The 50 States

Materials:
Different colored chalk
Map of the United States
Overhead Projector
Laminated map of the United States
Pen

Subject Area: Geography

Grade: Third

Class Procedure:
 Since we have began to discuss the United States of America in the last couple of weeks, this week we are going to learn about each individual state and their capitals.  The children are already familiar with how many states there are and a couple of the states that we have been studying.  Today I am going to pass out the copy of the United States map (included) and the children will have about 10 minutes to fill in the states that they know.  After the 10 minutes are up I will ask the class to name some of the states that they have listed.  This gives me some insight of how many states that they already know.  Then I will put my map of the United States on the overhead projector and have the students fill in the states that they did not have on their map.  After we finish, we will go outside on the pavement, and I have already drawn the outline of the United States for them.  Each student will get a different colored piece of chalk and draw and name a state of their choice.  This activity will continue for about 20 minutes.  After the children have drawn and labeled, we will review what states we have and draw in the ones that we don’t have.  This may be a little messy but students will get some idea of where the different states are on the map and the name of the states.  After this we will go back inside and the last few minutes of class, I will give them instructions for their homework.  They will need to find information on five different states, including the capital, flag, flower, bird, tree, song, and motto.  I have a handout included for them, and I will give each student five of these to take home.

Questions:  What states can you name?
         What is the largest state?
         What is the smallest state?
                    What state do you live in?
                    What is your state's bird, flower, and motto?
         Which states are new to you today?

Evaluation: My evaluation is to see what states that the students are already familiar with and to see what states that they learned new today.  I will evaluate students on their map (outside) and at the end of class, what new states did they learn about today.
 

Lauren Haulk
Lesson Plan #2
 
 

The 50 States

Materials: Newspaper
       Acrylic paint
       Paintbrushes
       Stapler
                  Pencils
                  Map of United States (on wall)
 

Subject Area: Geography and Art

Class Procedure:  The first thing we will do on day two is have the class go over their homework.  They will each tell the class about the states that they picked and the information that they were supposed to research.
 Next we are going to do an art project pertaining to the states.  First, I will pass out about five sheets of newspaper to each student.  They are to draw a state of their choice on the top sheet of the newspaper.  They may look at the map hanging on the wall to give them an idea of the states shape.  After they have drawn their shape they are to cut the state out through all four sheets of newspaper.  They are to staple two of the shapes together at the edges, and them staple the last two-remainder sheets of paper at the edges of the state. Next they will staple the edges of these two sets together, leaving an approximant   4” opening.  Next they are to stuff their state with small wads of newspaper, until it is full and has a three-dimensional form.  Then they will staple the 4” opening so none of the wads of paper will fall out.  Next the students will paint their state the color of their choice with acrylic paint.  They will need newspaper under their project to make sure not to get paint on their desk.  These will need to be placed on the back table to let dry for the night.
 After we finish our three-dimensional states, I will pass out the word-search puzzle (included) for the students to do for homework.

Questions: Which state are you going to pick to draw? Why?
        What color are you going to paint your state? Why?
 
Evaluation:  I will evaluate students’ progress as they are drawing and making their state.  I will help if needed and guide them through the whole process.  After their states are finished I will evaluate their work to see if they followed directions.

Lauren Haulk
Lesson Plan #3
 

The 50 States

Materials: CD Software
        Computers
                   Monitors
                   Speakers
                  “States Nicknames” handout
 
Subject Area: Geography and Computer Technology

Grade: Third

Class Procedure:  The first thing that we will do on class today in turn in our word-search puzzles.  The rest of the day we are going to the computer lab.  I have already signed our class up to have the computer lab for 50 minutes.  The class will go to the computer lab and already in the computer CD-ROM is a copy of the US Atlas.  The company that published this is, “The Software Toolworks” On this software the students get to select a state and then they get to learn whatever they want to learn about any state that they choose.  They can learn the states’ song, bird, flower, ect,.  The students have a handout that I gave them before class that is called, “State Nickname”.  They are to find as many nicknames as they can for the fifty states.  This is a fun, interactive, educational CD, which I hope the students will enjoy so they learn more about the states.  This CD also has detailed maps of the United States regions, states, counties, and cities.  The children will also be assigned to find their city on the city map.   They will spend their entire class time in the computer lab to give them computer experience and to learn about the states.

Questions?  How many facts are there about each state?
         How many nicknames have you found?
         Do any of these facts look familiar from our previous learning experience?
                     Is everyone navigating through the CD software okay?

Evaluation:  My evaluating the students will be by walking around the room and make sure no one is goofing of.  I will be able to see how many states students have observed and how many nicknames they have filled out on their handout.

Lauren Haulk
Lesson Plan #4

The 50 States
 

Materials:  Piece of plain white paper
       Small Pieces of Colored Paper
                  Pens
       Blank map of United States

Subject Area: Geography

Grade: Third

Class Procedure:  Today we are going to start out class by playing BINGO.  Each student will get a blank sheet of white paper and will make BINGO cards listing twenty-four states and a free space.  After they are finished making their BINGO cards I will pass out tiny pieces of colored paper for their markers.  I will begin by asking questions like, “Which states nickname is the Tar Heel state?”  Students will then put their piece of paper on North Carolina if that is one of the states on their BINGO card.  The first student with five in a row has BINGO.  They will call back their states and if they have BINGO correctly they will win a prize.  We will play BINGO for about thirty-five minutes and then I will pass out a blank map of the United States like I did the first day.  Students should be more familiar where the states are located and I will have them finish these for homework.  Each state should be filled in its appropriate place.

Questions: do you understand the states more?
Tell me one thing that you have learned about a state that you did not know before.
Did you thing BINGO was fun and educational?

Evaluation:  I will evaluate my students by seeing if they got their answers right for BINGO.  I will also evaluate them by walking around the room and see if they are labeling more states than on the first day.
 
Lauren Haulk
Lesson Plan #5
 

The 50 States
 
 

Materials: “State Information” handout
                   Notebook paper
                   Pencils
                   Hole Puncher
        String

Subject Area: Geography and Language Arts

Grade: Third

Classroom Procedure:  The first thing we will do in class today is the students will hand in their maps.  Then they will go get their three-dimensional state and bring it back to their desk.  They will hole punch the top of their state so that we can hang them in our classroom.  They will then each get a piece of string and tie a knot in it and we will hang them up in our classroom.  As we are hanging them up I will ask the class to name the state that I am hanging up.  Then I will ask them to get out a sheet of paper and they are going to write a story.  I want in their story to name at least ten states and something about each state.  They may look at their handouts from previous days, for information.  They will have the rest of the class period to do this.  At the end of class, I will pass each student out the, “State Information Sheet”.  They will take this worksheet home and complete it.  Then I will tell them that on Monday they will be given a test on the states of the United States.  I will give each a blank United States and they will have to fill in each state.

Questions:  What state is this?
                    What is the state bird for this state?
                    What state would you like to live in?
                    Do any of your relatives live in another state?

Evaluation:  I will evaluate my students by naming the states as I hang them up on the ceiling.  Then I will make sure that no one has a question and I will walk around the classroom as they are writing their stories to make sure everyone is on the right track.