Students will create a list of interesting facts about a U.S. state.
What You Need
- reference books with information about your state, or Internet access
- State Facts (PDF file)
What to Do
- Discuss the different types of state facts, such as the bird, flower, tree, motto, and so forth. Focus on your state and see what students know about their state’s facts.
- Distribute copies of the State Facts worksheet and ask students to use reference materials to research their state and find the information needed to complete the worksheet.
Examples of Historical Facts:
- Massachusetts: On January 15, 1919, 2.2 million gallons of molasses flooded the North End’s Commercial Street.
- Florida: The first commercial airline service between two U.S. cities was established at St. Petersburg in 1914.
- Pennsylvania: The Rockville Bridge, the longest stone arch bridge in the world, is in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania.
- Texas: Liquid Paper was invented by Bette Nesmith Graham, a divorced single mother who lived in Dallas, Texas, in 1956.
- Ohio: The largest U.S. island is Kelleys Island, located in Lake Erie.
- After students have completed their research, have them share the interesting facts they found about their state.
- Compile the list of the facts and have students create a poster to hang in the classroom.
- Extend the activity by assigning all states, and have students create note cards with their State Facts information sheets. Then attach the cards to a wall map of the United States.
The US50 - A guide to the fifty states
This site provides quick and easy access to information about each state, including general history, historic figures, and geography. Click on Fast Facts to access information about state birds, capitals, trees, and flowers.