capital cards, include Northeastern, South-
eastern, Midwest and Southwest pieces as well.
 Play West States Jeopardy:
Supplies: White board, markers, jeopardy cards - Print WY jeopardy cards, also need remaining
West Jeopardy Cards in Appendix (These should have already been printed in previous state re-
view lessons.)
Directions:
1. On white board write “The West States Jeopardy”
example below)
3. Use West Jeopardy cards from Appendix (Should have already been printed during previous
state review lessons)
all Western States Jeopardy winner.)
9. Bring everyone to pizza to celebrate making it through the entire Western region of the U.S!
Name Points
Student 1 30
Student 2 5
Student 3 20
The U.S.A. Review
Materials Needed:
 Ingredients for salt map (Below)
 Large piece of cardboard for salt map base
 Salt Map Template & Flag Labels (See following pages)
 Spin USA Game (Or another fun USA game or puzzle of your choice)
Lesson 132:
 Review US Regions on Map - Have students identify the following regions: The North East, The
South East, The Midwest, The Southwest, and The West.
 Review States and Capitals for U.S.A. on map: (Use states flashcards, show one to the class and
have them call out the Capital for each state)
Lesson 133:
 Salt map of the U.S.A.: Today we will be making a salt map of the U.S. Use the physical map on
pg 10-11 of the National Geographic USA Atlas to help you label major lakes and mountain rang-
es. Use the map template and labels on the following 4 pages.
 Supplies: Poster board or large flag cardboard piece for base, tempera paint, toothpicks, labels
and US template on following 4 pages.
 Salt Dough Recipe:
 4 cups of flour
 2 cups of salt
 2 cups of water
 2 tablespoons of cream of tartar
 Food Coloring (Can use green or tan for land, blue for water if desired)
 Mix with your hands until the consistency of play dough (soft and pliable, not crumbly).
Add more water or flour as necessary.
Lesson 134:
 States and Capitals Memory Game: Use State Flashcards and State Capital Cards to play a
memory game. If there are too many for your children to match, break them up into US regions.
 Make USA Flag Snacks:
 Ingredients:
 Graham Crackers
 8 oz cream cheese block, softened
 8 oz Marshmallow Cream
 1 C Blueberries
 1 C Strawberries, julienned
 Directions:
Mix cream cheese and marshmallow cream until smooth. Spread onto graham crack-
ers. Use blue berries in top left corner for stars area, then arrange strawberries in stripes
along remainder of “flag”
Lesson 135:
and puzzle pieces from states games. Lay states cards out on floor and match the state card to
the appropriate state puzzle pieces and capital cards.
 Alphabetize States using State Flashcards.
Lesson 136:
 Practice U.S. Presidents & States Song (See Appendix pg 270 for President Song Lyrics.)
 Play Spin USA by Educational Insights (Or another favorite US States game)
 Take a field trip to your favorite “All American” restaurant to celebrate the end of the year!
USA Salt Map Template: Cut out USA Shape and trace onto poster board or card-
board salt map base. (Map template continued on following 2 pages)
USA Salt Map Template: Cut out USA Shape and trace onto poster board or card-
board salt map base.
Appendix:
State Report……………..……..….……………….197
Travel Journal…………..………..………….……..198
State Flags…………….….….………..……………202
State Flash Cards……….…..….…….….………...205
State Capital Cards….…..…………..…………...212
State Jeopardy Cards

 Northeast………………………..………..215
 Southeast……………………….….……..227
 Midwest…………………………....……...240
 Southwest…………………....….………..253
 West………………………….….…...…….258
U.S. States & Presidents Song …………………..270
Additional Reading……….….……….……….….273
Bibliography…………………..………….…….…..277
State Report by:
State: __________________________________ USA Region: _______________________
Color this states location on the Map:
State Bird: _______________________________________________________________________
State Flower: ____________________________________________________________________
State Animal(s): _________________________________________________________________
Famous People/Places: __________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________________
Geographical Features: Mountains Deserts Plains Coast
What is your favorite thing about this state and why? ______________________________
_________________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________________
What is unique about this state? __________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________________
U.S. Presidents from this state: ____________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________________
Travel Log:
Travel Log Instructions:

STEP 1: Print Page 199, flip and print pg 200 on the back of 199.
STEP 2: Print page 201, flip and re-print page 201 on the back.
STEP 3: Repeat step 2, two more times, so you have a total of 3 pages
with Travel Journal state blanks on them.
STEP 4: Cut printed pages in half along dotted lines, fold in half and
staple down middle. This yields 2 USA Travel Logs.
STEP 5: Print flag stickers from pg 202 (1 copy for each Travel Log)
USA Travels Completion Date:
______________________
My Favorite Adventure was:

