United States Capitals and Symbols: Free Homeschooling Online

Lesson Ideas for United States Capitals and Symbols

United States Capitals and Symbols: These activities will help you learn how the United States came to be united. Study the state capitals and symbols with fun online games and free printables. Each of our free online homeschooling lessons includes language arts, social studies, science, and art components. Whenever possible, we also include math and PE. Scroll down for online games and activities. Enjoy!

Elementary and Middle School Social Studies: Grades 3-8

Teacher Resources:

Make your Own Worksheets

Free Common Core Lesson Ideas for grades 3 - 12 from Brainpop.com

Lesson Ideas for the United State symbols for early elementary.

Homeschooling Activities

Student Lesson:

Do this:  While you are studying the state capitals, make an index card for each state. On the front write the state’s name in the CENTER of the card in big, bold letters. 

On the back, write the name of the state’s capital. As you learn facts about each state, draw pictures on the card to represent them. For example, for Indiana decorate your card with the Cardinal (state bird) and Corn (state resource).

Watch this video about how it all began:

Schoolhouse Rock The United States Preamble to the Constitution

Geography

Cartoon: Sing the 50 state capitals with Wakko of Animaniacs.

Click United States Facts for a map of capitals, info on state birds, flowers, and more.  Free Printable Blank Map of Indiana Downloadable Blank Maps of all 50 states.

Now, you're ready to practice what you've learned with this cool Capital Catch Game from kidsgeo.com. Match Capitals with States Online Game.

State capital matching game and quiz from kidsgeo.com.
Click the link above to play game.

History

When did Indiana become a State? ______________________

(Write out the question, and answer it in your daily journal.)

Find out here: Statehood Dates. 

Fun Videos that teach how we became the United States of America:

Video on Boston Tea Party by Schoolhouse Rock: No More Kings




Schoolhouse Rock: The Shot Heard Round the World

Why do we have fireworks on the Fourth of July?

Answer this in your daily journal.

Schoolhouse Rocks: Fireworks

Read How did the American Revolution happen?  If you subscribe to Brainpop, watch the video here.

Grab a piece of paper (or use a Google Doc) and tell how the American revolution happened? Why did it happen?  

Start with this Printable Cause and Effect Graphic Organizer

Because of all of that, America became a melting pot.

How are you doing? Test your knowledge with a State Capitals Quiz.

More about the U.S. Constitution from Brainpop.com (subscribers only).

Art Component

Let’s get messy! Make your own 3D map of the United States activity. You will need tempera paint, flour, salt, water, and some cardboard. Remember: Baking and Making is science too!

See how to do it at Weird Unsocialized Homeschoolers.

How to make a 3D United States map with salt dough.
Visit Weird Unsocialized Homeschoolers.

Language Arts Component

Grammar Monster explains the difference between capital and capitol.  Be sure to scroll past the quick answer to learn more about capital vs. capitol.

Science Component

What is the state bird for __________________? (fill in your state and bird). Optional: Research why your state bird was chosen.

What is an ornithologist?

Become a bird watcher in your state and Research Birds of the United States. Follow the link to learn about typical and rare birds found in each state. Find out how you can help report rare bird sightings.

Print this: Printable Worksheets for State Birds from Education.com

Did you know the state bird for Delaware is a Rooster, okay a chicken but still… :)

Online Lesson on Ornigthology

State Bird Coloring Sheets for Children from Education.com

Early Elementary Component Pre-K - 3, but suitable for older kids too!

Free Online Quiz and Video on U.S. symbols from Brainpopjr.com

Free online matching game: Match the United States symbols.

Name 3 United States symbols. On a separate sheet of paper, draw the symbols with crayons or markers.

1.___________________________________________________

2.___________________________________________________

3.___________________________________________________

Social Studies Just for Fun Online Games

Play this fun game from Funbrain.com: Where is that?

From Cool-Mathgames.com: State Snap match the states shape game.

Fun Activity: Collect United States State Quarters. Each quarter has special information about the state it represents.

The U.S. Mint has lots of online games and videos. We've got an online lesson on how to make money - okay, it is really about how they make money at the mint, but how to make money sounds more exciting!

Recommended Reading:

United Tweets of America: 50 State Birds Their Stories, Their Glories

Learn about Presidents of the United States

Fireworks, Picnics, and Flags: The Story of the Fourth of July Symbols

The Story of America's Birthday

Soaring with the Wind: The Bald Eagle

A Picnic in October - A story about the Statue of Liberty.

3 Science Things to do with Eggs: Includes Bouncing Egg

3 Fun Science Things to do with Eggs including Bouncing Egg

We've got chickens and ducks, so we've got a lot of eggs! We're always looking for new uses for them. We don't want them to go to waste. Since we homeschool, we decided to try some kid science things to do with eggs. Have you seen the bouncing egg experiment? So, how do you make an egg bounce? Enjoy!

This post contains affiliate links for your convenience*

Which came first the chicken or the egg? Oh, that's not the egg science experiment we're doing..

EXPERIMENT #1

For our first egg science experiment, we tried to find out. Will it float? You'll need two eggs and two glasses of tap water.

Bouncing Egg Experiment with Results.

Drop one egg in each glass.

Do they float? Why or why not? Write down your hypothesis in your journal or a Google Doc.

Slowly add SEA SALT (table salt works, you just need more). Now, what happens? The more sea salt you add what happens?

To find out what is happening, click here: Results.

That was fun! Don't waste those eggs. Keep them for the next experiment! Leave your egg in the cup.

Add enough vinegar to cover the egg.

Check it after 24 hours. Record any changes in the egg in your Science Journal or a Google Doc.


EXPERIMENT #2

Can you make an egg bounce?

Can you make an egg bounce?

Instructions for the next experiment call for a boiled egg, but we tried it with an unboiled egg- Just to be different.

We used a chicken egg and a duck egg. Since the duck egg has a stronger shell, the results were much better.

You can try it with boiled an unboiled eggs, but remember to test it outside. Do an experiment with both types of eggs and record any differences or similarities that you find.

How is the duck egg different from the chicken egg?

So, how does the egg feel after 24 hrs.? 48 hrs.? 72 hrs.?

We tested our egg after 48 hrs. See the results below.


VIDEO: Unboiled Egg Test Results

Here are ten more cool egg science experiments to try.

EXPERIMENT #3

Easter Egg Dye Experiments

What else can you do with eggs? Of course, we dye them for Easter. You might want to try to dye your Easter eggs naturally. We tried it as a Science Experiment. Let me just say, we failed miserably. One reason is we neglected to follow all of the steps.

Duck and chicken eggs from our farm. Use a Sharpie to write the date of collection.

If you want to dye eggs naturally click the links below to follow the instructions, and use these all natural ingredients that are proven to work.

Red Cabbage Eggs

Yellow Tumeric Eggs

We tried Dandelions...

Can you dye eggs with Dandelions? Maybe.

We tried Violets and other purple wildflowers...

Can you dye eggs with Violets? Maybe...

Soaking an egg in Violet juice.

Can you dye an egg with Halloween Candy?

Dye eggs with old Halloween Candy.

Heat the candy slowly over low heat. Green candies turn into a brown, sugary goo.

Orange and Red candies turn into an orange goo. Guess what? It works, sort of...

Beautiful natural shades of our eggs.

Egg soaked in melted orange and red candy.

The results of our egg-periment. For us, only orange and red candy worked.

Recommended:

Free Homeschooling Lessons

Cool Science Experiments Books*


















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Elementary Social Studies Lesson on Fair Trade: Homeschooling Online

Fair Trade Chocolate Homeschool Lesson Online

Fair Trade Chocolate Homeschool Lesson Online.

Think Fair Trade doesn't matter to you? You've heard something about Fairtrade Coffee, but you don't drink coffee so who cares- right? Wrong! I'm guessing you eat chocolate or know someone who does. Do you know who picked your chocolate? What is fair trade anyway? In this interactive online homeschool lesson, you'll learn all about fair trade practices and why you should buy fair trade whenever possible.

Suggested for Elementary Social Studies: Grades 3-6

Fair Trade Cocoa Unit

Teacher Resources:

Cocoa Curriculum and Lesson Plans from Global Exchange

Child Labor Lesson Plans for Fair Trade Unit

Student Lesson:

Free Printable Chocolate Activity Book (Downloadable)

What is Fair Trade? - Read this Free Printable PDF from BrainPop to find out.

Another example on What is Fair Trade from Funkidslive.com

Grab your daily journal (or a Google Doc.) and explain Fair Trade in your own words.

Read more with Ranger Rick: Comic on Cacao Trees in Ghana.

Chocolate Trade Printable Game from Christian Aid.

Name 3 Countries that benefit from Fair Trade practices.

1.___________________________________________________

2.___________________________________________________

3.___________________________________________________

Mathematics Component

Online Game for Supply and Demand Fair Trade Coffee

Cool Bug Free Math Game on Probability from Brock University.

Language Arts Component

Imagine you were a child in Ghana working in the Cocoa Industry. Describe a typical day of work. Use the information above to help with your paper. Do a safe search with Kidrex.org to research more about fair trade. Make sure your paper has a beginning (intro), middle (main body), and end (summary). We like to say, tell me what you are going to tell me, tell me, and tell me again! Open a Google Doc. or write in your daily journal.

Science Component

Yummy CHOCOLATE SCIENCE EXPERIMENT from Factmonster.com

Social Studies Just for Fun Online Games

For BrainPop subscribers, try this Game about Supply and Demand.

Make a difference play this fun Fair Trade Chocolate Game and help spread the word.

Recommended Reading:

Math with M and M's Chocolate

The Chocolate Touch

Fair Trade: A Beginner's Guide

         

Copyright 2014 by Lora Langston, Kids Creative Chaos.

Summer Fun In The Creek: With Indiana Crawfish

Looking for Things to do in Brownsburg, Indiana?

Summer break with the kiddos? Bored already? Looking for a fund summer activity? Visit an Indiana creek. Go hunt some mini Indiana lobsters. One sunny day, we met some friends at a local park in Brownsburg, Indiana. The kids love playing in the creek at Arbuckle Park. On this trip, the girls were out numbered, but Chick a Bitty, showed them a girl could catch crawfish or crawdads (depending on what you called them as you grew up, we were corrected more than once that  they weren't "crawdad's" but crawfish.) She surprised everyone with the biggest catch of the day. Scroll down to catch a glimpse!

This post contains Amazon Affiliate links. 

If you click through and make a purchase, we get a small commission.

Brownsburg, Indiana is a quaint, quickly growing town in Hendrick's County on the west side of Indianapolis near Lucas Oil Raceway. It's a great place to raise a family with lots of countryside, good schools, and just a short drive to downtown Indianapolis.

A bucket of Indiana crawfish.

Let your kids document all your fun trips and traveling adventures with a travel journal.

Chick a Bitty's crawfish, crayfish, crawdad, or "lobster" as we called it. 

Recommended Things to do in Brownsburg, Indiana:

• Follow our ADVENTURES on Instagram
• The Park at Trader's Point Christian Church, yes you can go. It's open to the public!
• Sunshine Bowling Center, quaint bowling alley near Brownsburg with Youth Activities.
• Kid Friendly Riding in Brownsburg, Indiana, Hendrick's County Trail Rides.
• Brownsburg Field Trip Idea
• Top Recommended Things to do in Brownsburg by Trip Advisor.
• Indoor Amusement Park with Trampolines, Kids Planet, Brownsburg.

Do you have a Brownsburg activity for kids that you'd like for us to add to the list? Mention it in the comments or send an email to info@theplayconnection.com and learn about our promo and media relations opportunities. In the meantime, get this travel journal for kids on Amazon to document your own adventures.