My first trip across country as a young adult was inspired by a social studies project I had in fifth grade. We were studying Native Americans across the United States, and the Anasazi of the Southwest planted themselves firmly in my mind. Then and there I vowed that I would see their cliff homes some day.
I fulfilled that childhood dream in my early twenties at Mesa Verde National Park, climbing steep ladders to visit Anasazi homes, peering into the kivas they used for worship, and climbing still higher to reach the sunny mesa tops where these ancestors of the Pueblo people grew crops.
Now that the school year’s begun, today’s elementary school students will begin preparing projects and writing reports on the subjects they’re learning about. The 50 states are still a popular first project or report topic in elementary school.
LearningGamesforKids.com has a section on the 50 states with loads of great resources to help you begin to learn about the symbols, the animals and plants, and the attractions of every state in the union. There are online games, printable activities, and even videos featuring each state, so it’s a great place to start your report or project.
Take a look through our resources. You’ll have fun playing games, find great information for your report, and maybe you’ll see a bird or a museum or an attraction that will plant itself firmly in your mind. Maybe you’ll find a state you just can’t wait to visit some day!
