Home School Life Journal From Preschool to High School

Home School Life Journal ........... Ceramics by Katie Bergenholtz
"Let us strive to make each moment beautiful."
Saint Francis DeSales

Showing posts with label 50 States Study. Show all posts
Showing posts with label 50 States Study. Show all posts

Maryland History and Geography

Maryland map drawn by Sam in 2010.

Inspired by Ticia at Adventures in Mommydom, who recently posted a totally awesome post, The Ultimate Guide to Hands on Learning for Texas history, I have decided to write a series of lessons on Maryland history and geography. I am basing these lessons on what James and I have been learning about Maryland history and geography this year, but I will include sections for all age/grade groups. Wouldn't it be cool if all 50 states could be covered in this manner, with posts written by the bloggers who live in each of the states?

Here are the posts that I will be posting, which will include activities, questions for further research and field trips, if you live close-by.

  1. Where is Maryland?
  2. The State Seal
  3. In the Beginning : The Calvert and Lord Baltimores 
  4. The State Flag
  5. The Potomac River and the Chesapeake Bay 
  6. State Dog
  7. A New Colony and the Indians who Lived There
  8. Key Cities and Towns in Maryland 
  9. First State House and the State House Today
  10. Colonial Maryland 
  11. Maryland's Shape and Size
  12. Revolutionary War
  13. Maryland's Neighbors
  14. War of 1812
  15. Elevations of Maryland 
  16. Westward Movement 
  17. Drainage Systems in Maryland 
  18. Civil War 
  19. The State Song, "Maryland, My Maryland"
  20. Rivers in Maryland
  21. Nineteenth Century
  22. Boundaries of Maryland: Mason - Dixon Line, Potomac River and the Atlantic Ocean 
  23. Twentieth Century 
  24. The State Flower
  25. The Delmarva Peninsula 
  26. State Fossil, State Sport
  27. Government 
  28. The Coastal Plain: the Chesapeake Bay,  the Eastern Shore and Southern Maryland 
  29. State Tree, State Fish
  30. State Crustacean, State Boat
  31. The Piedmont Plateau 
  32. The Appalachian Region
  33. Baltimore 
  34. State Bird, State Insect
  35. America in Miniature 
  36. Other Symbols of Maryland

Sources:
Maryland History, Mary Michael
Maryland Geography,  Mary Michael 
Maryland Symbols,  Mary Michael 

Postcard-Geography Album: Idaho, "Gem State"


We not only received a postcard from the Neale family, but they sent us four postcards, Wild Huckleberry Licorice and Wild Huckleberry Honey!

Idaho was established as the 43rd state on July3, 1890. It has 83,557 square miles of some of America's most beautiful scenery.
 "It is so beautiful here in Idaho!"
Priest River flourished as a logging and railroad town in its early days. It is now a jumping off point to some of northern Idaho's most spectacular backcountry.
" This is the city where we live -it is located up in the panhandle, close to the border of Canada."
Idaho is home to many native tribes. The history of Idaho's first citizens is rich in tradition, character and  culture.
 "Our state celebrates the important role of Native Americans in our history."
"One of the things Idaho is famous for! : )"

We enjoyed the Wild Huckleberry Honey in our tea one Teatime and the Rocky Mountain Wild Huckleberry Licorice as a snack. Thank you so much for a fun glimpse at Idaho!

In 1863, Congress designated the Idaho Territory with the erroneous understanding that Idaho was a Shoshone word meaning "Gem of the Mountains." In spite of the misunderstanding concerning the origin of the name the state, it continues to be known as the “Gem State” and the “Gem of the Mountains."
We noted that Idaho is bordered by Canada in the north and the states of Washington, Oregon, Nevada, Utah, Wyoming and Montana surround it.
We had studied the Nez Perce Indians when we studied the Lewis and Clark Expedition, so we just reviewed what we had done as Idaho falls in the territory of the Nez Perce.
 We completed the pocket for History Pockets: Native Americans,
 which included this model of a decoration for horses that they used.
Much of Idaho's geography is the Rocky Mountains, with the Snake River Plain being the only level ground in the state.
Appaloosa steed, zinc mines to Mount Borah, the potato, peregrine, Union Pacific, Quinceanera, Nex Perce and all things Idaho.