Travel Log
United States
of America
USA Travels Completion Date:

______________________
My Favorite Adventure was:

Travel Log
United States
of America
200
State:
State:
Copyright © 2011 Erica Made Designs, LLC All Rights Reserved. www.confessionsofahomeschooler.com
Travel Journal
Travel Journal
State :
State :
USA Surname
USA Surname
Given name Given name
Nationality Nationality
Insert Photo Here Date of Birth Insert Photo Here Date of Birth
Sex Sex
Place of Birth Place of Birth
P*USA* ***** **************** P*USA* ***** ****************
00000000000002USA *********************** 00000000000002USA ***********************
Travel Journal Travel Journal
State : State: State : State:
Travel Journal Travel Journal
State : State: State : State:
Flag Images used with permission from www.flags-to-print.com
State Flashcards
The West
The Northeast
Jeopardy Cards
The Southeast
Jeopardy Cards
The Midwest
Jeopardy Cards
The Southwest
Jeopardy Cards
The West
Jeopardy Cards
50 States & Capitals Song
&
Presidents of the U.S. Song
The 50 States & Capitals Song
(Sing to the tune of Turkey in the Raw)
Visit Mrs Jones Room to hear the music for your class practice time.
Baton Rouge, Louisiana; Indianapolis, Indiana;

And Columbus is the capital of Ohio
There's Montgomery, Alabama south of Helena, Montana
Then there's Denver, Colorado under Boise, Idaho.
Texas has Austin, then we go north to

Massachusetts, Boston; and Albany, New York
Tallahassee, Florida; and Washington, D.C.
Santa Fe, New Mexico; and Nashville, Tennessee
(Elvis used to hang out there a lot, ya know)
Trenton's in New Jersey north of Jefferson, Missouri

You got Richmond in Virginia, South Dakota has Pierre
Harrisburg's in Pennsylvania and Augusta's up in Maine
And here is Providence, Rhode Island next to Dover, Delaware.
Concord, New Hampshire, just a quick jaunt to

Montpelier which is up in Vermont
Hartford's in Connecticut, so pretty in the fall
And Kansas has Topeka, Minnesota has St. Paul
Juneau's in Alaska and there's Lincoln in Nebraska

And it's Raleigh out in North Carolina
Then there's Madison, Wisconsin and Olympia in Washington
Phoenix, Arizona and Lansing, Michigan
Here's Honolulu, Hawaii's a joy

Jackson, Mississippi and Springfield, Illinois
South Carolina with Columbia down the way
And Annapolis in Maryland on the Chesapeake Bay
(They have wonderful clam chowder.)
Cheyenne is in Wyoming and perhaps you make your home in

Salt Lake City Utah where the buffalo roam
Atlanta's down in Georgia and there's Bismarck, North Dakota
And you can live in Frankfort in your old Kentucky home.
Salem in Oregon, and from there we join

Little Rock in Arkansas, Iowa's got Des Moines
Sacramento, California, Oklahoma and its city
Charleston, West Virginia and Nevada, Carson City.
And that’s the 50 capitals of our United States!
The U.S. Presidents Song
(Sing to the tune of Ten Little Indians)
Visit Mrs. Jones Room to hear the song.
Washington, Adams, Thomas Jefferson

Madison, Monroe, John Quincy Adams
Jackson, Van Buren, William H. Harrison
Tyler, Polk and Taylor
Fillmore, Pierce, and James Buchanan

Lincoln, Johnson, Ulysses S. Grant
Hayes and Garfield, Chester A. Arthur
Cleveland, Harrison, and Cleveland again.
McKinley, Roosevelt, William H. Taft

Wilson, Harding, Calvin Coolidge
Hoover, Roosevelt, Harry S Truman
Eisenhower, Kennedy, Johnson
Nixon, Ford, Jimmy Carter

