For some reason my fifth grade state project on Louisiana is still displayed in a dusty forgotten corner of a hallway in my parents’ house. When I started teaching fifth grade I was determined to do something different. Memorizing state capitals and doing a state report felt so dated, so out of touch with an era of Google Maps. Thankfully, I had a great teaching partner who convinced me to give it a try. Since I’ve put my own spin on researching the states- we look at other things than just the state flower- but I’ve also come to realize that there are really important benefits to teaching the 50 states and their capitals throughout the year.
1. The act of researching can’t be practiced enough. Students gain invaluable practice with research by looking up information about new states. Students come into my classroom not knowing how to use an atlas or an encyclopedia, and by the end of the year they are experts. In my school, I’m fortunate to have a class set of encyclopedias and atlases. We also have a full set of books about each state in our school library. I bring these to students in the classroom and make them do as much research as possible offline first. That in of itself is a critical skill they seem to have less practice with these days. Students also learn about researching across sources and dividing up work in a team. I love watching students become more adept and collaborative as the year continues.
2. Learning about other states helps students develop empathy and understanding for their fellow Americans. Unfortunately, our students are living through an incredibly divisive time in our nation. I worry about their ability to become active, thoughtful participants in our democracy if they don’t understand experiences outside of their own areas. When we research the 50 states, we also look at their minimum wage, the political parties of their Governor and Senators, what industries make up much of their income, at what likely risks the state faces from climate change. This helps students to understand the needs and concerns of other citizens of our nation.
3. It is difficult to understand the history of our nation without understanding the geography of our nation. We do a complete unit on geography at the start of the year but it is when students start to learn which states have which geographic features that they begin to develop a more meaningful understanding of how geography impacts history and modern life. Even though I alternate 50 states with other content in social studies, students begin to make connections early on- be still my teacher heart!
4. Studying the states teaches study skills. As someone who still struggles with memorization, I know this is not fun for some of my students. However, I think we are still a ways away from students not needing to memorize certain types of information. What type of information may change- in addition to historical dates I imagine more and more of our kids will memorize certain computer codes- but it is an important skill. Students need explicit instruction and practice working with flashcards, finding ways that work for them to study, coming up with pneumonic devices, and more. The first states test in my classroom is often unilaterally bad in terms of results. It’s a painful wake-up to some kids. I generally don’t count it. But it provides a learning experience we talk about. Kids start sharing their study strategies with one another in scaffolded class conversations. They start to help each other develop routines. Interestingly, it is sometimes kids who are otherwise not seen as the strongest students by their peers who become leaders with this, and watching their academic confidence shine through is an added bonus. By the end of the year, I feel confident my kiddos have lifelong study skills.
5. Routines are good for kids and teachers. In between each social studies unit, I feel like I get a break while we spend two weeks working on states. The first group of eight of course requires lots of explicit instruction on my part, especially on how to use those research tools I mentioned, but then kids pick things up quickly. By the second round of states, students know exactly what to do and what is expected of them. I make sure to get the necessary books from the library, make my copies, and we are all set. My students thrive with this because they are driving their work- students divide and conquer the group work, engage actively in the practice activities, and feel like they know exactly what is expected of them. This frees me up to check in with kids during this time, finish that reading group I didn’t get to earlier, or (ssshhhh) get some grading done while they are still in the room.
Teaching the 50 states and their capitals is still relevant for more than just checking the box on a standard. It's an important framework to support social studies and 21st century skills. I’m so thankful to my old teaching partner for convincing me to teach the 50 states. I think my students are thankful too.
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