Idaho Potato Gems from Layers of Learning
When I think of Idaho, I immediately think of potatoes, so we decided to have a baked potato bar for dinner to celebrate our study of this state, but these "Idaho Potato Gems" sound very interesting. (Link above is to the recipe.)

We have "visited" 47 states (94%) with our postcard-geography album.


We still need postcards for these states: 
Mississippi
New Jersey
Vermont and Wyoming.
If you live in any of these states and would like to help us with this project, please leave a comment on how I can get in touch with you. Thank you!

Geography Album: Missouri, "The Show Me State"

We received a postcard from Missouri!
St. Jo, Missouri
"Hi, from Missouri! St. Joseph is known for The Pony Express, Jesse James and the Missouri River. Many of the Pioneers crossed the river heading west."
Now that our map is filled in so much, it is pretty easy for them to find the states. We noted that Missouri is bordered by several states, IowaIllinoisKentuckyTennesseeArkansasOklahoma
Kansas and Nebraska(No state in the U.S. touches more than eight states.)
Fur Traders Descending the Missouri, c. 1845, George Caleb Bingham

The state is named for the Missouri River, which was named after the first natives encountered by Europeans in the region. The first European settlers were the French, first French Canadians and later the French from New Orleans. It became the center of a regional fur trade with Native American tribes that extended up the Missouri and Mississippi rivers.
Quentin's coloring page says,"Independence, Missouri was the beginning of the Oregon Trail.going west."
 Part of the 1803 Louisiana Purchase, Missouri earned the nickname "Gateway to the West" because it served as a major departure point for expeditions and settlers heading to the West in the 19th century.
Sam's state sketch
 The Lewis and Clark Expedition departed up the Missouri River in 1804 to explore the western territories to the Pacific Ocean. St. Louis was a major supply point for decades for parties of settlers heading west. The territory was admitted as a slave state in 1821 as part of the Missouri Compromise.
"I am from Missouri. You have got to show me." 
-Missouri's U.S. Congressman Willard Duncan Vandiver
There are a number of stories and legends behind Missouri's state slogan, "The Show Me State."
However the slogan originated, it is now used to indicate the stalwart, conservative, noncredulous character of Missouri's residents.
Our coloring page taught us the state bird, the Eastern Bluebird,  the state flower, the Red Hawthorn 
and the state tree, the Dogwood.
(We made paper Dogwood blooms when we did North Carolina.)
Laura and Almanzo and their daughter, Rose, moved to Mansfield, Missouri in 1894. Their farm, Rocky Ridge, is now a museum.


"The St. Louis style of preparing ravioli is unique and delicious. The ravioli is breaded, fried and served with marinara sauce and a sprinkling of Parmesan cheese." 
Another possibility for a main dish for this state would be 'Show Me' state Cashew Chicken.
"This is Cashew Chicken in the style first served in Springfield, Missouri in the 1960's. It involves deep frying the chicken pieces in peanut oil."






We have "visited" 45 states (90%) with our Postcard-Geography album.
We still need postcards for these states: 
Mississippi
New Jersey
Vermont and Wyoming.
If you live in any of these states and would like to help us with this project, please leave a comment on how I can get in touch with you. Thank you!


