State & Country Exploration - Homeschool Blogger

US Constitution Week Projects

Fri, 19 Sep 2008 14:53:00 -0500

I thought this suited the blog well-enough to post about it. I don't know if I can keep up with the projects, but I will try!

"Yesterday, September 17th, was Constitution Day. September 17 marks the anniversary of the US Constitution being written, signed and approved in 1787. It was signed by 39 men who changed the world. Remembering Constitution Day is a great way we can share their legacy with all Americans, new and old!"

During Constitution Week (September 17th-25th) Growing In Grace Magazine will be sharing projects you can do that will help you learn more about the Constitution and what it means to be a Citizen of the United States of America. Be sure to stop by daily to see what neat project we will have for you to do! If you would like to join us with these projects, please grab the graphic below and proudly display it on your site:

Go check it out: US Constitution Week Projects
Great school project, maybe even for a lapbook!

Assignment #25 StatesExploration Binder

Mon, 21 Apr 2008 23:26:00 -0500

I realized I hadn't posted the 25th assignment! Eeek. Must've slipped my mind in the last two weeks. I have articles to write, plus I was extremely sick last week.

Anyway, I wanted to post it. It's going to be really easy.... All you have to do is go through your SE assignments from over the past 5months and get them all where you can print them off. Then get a three-ring binder and put the assignments in there. Be creative and decorate something for the front of the binder and entitled it My State (or country) Assignments. When you're done you'll have your own school book done and completely, not to mention it'll be on paper for your records for mom!

Have fun and see you some time in the fall! Don't forget to post pictures!

States & Country List Of Bloggers & Assignments

Mon, 21 Apr 2008 23:37:00 -0500

Below are lists of bloggers in different states & countries. The purpose of this is to find other bloggers in your area or state/country. You're welcome to take one of the icons and leave a comment to be added to the list. If I don't have the pace where you live, please email me, and I'll do so.

Below is a list of assignments that StatesExploration did for a period of 25 weeks. If you'd like to do the assignments to learn about your part of the country (or learn about another) you're welcome to use my assignments. This is a perfect school unit study! All you need is a binder, paper, and some books!

HAPPY EXPLORING!

Assignment #24 State & Country Plant-life LAST ONE!

Sun, 30 Mar 2008 21:54:00 -0500

This is the LAST assignment, before the review! I hope you all had fun doing the assignments and learning about your state or country. You're welcome to go back through the assignment if you missed any! I will be back with assignments maybe next fall, but I am 'school' is out early this year!

Common plants in your state:
Rare Plants in your state:
Post some pictures:
What of the above plants is your favorite?
Why?
Does this flower have anything unique about it (like unusual color, smell, or shape)?
What is your favorite flower?
Why?
What state does your favorite flower grow in?

Assignment #23 State & Country Wildlife

Sun, 16 Mar 2008 17:54:00 -0500

Hmmm, I didn't get around to posting my assignment for last week, though I saw a few who did and did a really nice job on it. We are down to only one online computer so it's been hard for me to get on and get done what I need to! Anyway, here is this week's assignment! Have fun!

Vertebrates in your state (Amphibians, mammals, birds, fish, reptiles):

Invertebrates in your state:

Post some pictures:

What of the above animals is your favorite?

Why?

Name a few unusual and special characterizes of your favorite animal above:

What kind of land does this animal need?

Post a photo of your favourite animal or pet

I can't wait to see you're state and country wildlife! Make sure to be creative with your assignments, and you're welcome to grab the banner!

Miss Jocelyn & Miss Elizabeth

Assignment #22: Bordering States

Sun, 9 Mar 2008 19:57:00 -0500

This week's assignment should be pretty easy and, hopefully, fun! You may copy the banner if you like. Here are the assignment questions to answer and research! Have fun! I'll have mine up on Thursday hopefully! Can't wait to see how yours goes.

How many states border your state?

Which ones?

Have you ever been to them?

Of the ones you have visited which is your favorite?

Of the ones you haven’t visited (if any) which would you like to visit?

Bonus Question (do not look this question up on the web and don’t look at a map. Just guess!) - Which two states have the most bordering states?

Miss Jocelyn & Miss Elizabeth

Jocelyn's Assignment State Governor

Fri, 7 Mar 2008 23:26:00 -0600

Here is my assignment for this week.

The chief state official is the governor; our governor is Mitch Daniels
Post a picture of your state governor:

What party is he under? Republican
How long has he been serving as governor? Since January 10, 2005 - 3years
How long until his term is up? I am not sure. I think we'll vote again for governor when we vote for a president in November, but I really couldn't find any info. Arg. We haven't been to happy with Mitch Daniels. He's done a lot of "bettering" the public school system, and instituted full-day kindergarten. A lot of the Democrats have "Ditch-Mitch" signs because they don't like him either.
Do you know of any candidates running for the governor’s office at the next election? No, I don't believe I do. I have been keeping myself busy with the Presidential race that i haven't listened too much to my state politics.

Did everyone hear that we only have -34 more assignments left? Then we're through for this school-year? We've been doing it nearly 25 weeks... wow. Stay tuned for more.

Assignment #21 State Governor:

Sun, 2 Mar 2008 21:39:00 -0600

Well, we're nearing to an end on this session of the StatesExploration. I think the end date I had was set to the last week of March. If I do this again I have some new niffy ideas. I hope you all enjoyed doing it, and I didn't bore you too much. : ) Here is this week's assignment:

Assignment #21 State Governor:

The seat of my state's government is_______________________________
The chief state official is the governor; our governor is
_____________________
Post a picture of your state governor
What party is he under?
How long has he been serving as governor?
How long until his term is up?
Do you know of any candidates running for the governor’s office at the
next election?

