States by the Letters

By Casey Krogman

Grade Level & Standards

Grade Level: Could fit 3rd or 4th (I focused on 4th grade.)

3rd Grade Standard › 3.G.1.3. Locate the seven continents, four

major oceans, major United States landforms, and state boundaries on a map or globe.

4th Grade Standard› 4.G.1.1. Compare regions of the United

States to South Dakota.

Purpose of Lesson

Students will learn how the states are similar and related to one another.

I also think that giving each student similar but separate tasks will encourage them to find their own answers, instead of simply copying one another.

Learning Objectives & Geographic Skills Acquired

Learning Objectives:› Students will be able to research a topic in 2-3

sources and write a thorough explanation of the topic.

› Students will work together with 2-3 classmates to compare states.

› Students will be able to compare South Dakota to at least one other state.

Geographic Skills Acquired:› Students will learn comprehension skills and

how to apply what they know to compare states.

Materials/ Resources Needed

Students will need to have access to:› A large map of the United States› The A-Z State Alphabet books (M is for

Mount Rushmore: A South Dakota Alphabet)

› Encyclopedias› Dictionaries› Internet

Procedure & Activities Students will go to the map of the United States,

and will point to a place on the map while blindfolded. Whichever state the student points to is their state. If a student points to a state that is already taken by another student or points to South Dakota, they will try again.

The state the student points to will correspond to the alphabet book they will read, for instance, a student pointing to Wyoming will read the Wyoming alphabet book.

After reading about their selected state, the students will come back together as a class to write their own alphabet book for South Dakota.

Procedure & Activities

Students will draw a letter out of a bowl and find a topic about South Dakota that fits that letter. (Depending on class size, there may be more than one of each letter or students may have more than one letter to select a topic and research about.)

Students will research the topic they choose for their letter and write a book page for the letter. Their book page may also include pictures that are cut out, printed, or drawn by the student.

Students will then put together their book and make a cover for it.

Procedure & Activities

After students have put together their book for South Dakota, they will get together in small groups to discuss how the topics in their South Dakota book are different from those in their individual state books.

Students should especially note landmarks, landforms, and climate-related differences between the two states.

As a conclusion to the project, each student will be asked to volunteer a fact about their original state and a comparing fact about South Dakota.

Student Assessment

Students will be assessed on the research and writing for their topic in the South Dakota alphabet book.

Students will be assessed on their participation in the small group discussions.

Students will also be assessed on the verbal comparison of their state to South Dakota.

Extending the Lesson

Reading/Writing-Students will first be reading a book and then model their own book after it.

Math-Students can figure out distances between places in their states and between places in their state and places in South Dakota, differences in populations between their state and South Dakota, etc.

Art-Students will create pictures or collages to go on their book pages and also work together to design a cover for their book.

Resources & Citations Lesson Plan modified from my Language Arts Methods

Idea book South Dakota Department of Education.

http://doe.sd.gov/contentstandards/. Anderson, William. M is for Mount Rushmore: A South

Dakota Alphabet. Gagliano, Eugene. C is for Cowboy: A Wyoming Alphabet. Pierce, Patricia. H is for Hawkeye: An Iowa Alphabet. Salonen, Roxane. P is for Peace Garden: A North Dakota

Alphabet. Shepherd, Rajean Luebs. C is for Cornhusker: A Nebraska

Alphabet. There are also books for the rest of the 50 states,

however I did not list them as it would take about 3 more slides.