Geography Album: Utah, The Beehive State

UTAH-LAND OF CONTRAST
Hi! We are the Brown family. We live in Utah. Utah was named after the Ute Indian tribe who is  prominent in the area I live. Utah has a rich pioneer history. Hunting, fishing and camping are very popular activities in our state. We have a very large open pit copper mine that you can see from space here. We live in the lower NE corner of Utah. Our area is a tourist place for dinosaurs history. There are five National Parks in Utah. Five more are very close to us. 
We received this postcard from the Brown Family. It shows the many varied scenes you can find in Utah. "I live right near (in Uintah County) the second picture from the top, which is a picture of Flaming Gorge an enormous lake.  The copper mine I talked about is Kennecott, the right side middle picture shows an aerial photo of it. Here is where you can see it from space.  There are only two man made structures that can be seen from outer space, The Great Wall of China and the Kennecott Utah Copper Mine.    I forgot to talk about The Great Salt Lake as well.  Here is a neat Utah website."  

We added Utah to our geography album, coloring a map of many interesting things in Utah.
The map also shows the land formations such as Brice Canyon, Zion National Park, the Colorado River and, of course, the Great Salt Lake. It also shows the products of the state, such as salt, gold and farming. We also noted that Utah is bordered by ArizonaColorado, Wyoming and Nevada.
The Seagull Monument located in front of the Salt Lake Assembly Hall on Temple Square.
photo source: Wikipedia

I told them the miracle of the gulls, the story behind the sea gull being their state bird.

From our coloring page we also learned the state flower, the Sego Lily and the state tree, the Blue Spruce. 

source
By looking at the state quarter, we learned about how Utah is considered the "crossroads of the west." On May 10, 1869, two steam locomotives met at Promontory, Utah, for the "Joining of the Rails Ceremony," at which the Union Pacific and Central Pacific railroads completed the transcontinental route.

"We'll start with Utah's arches, 
made from wind, frost, and rain. 
Nature's rocky sculptures- 
an art that can't remain."

From A is for Arches to Z is for Zion National Park

To celebrate Utah, we made "Utah Scones" with cinnamon-honey-butter, which are nothing like scones, but a lot like Navaho Fry Bread. Very tasty, and pretty easy to make. 

This is not the classic scone, that we’re all familiar with. This is a Utah creation, a flattened ball of dough deep-fried and topped with sweet toppings like honey and jam. It is much like Indian Fry Bread.

2 cups flour
1/2 tablespoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon sugar
2 tablespoons butter, melted
3/4 – 1 cup warm water
Oil for frying
Powdered sugar
Cinnamon honey butter, recipe below

In a medium bowl, combine the flour, baking powder, sugar, and salt. Add the melted butter and 3/4 cup warm water. Mix with a spoon until dough comes together into a ball. Dough should be moist but not sticky. Use remaining 1/4 water if needed. Cover dough and let rest for one hour.

Heat oil in a skillet over medium high heat to 375 degrees F. Oil should be at least 2 inches deep.

Meanwhile, roll out the scones. Divide dough into 8 equal-sized balls. Roll out each ball, one at a time on a lightly floured surface with a rolling pin. Stretch and pull with your hands if necessary. Dough should be about 1/4 inch thick.

When oil has reach 375 degrees, place first scone gently into the oil. Scone will bubble vigorously in the oil and puff up. Fry until golden brown on first side, about 2 minutes, then flip over. Once both sides are browned, remove from the oil and place on a paper bag lined sheet pan to cool slightly.

Sprinkle with powdered sugar and serve immediately with the cinnamon honey butter or other desired topping. Repeat with remaining scone dough.

Cinnamon Honey Butter

Makes approximately 1 cup


1 cup butter, at room temperature
1 tablespoon honey
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

Combine all ingredients in the bowl of a stand mixer and beat until smooth. Store in the refrigerator.

Honey butter makes a great addition to a treat for the Beehive state. The state has this nickname because Deseret, in The Book of Mormon, is a honeybee. Early Mormon settlers have been described as having carried "swarms of bees" with them. This nickname also commemorates the industry of the people of Utah.

 

We have "visited" 46 states (92%) with our Postcard-Geography album.
We still need postcards for these states: 
Mississippi
New Jersey
Vermont and Wyoming.
If you live in any of these states and would like to help us with this project, please leave a comment on how I can get in touch with you. Thank you!