Miss Jocelyn & Miss Elizabeth

Jocelyn's Assignment State Bird: Illinois

Thu, 28 Feb 2008 02:21:01 -0600

Wow, it's been awhile since I had actually did one of these assignments. I can't really expect anyone else's to do them if I won't myself. I have been realy busy though. I had to finish four articles for a magazine, Growing In Grace, that is coming out on March first. Please pardon my laziness in not making time for the assignments. I think Miss Elizabeth had an excellent idea, though, about printing off your assignment posts. Brilliant! Then you will have them on record, in hardcopy, for your school records. I would encourage you to go back through your assignment posts and print them off. If you missed any go ahead and do them too so your binder will be complete.

So here is my assignment. I am researching the state of Illinois for school just for clarification. I look forward to seeing yours!

1. Name of state bird: Cardinal

2. Bird’s habitat: Cardinals require plants with dense foliage for nesting, along with conspicuous locations for song perches.

3. Colors and markings of this bird:

The male Northern Cardinal...

Famous for his bright red plumage, including a bright red, pointed crest
Just as note-worthy is the black mask surrounding his beak and extending around his eyes
His bill is large, conical, and also bright red
His back and wings are a duller red

The female Northern Cardinal...

She is anything but dull... her reddish crest, wings, and tail make her nearly as easy to spot
Though her bill isn't as bright, it's still red
Her upper-parts are brownish-gray
Her under-parts are buffy

4. Food of choice for this bird: They feed on insects, seeds, and fruit.

5. Enemies this bird may have: Cowbird is a rare breeder along the Atlantic seaboard south of Virginia. . . .

6. Protective behaviors: ?

7. Size:

Size: 21-23 cm (8-9 in)
Wingspan: 25-31 cm (10-12 in)
Weight: 42-48 g (1.48-1.69 ounces)

8. Type of nest: Cardinals build their nests in a variety of situations, in bushes, tangles of vines, saplings, and small trees, with no decided preference for any particular species. Very few are placed in trees; most of them are built in tangled thickets or dense shrubbery.

9. Egg size and shape, as well as incubation time: They usually lay a clutch of 2 to 5 eggs.

The female tends the eggs during the 11 to 13 day incubation period. The male feeds the female during this time.

Both parents feed the chicks from hatching through fledging - about 7 to 13 days. The fledglings are feed another 12 to 20 days predominantly by the male... although the female contributes until she starts nesting for the next brood.

10. Migration habits:

Cardinals are rear-round residents. Juvenile disbursement and winter food shortages account for

most ventures out of their natal 10-minute latitude/longitude block of area. And even these

wanderings are minimal.

Their habitat consists of shrubs or small trees in urban, suburban, and rural areas.

On the map to the right, the darker shades indicate observations of dense populations of cardinals.

11. Beak shape and function: ?

12. Feet type: ?

13. Adaptations to environment: ?

14. Songs and calls: Although the cardinal could hardly be rated as one of our finest singers, it has a great variety of rich, flutelike notes, which are very pleasing and are sure to command the attention of even the casual observer. It is a very persistent singer throughout most of the year, and it has been heard singing occasionally during every month in the year, but in the northern states, the main song period is from March to August

15. Other interesting behaviors: In the cardinal we have a rare combination of good qualities, brilliant plumage, a rich and pleasing voice, beneficial food habits, and devotion to its mate and family. Many of our best singers are not clothed in brilliant plumage, and many of our handsomest birds are not gifted musicians.

16. Endangered or not: No

17. How it became the state bird: In 1928, Illinois schoolchildren chose the Cardinal as the state bird from a list: Cardinal 39.226 votes; Blue Bird 30,306; Meadowlark 16,237; Quail 15,843; Oriole 15,449. Six other states chose the Cardinal as their state bird: Indiana, Kentucky, North Carolina, Ohio, Virginia, and West Virginia.

Thanks to All About 'Em and Birds for help with info.

Assignment #20 Your State Bird

Tue, 26 Feb 2008 06:24:00 -0600

State Assignment #20 Your State Bird:

Each state has adopted one bird that represents their state. The selection of state birds began in 1927, when the legislatures for Alabama, Florida, Maine, Missouri, Oregon, Texas and Wyoming selected their state birds. The last state to choose its bird was New York in 1970, although the Eastern Bluebird had beaten the American Robin in a statewide survey 42 years previously. People in states such as Florida, Minnesota, and Alaska will sometimes jokingly declare the mosquito to be the unofficial "state bird". Find out what your state’s bird is and then find out the following information:

1. Name of state bird:

2. Bird’s habitat:

3. Colors and markings of this bird:

4. Food of choice for this bird:

5. Enemies this bird may have:

6. Protective behaviors:

7. Size:

8. Type of nest:

9. Egg size and shape, as well as incubation time:

10. Migration habits:

11. Beak shape and function:

12. Feet type:

13. Adaptations to environment:

14. Songs and calls:

15. Other interesting behaviors:

16. Endangered or not:

17. How it became the state bird:

One last thing, with all these assignments you have done you may like to paste your copy into word or something and than print it. That way you can have a whole book full of state assignments. You can even start adding pictures too if you like. I thought it was a pretty cool idea and I ( Elizabeth) have decided to do that too. Have fun exploring!

Miss Jocelyn and Miss Elizabeth