{"id":567,"date":"2014-12-26T16:05:13","date_gmt":"2014-12-26T23:05:13","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/happyhomeschooling.com\/?page_id=567"},"modified":"2015-07-08T10:55:03","modified_gmt":"2015-07-08T16:55:03","slug":"easy-u-s-a-geography-study","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/happyhomeschooling.com\/site\/easy-u-s-a-geography-study\/","title":{"rendered":"Easy U.S.A. Geography Study"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"united-states-of-america-364546_1280\"I didn\u2019t learn about the states of our nation in school well enough to remember\u00a0their capitals or their geography as an adult. We are having a lot of fun in our homeschool learning all about the United States. It seems to be a natural interest for children from about 8 to 12 anyway, so may as well make the most of it. This is a lot easier than you would think.<\/p>\n

We started with Delaware first, as it is the first state that entered the Union. I check out \u2018\u201cstate\u201d books from the library and we look at the pictures together and read some of the information. Our library also has a DVD\u00a0with a little section on each state\u2019s capital that we enjoy watching. \u201cNational Geographic\u201d magazine can help too. We look up the state in the encyclopedia and other atlas type books I\u2019ve collected and read all we can. Plus, every state has a website and it is fun to see just what the temperature is in that state at the moment, and have a look at their tourist sites, even take a real look through their webcam! Some even have online virtual tours of their tourist highlights!<\/p>\n

After we learn about the state and its capital, we do some easy activities. The little ones color in the picture in a USA coloring book and the older children draw an outline map of the state, marking the major cities, mountain ranges, landmarks, and more. They include\u00a0the state flower, bird and tree. I have the oldest\u00a0children (10 years and up) write a state report from what we talked about and draw the state\u2019s flag on the page.<\/p>\n

\"image-1\"<\/a>We look for a\u00a0memory trick to remember the capital of the state, and its main products. For example, Georgia produces peaches and peanuts and has alligators in the Okefeeonkee Swamp. Can you imagine an alligator eating peaches with peanut butter? When I quiz them on the on each state, I might give the hint: \u201cWhat if alligators liked to eat this state\u2019s main crops?\u201d This is enough to jog their memories and soon they have it learned. (See more fun\u00a0memory tricks\u00a0for learning the states and capitals<\/a>.) \u00a0The States and Capitals put to music<\/a> is a great resource! \u00a0Stick the CD in your car and your kids will learn them as you drive around town on errands. \u00a0Listen to 3-year-old Jeffrey sing the states and capitals!<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n

\"vt_qtr\"The US Treasury minted\u00a0new quarters\u00a0representing the states of the union. \u00a0You will find the\u00a0state\u2019s symbol on the back side. As we have studied the first states to join the Union, we have collected the quarter of that state. We just finished Georgia, and the symbol on the quarter is a peach for the \u201cPeach State\u201d. This is really a lot of fun, and exciting to watch our change at the grocery store hoping to get the quarter we are studying! We discovered a USA Quarter\u00a0Collector Map so we can display all those interesting quarters!<\/p>\n

\"image\"<\/a>We study a new state every Thursday for about an hour or so. We have been learning them in the order in which they entered the Union. Since we are also studying American History, it makes a lot of sense to study the states in chronological order. On the last Thursday of the month, instead of introducing the next state, we have a review and play geography games<\/a>, put together a USA puzzle<\/a>, quiz with state\/capital\u00a0flashcards<\/a>, and test our knowledge of each state\u2019s main crops, industries and famous people. I\u2019ve got a good geography computer game that the children love, that we work on too. Using our\u00a0flashcards<\/a>, one of each state we have learned so far, and one of each state\u2019s capital. We lay these out on the floor and try to match them by memory. These activities review\u00a0all of the states we have learned thus far, so we don\u2019t forget them.<\/p>\n

\"image-2\"<\/a>You can carry this study just as far as you want. \u00a0Wouldn’t it be fun to have some real Vermont maple syrup on your pancakes while you are studying Vermont?<\/strong> \u00a0Or some Navajo fry bread when you learn about New Mexico?<\/p>\n

While playing a game at a birthday party, both Ammon and Emily blurted out \u201cTrenton\u201d when the question asked any player to name a capital city starting with \u201cT\u201d on the east coast of the USA. I am amazed at how much my young children remember, and at how much I am learning too! Finally, I feel like I know my \u201cway around\u201d our\u00a0United States<\/strong>. (Took me 46 years!)
\n\"\"<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

May I recommend:<\/b><\/p>\n\n\n\n
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\nLearning the States and Capitals
\n<\/a><\/p>\n<\/td>\n

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\nBe Patriotic!
\n<\/a><\/p>\n<\/td>\n

\n

\"8738\"
\nStates & Capitals Songs CD
\n<\/a><\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

