1. JUST THE FACTS, MA’AM 

MY STATE:

ITS REGION:                                   CAPITAL:

OTHER MAJOR CITIES                     

MAJOR RIVERS

 

CLIMATE: (If different in parts of state, include all)

 

POPULATION OF STATE                      RANK

SQUARE MILE AREA                            RANK

 

Bordered on the west by                        on the east by

on the north by                                                            and on the south by

 

STATE FLOWER                                           STATE BIRD

STATE MOTTO

NICKNAME

TIME ZONE

YEAR IT BECAME A STATE

HISTORY OF ITS NAME

Latitude (range)                                                        Longitude (range)

 

STATE FLAG  (BACK) (JUST A SKETCH FOR NOW)

STAGE SEAL (BACK) (JUST A SKETCH FOR NOW)

 

MAJOR BUSINESSES/INDUSTRY

 

 

CROPS/AGRICULTURE/

 

FAMOUS PEOPLE FROM THERE:

 

 

A “FIRST” FACT (…was the 1st state to….or …the first…occurred in)

 

 

2. You will be drawing a large map of your state with its major cities, rivers, and landforms. (It will be bordered by the state flower, bird, flag, and motto.) To prepare for that, fill out the smaller map with as many details as you can legibly fit.

 

http://www.netstate.com/

Go to your state

Hit “State Maps” on the blue left border

Select Outline Maps (first category)…

Select Blank outline with Border States (2nd or 3rd one down)

Print.

 

Be sure to look at other maps on this site for more information for your map or your data.

Go to this National Parks site. Click on your state. Add the National Parks to your state map. Choose 1-2 other national monuments that mean something to you or you feel are important and add them to the map. 

 

3. Using the links listed below (and on the Launcher), gather information about the quality of life in your state and region.  You may want to visit this site to get an overview and information you don’t have yet, but Ms. Moline will give you further directions and guide you through this tomorrow.

 

Culture Grams (If this link doesn’t work, get it through

library.Edmonds.wednet.edu and your log-in.)

AFTER looking over the main page, go to Create your own tables

on this same site.

Select your state and record the information for this set of data:

*Average Household Incom ($)

*Average Income, Men

*Average Income, Women

*Average Travel Time to Work

*Foreign-Born Population

*High School Graduates

Bachelors Degree or higher (College degree)

*Population Living in Poverty

Population Density

Population Growth, 2000 to 2005

Average Age of Population

Population Speaking a Language other than English at home

 

 

 

 

Then, do some comparison and record the results. 

Compare your state to three other states listed below:

________________  __________________  _______________

and another one of your choice. __________________

 

Also compare to the United States (if available)

 

Set up a chart to be able to record this data.  You can look at the Comparison Graphs to help you visually, but are not required to copy t he graphs.

 

Go to this site  (Census Bureau state rankings) (Choose the HTML choice not the Excel choice)

 

Add this information to your chart by the state’s RANK

Population under 18                                                        Over 65+

Doctors per 100,000 residents

Average Annual Pay

 

 

 

Other data to try to find:

Sticky or magnet or neither?

    (Do you know why?)

 

Blue state or red state?

2008____________  2004 ___________ 2002 ____________

 

4.  Okay, you’ve got an overview, a map, and the statistical facts about your state. Now it’s time to interpret the data and read some more about the “personality” of your state! Directions will be provided for this section, but you may want to think about these questions beforehand.

 

What do the people enjoy doing for fun and recreation?

What are some native animals and plants in your state?

What are some natural resources that add pleasure and beauty to your state (and possibly income, in the form of tourists!)

Are there any major sports teams in your state?

Does your state have an income tax?  a sales tax?

What are some of the other strengths of your state?

What is some interesting history about your state?

What kind of weather does your state have?  Does it vary by area?

What are some fun  things you learned about your state that make it interesting?

What famous people were born there? (presidents, inventors, artists, writers, athletes, musicians….)

Does your state appear to have a good quality of life overall? What do you base your answer on?

How is your state in the news or how has it made the news lately?

What problems does  your state face?

Why would a business and its employees want to live there?

Would you want to live there? Why or why not?

How does your state compare to Wshington state overall?