STATE REPORT
Portions of the report will be worked at school and at home. Please make sure you follow the due dates! You are welcome to add more information than what is listed. Show off what you know!
Each section of your report should have a title page or bold heading to distinguish it from other sections. Some sections will require more writing than other sections. Some sections may be as long as 2 pages, while some may only be a few paragraphs long. To ensure great results, please follow these hints for each subtopic.
1. Read all the information you have collected on this topic. If you don’t have enough, do more research.
2. Take Notes! Be sure to write down the name of the book or website and page number where you found the information as you take your notes. This is VERY IMPORTANT so as to give the people who wrote your books and resources credit for having done so. Additionally, if you do any internet research, write down the web address as well as the date you looked at the information.
3. Organize and make a plan for the order of information.
4. Decide where you might include any artwork, charts, maps, or pictures within the paper. Think of your report as a mini book it should ABSOLUTELY include pictures, maps, etc.
5. Write a rough draft of each section.
a. Be sure to have a clear beginning, middle, and end.
b. Organize the information into paragraphs.
c. Paragraphs should have a topic sentence, supporting sentences and a concluding sentence.
6. Edit.
a. Re-read your rough copy, and ask yourself if there are ways to improve what you have written.
b. Check for proper spelling, punctuation, capitalization, and grammar. Be sure to indent to begin each paragraph.
7. Write the final draft in your VERY best print or cursive. You may also type your report, but any typing must be completed at home.
WHAT YOUR REPORT SHOULD INCLUDE
Your report should include eight sections (multiple paragraphs in each section except for the bibliography). The following information discusses what should be included in each section. We will discuss each section in class and have some time to work on them (usually on Tuesdays). You may want to bring information you have collected from your public library or the Internet to school to use during these times.
1. Physical Description
§ Describe where the state it located (What region of the U.S.?)
§ Describe the states, bodies of water, or countries that border the state and in which direction they are located (ex: Nevada is East of California, Arizona is SE of CA, the Pacific Ocean is West of CA).
§ Tell how many square miles are in the state.
§ Describe how the state ranks in physical size to the other 49 states.
§ Give the names of major lakes, rivers, forests, valleys, deserts, and mountains.
§ Describe any impressive geographical features of the state (think things like the Grand Canyon, Great Salt Lake, etc.).
§ Describe the climate of the state.
§ Tell the average/yearly rainfall and snowfall.
SEPARATELY
§ Draw and color a map of your state. Label: borders, mountains, lakes, rivers, deserts, forests, valleys, and the capital city. Make sure to write the name of your state inside the state on your map. Additionally, please include a key.
2. History
§ Describe the early history of the state. Tell the Native American tribes living there originally. Tell about explorers that first explored or settled the area.
§ Explain why people originally went to live in the state.
§ Tell the names of the first towns settled in the state and where they were located.
§ Tell what year the state became a state.
§ Tell what number it was to join the United States.
§ Describe major wars that affected the state either if major battles occurred in the state or if the state was part of the war effort in some way.
§ Describe other important events that occurred in the state’s history. Example: California’s Gold Rush.
§ Describe any famous historical figures (only people who have to do with the state’s history) or artifacts from the state. Explain who they are and why are they famous.
3. Two Major Cities
§ Select the state capital and the largest city (or, if the state capital is the largest city, select the next largest).
§ Describe for each:
o Location
o History of the city (When was it founded? By whom? How was it named?)
o Population as of the most recent census
o Interesting facts
4. Agriculture and Industry
§ Name the main agricultural products of the state.
§ Name the products that are mined in the state.
§ Name the types of fish or other seafood that are fished commercially.
§ Name the non-agricultural products produced in the state (things that are manufactured or made in factories).
§ Describe the main industry of the state (e.g. how does it make the majority of its money?)
§ Name any major or well-known companies that are headquartered in the state (ex: Apple and Google are headquartered in California’s Silicon Valley)
5. People
§ According to the most recent census, tell the population of the state.
§ Give the percentages of people from different races living in the state.
§ Name at least five famous people from the state. Tell who they are and why they are famous.
§ Name the professional sports teams in the state. Please make sure to include the name of the team and the sport that they play. If there are no professional sports teams in the state, what about college teams?
§ Describe sports that a lot of people in the state may play or be involved in that are different from other states (think of things like skiing, skateboarding, surfing, etc.)
§ Name any major sporting events or competitions held in the state (ex: The Rose Bowl is held in Pasadena, California every January 1).
§ Talk about special events that happen in the state. Be sure to mention when they occur, where they are located, and what happens during each event. Think festivals or major celebrations that are unique to a place (ex: Mardi Gras in New Orleans; or the Gilroy Garlic Festival in Gilroy, CA).
6. Parks and Points of Interest
§ Tell the National and Historic Landmarks in the state.
§ Name the National and State Parks in the state. Describe major features of these places.
§ Name the amusement parks in the state. Describe some of the fun attractions each park offers.
SEPARATELY
§ Create a tri-fold travel brochure to show a tourist all of the fun and interesting things they might see and do in the state
§ You must include pictures and clear descriptions of each of the features
§ Make sure this covers the whole state, not just a major city
7. Miscellaneous
§ Add any interesting details you found that did not fit into the other categories.
8. Bibliography
§ Make sure you keep the title of an article, the name of the author and the name of the reference material from EVERY book or article you read about your state at home, at the library or on the Internet.
§ See the format for a bibliography to ensure that all books and other resources are cited correctly.