Reagan, Bush, Clinton and Bush...AGAIN
Who will be the next president?
Right now it’s Obama!
Additional Reading
Additional Reading:
 Alabama:
 Y is for Yellowhammer: An Alabama Alphabet by Carol Crane
 Helen Keller by Margaret Davidson
 Who Was Helen Keller? By Gare Thompson
 Alaska:
 L is for Last Frontier: An Alaska Alphabet by Carol Crane
 Snow Bear by Jean Craighead George
 Arizona:
 G is for Grand Canyon: An Arizona Alphabet by
 Arkansas:
 N is for Natural State: An Arkansas Alphabet by Michael Shoulders
 California:
 G is for Golden: A California Alphabet by David Domeniconi
 Colorado:
 C is for Centennial (A Colorado Alphabet Book) by Louise Doak Whitney
 Connecticut:
 N is for Nutmeg: A Connecticut Alphabet by Elissa Grodin
 Who was Jackie Robinson? By Gail Herman
 Delaware:
 F is for First State: A Delaware Alphabet by Carol Crane
 Florida:
 S is for Sunshine: A Florida Alphabet by Carol Crane
 Georgia:
 P is for Peach: A Georgia Alphabet by Carol Crane
 Hawaii:
 A is for Aloha: A Hawaii Alphabet by U’ilani Goldsberry
 Idaho:
 P is for Potato: An Idaho Alphabet by Stan Steiner
 Who was Sacagawea? By Judith Bloom Fradin
 V is for Viking: A Minnesota Alphabet by Kathy-jo Wargin
 Illinois:
 L is for Lincoln: An Illinois Alphabet by Kathy-jo Wargin
 Who was Abraham Lincoln? By Janet Pascal
 Indiana:
 H is for Hoosier: An Indiana Alphabet by Bruce Langton
 Iowa:
 H is for Hawkeye: An Iowa Alphabet by Patricia Pierce
 Kansas:
 S is for Sunflower: A Kansas Alphabet by Devin Scillian
 Who was Amelia Earhart by Kate Boehm Jerome
 Kentucky:
 B is for Bluegrass: A Kentucky Alphabet by Mary-Ann McCabe Riehle
 Who was Daniel Boon? By Sydelle Kramer
 Louisiana:
 P is for Pelican: A Louisiana Alphabet by Anita Prieto
 Louisiana Purchase by Peter Roop
 Maine:
 L is for Lobster: A Maine Alphabet by Cynthia Furlong Reynolds
Additional Reading:
 Maryland:
 B is for Blue Crab: A Maryland Alphabet by Shirley Menendez
 Who Was Harriet Tubman? By Yona Zeldis McDonough
 Massachusetts:
 M is for Mayflower: A Massachusetts Alphabet by Margot Theis Raven
 Who was Benjamin Franklin? by Dennis Brindell Fradin
 Ben Franklin and His First Kite by Stephen Krensky
 Who was Johnny Appleseed? By Joan Holub
 Johnny Appleseed by David L. Harrison
 Michigan:
 M is for Mitten: A Michigan Alphabet by Annie Appleford
 Who was Thomas Alva Edison? By Margaret Frith
 Minnesota:
 V is for Viking: A Minnesota Alphabet by Kathy-jo Wargin
 Mississippi:
 M is for Magnolia: A Mississippi Alphabet by Michael Shoulders
 Missouri:
 S is for Show Me: A Missouri Alphabet by Judy Young
 Montana:
 B is for Big Sky Country: A Montana Alphabet by Sneed B. Collard lll
 Nebraska:
 C is for Cornhusker: A Nebraska Alphabet by Rajean Leubs Shepherd
 Nevada:
 S is for Silver: A Nevada Alphabet by Eleanor Coerr
 New Hampshire:
 G is for Granite: A New Hampshire Alphabet by Marie Harris
 Fairy Tales by E.E. Cummings
 New Jersey:
 G is for Garden State: A New Jersey Alphabet by Eileen Cameron
 Who was Albert Einstein? By jess Brallier
 New Mexico:
 E is for Enchantment: A New Mexico Alphabet by Helen Foster James
 New York:
 E is for Empire: A New York Alphabet by Ann Burg
 North Carolina:
 T is for Tar Heel: A North Carolina Alphabet by carol Crane
 North Dakota:
 P is for Peace Garden: A North Dakota Alphabet by Roxane Salonen
 Ohio:
 B is for Buckeye: An Ohio Alphabet by Marcia Schonberg
 Who was Neil Armstrong by Roberta Edwards
 Oklahoma:
 S is for Sooner: An Oklahoma Alphabet by Devin Scillian
 Oregon:
 B is for Beaver: An Oregon Alphabet by Marie Smith
 Pennsylvania:
 K is for Keystone: A Pennsylvania Alphabet by Kristen Kane
 Who was Thomas Jefferson? by Dennis Brindell Fradin
Additional Reading:
 Rhode Island:
 R is for Rhode Island Red: A Rhode Island Alphabet by Mark R. Allio
 South Carolina:
 P is for Palmetto: A South Carolina Alphabet by Carol Crane
 South Dakota:
 M is for Mount Rushmore: A South Dakota Alphabet by William Anderson
 Tennessee:
 V is for Volunteer: A Tennessee Alphabet by Michael Shoulders
 Texas:
 L is for Lone Star: A Texas Alphabet by Alan Stacy
 Utah:
 A is for Arches: A Utah Alphabet by Becky Hall
 Vermont:
 M is for Maple Syrup: A Vermont Alphabet by Cynthia Furlong Reynolds
 Virginia:
 O is for Old Dominion: A Virginia Alphabet by Pamela Duncan Edwards
 Who was George Washington? By Roberta Edwards
 PBS Lewis & Clark Lesson Plans for Middle Schoolers
 Washington:
 E is for Evergreen: A Washington State Alphabet by Roland Smith
 West Virginia:
 M is for Mountain State: A West Virginia State Alphabet by Laura J. Bryant
 Wisconsin:
 B is for Badger: A Wisconsin Alphabet by Kathy-jo Wargin
 Little House on the Prairie by Laura Ingalls Wilder
 Wyoming:
 C is for Cowboy: :A Wyoming Alphabet by Eugene Gagliano
 Jackson Pollock (Getting to Know the World’s Greatest Artists) by Mike Venezia
Bibliography:
www.worldatlas.com
www.theflowerexpert.com
www.clipartconnection.com/en/
www.usa-printables.com/50_States
www.allaboutbirds.org
www.50states.com
www.e-referencedesk.com
www.foodtimeline.org
www.whitehouse.gov/about/presidents/
www.allrecipes.com
Statistical data gathered from numerous public domain reference materials,

