Lesson Planning: 50 Nifty United States

I hate to admit it (or do I?) but this incredibly simple, yet effective lesson was born out of complete laziness. It was originally created as day 2 of the USA intro lesson plan, but it is not at all dependent on that lesson.

I've done it for 7th graders, but really it doesn't involve too much language abilities, so you can do it at any level that is just starting to learn the states. It is just a fun lesson on the States.

We start by listing as many states as possible from memory as a class. I really stress no books or maps, because the whole lesson is sort of dependent on them not being able to name all 50 at first. I have a nice little worksheet for them to write on, but unfortunately I don't have it saved on my comp, so I can't upload the file for you. However, it is really basic: 50 blanks on one side (with very basic written instructions) and an unlabeled map of the 50 states on the other.

Like I said, the rest of the lesson is pretty pointless if they name all 50 states at first, my closest call was a class who got to 45. The general average has been about 30 though.

After you've exhausted all the states you know from memory I play them the most amazing song ever. That's right, School House Rock's "Fifty Nifty United States". The kids usually love it because it's super corny. And I always tell them that it's ok to dance to the first bit. So then they listen to the song as it lists all 50 states. I usually do the listening twice. After each time we see how many new state names we heard and add them to the list.

If, after 2 listenings, they are only missing 1 or 2, I say the states for them (partly because I'm a show off and partly because the song can be difficult to understand). But I like to make it exciting for them, so I ask the class who thinks I can name all 50 states from memory. I had one very faithful class who all thought I could, but the rest are usually pretty split. Of course, I've had this song memorized since the 3rd grade, so it's a breeze.

Once we've named all 50 states I tell them I have a new challenge for them: a race. Me against the class. We see who can fill in the states on the map on the back the fastest. But I tell them, they get to use their books (which has a map of the US), but I don't! I've honestly never had more silent classes than during this part. They are so focused

and determined. But I usually win. 

I fill out my answers on the overhead and turn it on when I'm done and ask them to check my work. Then, if there is still time left over, we label more things as a class: Washington, D.C.; the Mississippi River; the Great Lakes; the Atlantic and Pacific oceans; the Gulf of Mexico and Canada and Mexico.

Like I said, super simple, but between the song and the race, the kids really get into it!