I didn\u2019t learn about the states of our nation in school well enough to remember\u00a0their capitals or their geography as an adult. We are having a lot of fun in our homeschool learning all about the United States. It seems to be a natural interest for children from about 8 to 12 anyway, so may […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":5770,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_publicize_message":"","jetpack_publicize_feature_enabled":true,"jetpack_social_post_already_shared":false,"jetpack_social_options":{"image_generator_settings":{"template":"highway","default_image_id":0,"font":"","enabled":false},"version":2}},"categories":[24,9],"tags":[246,245],"class_list":["post-567","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-people-places-articles","category-what-articles","tag-states-and-capitals","tag-usa-geography","entry"],"jetpack_publicize_connections":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/happyhomeschooling.com\/site\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/11\/united-states-of-america-364546_1280.jpg?fit=1280%2C847&ssl=1","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/p6IrRN-99","jetpack-related-posts":[{"id":1160,"url":"https:\/\/happyhomeschooling.com\/site\/gifted-child\/","url_meta":{"origin":567,"position":0},"title":"Gifted Child","author":"Diane Hopkins","date":"","format":false,"excerpt":"Question: I homeschooled my son in kindergarten and then had to put him in public school for 1st grade. They of course tested him and he is \"gifted\". I am blessed to be able to homeschool him again next year. Do you have any thoughts or suggestions on what I\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Concerns"","block_context":{"text":"Concerns","link":"https:\/\/happyhomeschooling.com\/site\/category\/how-to-homeschool\/homeschooling-concerns\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/happyhomeschooling.com\/site\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/04\/3kidsonarock.jpg?fit=373%2C280&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]},{"id":1256,"url":"https:\/\/happyhomeschooling.com\/site\/the-subject-of-the-day\/","url_meta":{"origin":567,"position":1},"title":"The \u201cSubject of the Day\u201d Approach","author":"Diane Hopkins","date":"","format":false,"excerpt":"Studying the same subject together as a family, unit studies, has many advantages. It is much easier for mother to teach just one topic, rather than trying to explain several different subjects to several different children each day. The whole family can enjoy discussions together on the same subject. Enrichment\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "How to Homeschool"","block_context":{"text":"How to Homeschool","link":"https:\/\/happyhomeschooling.com\/site\/category\/how-to-homeschool\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/happyhomeschooling.com\/site\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/04\/ammoncoverDS.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]},{"id":1137,"url":"https:\/\/happyhomeschooling.com\/site\/illness\/","url_meta":{"origin":567,"position":2},"title":"Illness","author":"Diane Hopkins","date":"","format":false,"excerpt":"Question: I have a progressive illness that keeps me from doing as well in homeschool as I'd like to with my children. The medications I must take make me very sleepy, and I am hospitalized at times. 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Naturally, when one of my children asked a question about the bottom of the ocean, I wanted to show them that wonderful book with the great picture of the ocean floor . .\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Goals"","block_context":{"text":"Goals","link":"https:\/\/happyhomeschooling.com\/site\/category\/how-to-homeschool\/homeschooling-goals\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/happyhomeschooling.com\/site\/wp-content\/uploads\/2010\/04\/homeschooling_0034_ammonemily98.jpg?fit=564%2C280&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/happyhomeschooling.com\/site\/wp-content\/uploads\/2010\/04\/homeschooling_0034_ammonemily98.jpg?fit=564%2C280&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/happyhomeschooling.com\/site\/wp-content\/uploads\/2010\/04\/homeschooling_0034_ammonemily98.jpg?fit=564%2C280&ssl=1&resize=525%2C300 1.5x"},"classes":[]},{"id":563,"url":"https:\/\/happyhomeschooling.com\/site\/memory-tricks-states-and-capitals\/","url_meta":{"origin":567,"position":4},"title":"Memory Tricks for Learning the States and Capitals","author":"Diane Hopkins","date":"","format":false,"excerpt":"Homeschool mom Catherine Lamb offers these fun and silly memory clues to help other mothers teach their children the states and capitals. The Pacific States Washington, Olympia (Washington sits with the Greek Gods in Olympus.) Oregon, Salem (Ore e goin\u2019 sailin\u2019? Are you going sailing?) 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Having a study schedule helps immeasurably \u00a0when you are writing up assignments and determining what work needs to be done. \u00a0Get a piece of paper and jot out what works for your family. Then post it on the wall\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "How to Homeschool"","block_context":{"text":"How to Homeschool","link":"https:\/\/happyhomeschooling.com\/site\/category\/how-to-homeschool\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"ammondive","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/happyhomeschooling.com\/site\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/04\/ammondive.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]}],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/happyhomeschooling.com\/site\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/567","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/happyhomeschooling.com\/site\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/happyhomeschooling.com\/site\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/happyhomeschooling.com\/site\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/happyhomeschooling.com\/site\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=567"}],"version-history":[{"count":9,"href":"https:\/\/happyhomeschooling.com\/site\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/567\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":7275,"href":"https:\/\/happyhomeschooling.com\/site\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/567\/revisions\/7275"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/happyhomeschooling.com\/site\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/5770"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/happyhomeschooling.com\/site\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=567"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/happyhomeschooling.com\/site\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=567"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/happyhomeschooling.com\/site\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=567"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}