every effort was made to be as accurate as possible.

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Here are some of the topics included in this curriculum:

Copyright 2011 by Erica Made Designs LLC All rights reserved.

This map shows the United States of America in relation to

Even though Alaska does not touch any other states in

Major Mountain Ranges

State: Order Admitted: Statehood: Year Founded:

Founded in c. 1635 by Thomas

Maryland 7th state April 28,1788 1634 by Lord Baltimore

Plymouth Rock, 1620 by the Puri-

1664 by Lord Berkeley and Sir

Pennsylvania 2nd state December 12, 1787 1682 by William Penn

1663 by Eight Nobles with a Royal

1. George Washington - Virginia 24. Grover Cleveland - New Jersey

More Information: Connecticut State: www.ct.gov, Connecticut Historic Landmarks at Wikipedia

 Serve with crackers.

 Stir in crab meat and parsley.

 Using 1/3 c mixture for each cake, shape into patties.

 Cover and chill at least 30 minutes prior to frying

 Drain and serve with lemon wedges

Simple Blueberry Muffins:

More Information: Massachusetts - www.mass.gov, Historic Landmarks - Wikipedia

1. Preheat oven to 375°F

More Information: Pennsylvania State: www.state.pa.us, Historic Landmarks at Wikipedia

Philly Cheese Steak Sandwich:

 More Information: Vermont State: www.vermont.gov, Vermont Historic Landmarks: Wikipedia

 15-ounce cylindrical tube, (i.e. bread crumbs container)

More Information: Arkansas at www.arkansas.gov , Arkansas Historic Landmarks at Wikipedia

More Information: Florida State at www.myflorida.com, Florida Historic Landmarks at Wikipedia

More Information: Georgia State: www.georgia.gov, Georgia Historic Landmarks at Wikipedia

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F

More Information: S.C.: www.sc.gov, S.C. Historic Landmarks at Wikipedia

Dried Apple Filling:

Topping: Confectioners’ sugar (dusted on top of finished cake)

Putting it all together:

More Information: Virginia state: www.virginia.gov, Virginia Historic Landmarks at Wikipedia

Lewis & Clark Expedition Trail

More Information: WV state: www.wv.gov, WV Historic Landmarks at Wikipedia

Sour Cream Coleslaw:

Meat Sauce:  1/2 tsp. ginger powder

Enjoy on bread or crackers.

More Information: Kansas State: www.Kansas.gov, Kansas Historic Landmarks at Wikipedia

More Information: Missouri State: www.mo.gov, Missouri Historic Landmarks at Wikipedia

 2 Tbsp whole milk

1. Combine milk and egg in small bowl.

Gooey Butter Cake:

 1 (18.25 ounce) package yellow cake mix

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).

More Information: Nebraska State: www.nebraska.gov, Nebraska Historic Landmarks at Wikipedia

Omaha Steak Strips:

Serve with rice or potatoes and veggies!

More Information: Ohio State: http://ohio.gov/, Ohio Historic Landmarks at Wikipedia

Yields approximately 5 dozen.

Paper Plate Activity:

Waning vs. Waxing:

Visit Wikipedia to see a lunar phases video!

Serve warm and enjoy!

More Information: Wisconsin State: www.wisconsin.gov, Historic Landmarks at Wikipedia

Alternatives for younger children:

 Cardboard box or empty milk container can be used as house