Amy Schroller
Guess This State
I have created a bulletin board that explores five different states and three important facts about each of these states. Prior to utilizing this bulletin board, we will spend several lessons going over some basic facts about all fifty states. Then I will split the students into groups of four. I will give each group a set of 50 cards with each state on one card. The state cards are cut into the shape of the state that it represents and made out of different colors of construction paper. On the bulletin board, it is numbered 1-5. Next to each number, there are three facts about a state and two picture clues as well. Then there is a question mark written in black marker. One group at a time will come up to the front of the classroom with their state cards.
They will read the clues for each number 1-5. When they think they know what state belongs with the clues given, they will find that state card and place it on the bulletin board on top of the black question mark. There will be five groups of students and each group will only put up one state. Prior to putting up the state cards, the students will discuss which state they want to put up after looking at the bulletin board. They will write it down on a piece of paper and hand it to the teacher with their names on it. We will then discuss there answers as a class. Finally each group will designate a group leader and he or she will come to the front and place his or her group’s state on the bulletin board.
Below are the clues given on the bulletin board:
1) –First Capital of the United States
-“The Big Apple” -Home of the Empire State Building
Picture Clues: The Empire State Building and a picture of a “Big Apple”
ANSWER: NEW YORK, so the student would place New York state card over the
question mark next to the clues that represent New York.
2) –“The Lone Star State”
-Home of the Alamo
-Dr Pepper was invented here
Picture Clues: A Longhorn (the actual animal) and a Dr Pepper logo
ANSWER: TEXAS
3) –Capital city is Phoenix
-Part of the 4 corners
-Home of the Grand Canyon
Picture Clues: Picture of the Grand Canyon and a Cactus
ANSWER: ARIZONA
4) –“Sunflower State”
-State song is “Home on the Range”
-Home of “The Wizard of Oz” Picture Clues: Dorothy and Toto (from the Wizard of Oz) and a sunflower.
ANSWER: KANSAS
5) –“Sunshine State”
-Home of Fort Myers Beach (place of my honeymoon so students will have heard of it!)
-Home of Disney World
Picture Clues: Picture of Fort Myers Beach that I took on my honeymoon and a picture
of the Walt Disney Castle.
ANSWER: FLORIDA