50 States Snack Party

 To celebrate our completion of our Postcard-Geography Album, we had a 50-states snack party featuring:
a punch made of pineapple juice for Hawaii,
and orange juice for Florida,
dried blueberries for Maine,
dried cherries for Michigan,
chocolate chunks for Pennsylvania,
peanuts for Georgia,
shoestring potato snacks for Idaho,
mini moon pies for Tennessee,
pumpkin seeds for New Hampshire, whose state fruit is the pumpkin,
pecans for Alabama,
sweet potato chips for North Carolina and Louisiana
apple chips for Washington and New York,
cranberries for Massachusetts,
cheese for Wisconsin,
corn chex for Oklahoma,
corn chips for Texas and New Mexico,
popcorn for Illinois,
purple grapes for Missouri
 They picked whatever they wanted for their own homemade snack mix and we talked and quizzed each other about the different states.
What snack would you choose to represent your state?




Even though we have completed scrapbook pages for all 50 states (and Washington DC), we were unable to get postcards for all the states. We still would like to add postcards to our album for these states:
If you live in any of these states and would like to help us with this project, please leave a comment on how I can get in touch with you. Thank you!


More ideas from Not Just a Mommy!

Geography Album: Tennessee, The Volunteer State; Back Home Again


We noticed that Tennessee is bordered by eight states, Kentucky, Missouri, Arkansas, Mississippi, Alabama, Georgia, North Carolina, and Virginia, tying with Missouri for the most bordering states! 
 Our first Postcard-Geography album page was of our home state, Maryland. We have made our way through all 50 states (plus Washington DC) now, ending with Tennessee, the state we now call home. We have made a full circle.
 In addition to the postcards from The Fantastic Five...
we added snippets from all the places we have been since we have been here.
Since we have already made salt dough maps, I decided to do something different this time. We made an edible map with sugar cookie dough!
First we traced the map of Tennessee, using Parchment paper like tracing paper. 
Then we began adding sugar cookie dough to the Parchment paper, keeping the dough in the lines.
We carved out the rivers with a toothpick and added blue sugar sprinkles in the grooves. We made peaks of mountains with more cookie dough and added brown sprinkles and green sugar sprinkles to the mountains. (Sorry I forgot to get a picture of the finished map.) They had to pay very close attention to the maps to get the placement of the rivers and mountains just right. They also added some colorful sprinkles for the capital of Tennessee, Nashville, and for where we are living now, in East Tennessee.
One suggestion I would make is to make eggless cookie dough (I suggest this one because it it thicker than most eggless cookie doughs, that tend to be more dip-like) so you can eat it raw, because if you use regular cookie dough and bake it, you lose all of your efforts and get an odd looking blob. Good tasting blob, but blob none-the-less.

" When Govenor Brown called for 2,800 Tennesseans to fight in the Mexican war in 1847 and more than 30,000 volunteered, Tennessee earned the nickname "The Volunteer State." Discover Tennessee's nautral wonders and fascinating history. "V is for Volunteer" stimulates children to learn about their state through familiar Tennessee icons such as the Grand Ole Opry and Graceland. And lifelong Tennesseans will enjoy reading about the Jubilee singers and W.C. Handy."-Book Description at Amazon
We have read them all!
" As elementary students grasp the concept and visual of 30 purple passion flowers, they'll also learn that the passion flower is the state wildflower and that Native Americans in Tennessee used the plants to help heal cuts and bruises. Numbers throughout the book are explained with a simple rhyme for younger children and are accompanied by detailed expository text for older learners." -Book Description at Amazon
And now we have learned about, completed hands-on projects and made pages for all 50 states and Washington, DC! Thank you, everyone who helped us with this project and sent us postcards of your lovely state.
We still would like to add postcards to our album for these states:
If you live in any of these states and would like to help us with this project, please leave a comment on how I can get in touch with you. Thank you!


Sources: