My GREAT State Report
by
Color in your state.
Midwest
Alaska
Name of State
Northeast
West
______________________________ A b b rev i a t i o n _______
Region: (check one)
West
Southwest
Hawaii
Midwest
Southeast
Northeast
Alaska/Hawaii
Southeast
Southwest
State the Facts
Date It Became a State: __________________________ __
Size in Square Miles: _____________________________ __
Population: _____________________________________ __
Instant Personal Poster Sets: My Great State Report (Grades 3-6) © Scholastic Teaching Resources
Neighboring States: ________________________________
Average Temperature: In Winter ____ In Summer ___ ___
Important Physical Features: ________________________
_____________________________________________ ___
Capital: __________________________________________
Map Key
Largest City: _________________________________ _ ___
Products: _________________________________________
Native Animals: ___________________________________
State Bird: ________________________________________
Here is a map of my state.
State Flower: _____________________________________
S u p e r S t a t e H e ro
State Motto: _________________________________ _____
_______________________________________________
State Flag
MAGNIFICENT MINI-TIMELINE
Here are 4 key events in the history of my state!
1st Date
EVENT
The colors of my
state flag are . . .
___________________
___________________
2nd Date
EVENT
3rd Date
EVENT
4th Date
EVENT
Name: ____________
_________
Born: _________ Died:
_________
Famous for: ________
________
_________________
__________
_________________
__________
Read this brochure to find out what makes my state super special!
MYSTATEPLATE!
Here’s a brand-new license plate
I designed for my state!
I wrote this tongue twister about my state!
I made up this nickname for my state!
I recommend these resources to learn more
about my state:
I NSTANT PERSONAL POSTER TEACHING G UIDE
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mark off as they work.
INTRODUCING THE POSTER
W
Instant Personal Poster Sets: My Great State Report (Grades 3-6) © Scholastic Teaching Resources
t
elcome to Instant Personal Poster:
My Great State Report! This interactive
poster will help your students develop research
and reporting skills as they build knowledge
about the states. The customized format allows
each student to gather information on a different
state to share with the class.
These poster activities are designed to encourage students of all different learning styles to
excel in their research efforts. Students will use
diverse skills such as researching, recording,
drawing, talking, spatial reasoning, and word play
to complete the activities.
BUILDING BACKGROUND
Make sure your students have plenty of opportunities to gather information about “their” states.
Organize a classroom library collection and visit
the school and public library as a group. Help students access information over the Internet. Every
state and many cities and towns have tourist
information posted on the net. Students can easily find these sites via any number of search
engines. And don’t forget the U.S. mail! Encourage
students to write to local Chambers of Commerce
and state tourist bureaus for information and
brochures.
State Map
Students can develop their map reproductions by
showing details such as state capitals or major
cities, industry icons, or geographic landmarks
such as mountain ranges. Have them highlight
these details on the map key.
Super State Hero
Ask kids to research and write a mini-bio celebrating an individual who was born in their state
or contributed to its greatness.
State Flag
Have students reflect on what the colors or patterns of the flag represent. Invite kids to render the
existing state flag or have them create a new flag
using colors or pictures that represent important
concepts about the states.
Magnificent Mini-Timeline
Discuss how to select the most notable events to
complete the timelines. Brainstorm characteristics
that make an event historical.
USING THE POSTER
Printing the Poster
Two poster sizes are included in this lesson:
8-1/2" x 11" (page 1), and 17" x 22" (page 4)
-
State the Facts
Brochure
Students can use the questions in this section to
ensure they are gathering the full range of infor
mation about their states. You may wish to reproduce the questions as a checklist for students to
Encourage students to use pictures and words
that will “sell” their states to their friends. Discuss
the use of adjectives that best describe the state
and persuasive language to make the state look its
best.
My State Plate
Hone students higher-level thinking skills by challeging kids to create a brand new design for their
state license plates. Before everyone gets started,
discuss the elements of a license plate including
a model and fitting icon. For extra fun, invite
kids to dream up a “vanity” number that pays
an added homage to their state.
6. Students may create mock commercials,
which you may wish to video-tape, “selling”
their states to would-be tourists.
CONNECTING TO STANDARDS
My Great State Report activities connect to
these language arts and social studies content
standards:
state and local geography
state history
Instant Personal Poster Sets: My Great State Report (Grades 3-6) © Scholastic Teaching Resources
communicating information & note-taking
summarizing & organizing information
ASSESSING STUDENT WORK
Students will complete the posters in a variety of
ways. Use this checklist to help assess their
mastery.
Creative Quickies
These “quick-takes” were developed to enable students of all learning styles to show what they
know.
• Have kids write original tongue twisters
that celebrate their state.
• Invite kids to brainstorm brand-new state
nicknames.
• Model great research skills by asking kids
to record the resources they used to find
out about their states including books,
videos, and Internet sites.
SH A R I NG T H E R E SU LT S
1. Have students give oral reports highlighting
important details about their states.
d Were they able to complete the information in
State the Facts?
d Did they use multiple resources, both in print
and multimedia formats, to do their research?
d Could they discern notable people and events?
d Did they share information orally or through
display?
TA K I NG I T F U RT H E R
Choose targeted states to explore further as a
class. Research local food, customs, and industry.
Hold a state picnic or a mock state fair, celebrating
that state’s regional flavor.
Develop pen pal or e-pal relationships with students or classrooms in these states to learn more.
2. Set up a bulletin board-sized U.S. map and
hang student work from each state.
3. Collect each student’s poster and create a
class state book.
4. Have students put on short “state skits”
highlighting important events from the
states’ histories.
5. After sharing their reports, students can
create state quizzes or scavenger hunts to
test their classmates’ knowledge.
ISBN: 0-439-15296-8 © 2000 by Scholastic Inc. All rights reserved. Poster written by Liza
Charlesworth; teaching guide written by Anne Schreiber; poster design by Jaime Lucero;
teaching guide design by Pamela Simmons and Norma Ortiz; Illustration by Teresa Anderko.
My GREAT State Report
by
Color in your state.
Midwest
Alaska
Name of State
Northeast
West
_____________________________ _ Ab br ev iatio n _______
Region: (check one)
West
Southwest
Midwest
Southeast
Northeast
Alaska/Hawaii
Hawaii
Southeast
Southwest
State the Facts
Date It Became a State: ____________________________
Size in Square Miles: _______________________________
Population: _______________________________________
Neighboring States: ________________________________
Average Temperature: In Winter ____ In Summer ______
Important Physical Features: _______________________
__
______________________________________________
___
Capital: __________________________________________
Instant Personal Poster Sets: My Great State Report (Grades 3-6) © Scholastic Teaching Resources
Map Key
Largest City: ______________________________________
Products: ______________________________________
___
Native Animals: ________________________________
____
State Bird: ___________________________________
_____
Here is a map of my state.
State Flower: _____________________________________
State Flag
Super State Hero
State Motto: ______________________________________
_______________________________________________
MAGNIFICENT MINI-TIMELINE
Here are 4 key events in the history of my state!
1st Date
The colors of my
state flag are . . .
___________________
___________________
Name: ____________
_________
Born: _________ Died:
_________
Famous for: ________
________
__________________
_________
__________________
_________
EVENT
2nd Date
EVENT
3rd Date
EVENT
4th Date
EVENT
Read this brochure to find out what makes my state super special!
MY STATE PLATE!
Here’s a brand-new license plate
I designed for my state!
I wrote this tongue twister about my state!
I made up this nickname for my state!
I recommend these resources to learn more
about my state: