Home About Me Unit Studies Family Fun Travel Recipes Contact Me

Tuesday, March 9, 2010

Will Travel by Book Across Maine


Will Travel by Book
Across


~ MAINE ~


This is the first unit study in the Will Travel by Book Across the United States series. At the rate I get these completed, we may very well have 51 states by the time I get through them all. There is also a unit study for Australia that I posted many months ago. Neither one of these unit studies is completely finished in my eyes, but I want to continue to get content added to this site. As time allows, I will improve on what is here. Eventually, I hope to have some printables to go along with each unit like there is for Australia. For more tips on introducing geography to your child and making it a part of everyday life, check out my post.

Most of the picture books mentioned here are for younger children. However, even older kids enjoy being read to while looking at beautiful and fun illustrations. This unit study can be adapted for most ages. If you are using this with preschool – 2nd graders, you might want to stick with just the picture books. If you have older siblings following along, have them read the chapter books on their own or you can read aloud. Make it work for your family!


Books to be used during the week:

One Morning in Maine by Robert McCloskey

Blueberries for Sal by Robert McCloskey

Counting Our Way to Maine by Maggie Smith

I Met a Moose in Maine One Day by Ed Shankman and Dave O’Neill

Is For Lobster: A Maine Alphabet Edition 1. (Discover America State By State. Alphabet Series) by Cynthia Furlong Reynolds and Jeannie Brett

Books for older readers:

Lost on a Mountain in Maine by Donn Fendler (Parents should read this book first to determine if it is suitable for their child.)

Seal Island School by Susan Bartlett and Tricia Tusa



Day 1
Read One Morning in Maine.
• Color the map of Maine and mark the capital and Buck’s Harbor. If you don’t know what the capital is or where either city is located, use the internet or an atlas to help you. Be sure to point out the state of Maine on a map of the entire United States so your child(ren) can get an idea of where each state is in relation to the rest of the country.

Map of Maine


• Choose one of the many animals mentioned in the story and visit the library to find books about that animal. Learn all you can about your chosen animal and prepare either a verbal or written report.

• Learn more about clams. Find books at your local library. Use the link below for some clam information and a printable:

Clams Printout



• Make clam chowder.

• Starting today, have your student read a section of Lost on a Mountain in Maine or read aloud to him/her if age appropriate or have him/her read Seal Island School instead.



Day 2
Read Blueberries for Sal.
• If it’s the right season, go pick your own blueberries. (http://www.pickyourown.org/)

• Make blueberry muffins.

~ Sal’s Blueberry Spice Muffins ~

1 1/2 cups + 1 tablespoon all purpose flour
1 1/2 cups wheat flour
4 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg

2 eggs
1 cup milk
1/4 cup applesauce
1/4 cup oil

1 c. fresh blueberries

Combine the first five dry ingredients in a mixing bowl. In a separate bowl, combine the four wet ingredients. Add the wet to the dry and stir. In another small bowl, lightly toss the blueberries with 1 tablespoon of all purpose flour. Gently fold them into the batter.

Spoon batter into liberally greased muffin tins, filling them about 3/4 full.

Bake in a 350° F oven for about fifteen minutes. Let cool in the pan for about 5 minutes and then gently dump the muffins onto a cooling rack. This recipes makes roughly 18 muffins.



• Check out the link below for more information on Maine black bears:

Maine black bears


• Continue reading Lost on a Mountain in Maine (or Seal Island School).



Day 3
Read Counting Our Way to Maine.
• Find out what an acrostic poem is by going to the following website and then write your own acrostic poem about Maine:

Acrostic Poem

• Play Race for $1.00 (money addition)

You need 30 pennies, 10 nickels, 20 dimes, 1 quarter, a dollar, 2 dice, and a partner. Take turns. On your turn, roll the dice. The sum tells how many pennies to take. When you have 5 pennies, trade for a nickel. When you have 2 nickels, trade for a dime. When you have 2 dimes and one nickel, trade for a quarter. The first player to reach $1.00 is the winner. (from the website: http://www.mrsgoldsclass.com/MathGames.htm)



Day 4
Read I Met a Moose in Maine One Day.

• Draw the Penobscot River on your map of Maine.

• Make a moose puppet. Directions found here:

Moose puppet

• Listen to and learn the state song of Maine.



Day 5
Read L is for Lobster.
• Locate and mark Mt. Katahdin on your map. Mt. Katahdin is the highest mountain in Maine. It is also the start of the Appalachian Trail.

• Follow the trail on this map and use the website to answer the following questions:

Appalachian Trail


How many states does the Appalachian Trail travel through?

What year was the trail completed?

How long is the trail?

How many footsteps does it take to walk the entire trail?



• Check out a live web cam of Mt. Katahdin:

http://www.katahdincam.com/


• Pick a native American tribe from Maine and learn more about it.


---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

For more information and games for kids about the state of Maine, check out:

http://www.state.me.us/sos/kids/index.htm



Other books to read:
The Train to Maine by Jamie Spencer and Rebecca Harrison Reed

Time of Wonder by Robert McCloskey

Acadia National Park (True Books: National Parks) by Wende Fazio

1 comment:

  1. This is more awesome than my States lessons. Granted, I don't actually homeschool, but the kids enjoy learning about the different States. I found a great book "Sticker Atlas of the United States" that has a 20" x 30" wall map and 200 reusable stickers. Each page is dedicated to a state with simple facts. The kids love it.

    ReplyDelete

Related Posts Plugin for WordPress, Blogger...
 
Blog designed by Blogger Boutique using Trish H. Design's "Merry Go Round" kit.