Grade Level: K-1
Academic Activity Book for K-6
Standards-based activities in reading/language arts, math,
science, and social studies/history for parents and teachers.
Academic Activity Book for K-6
© 2013 InSync Education All rights reserved.
For more information, visit: www.insyncedu.com/insync.
Table of Contents
4For Parents: Getting the Most Out of InSync Education
6For Teachers: Integrating InSync Education Into Your
Classroom
8Frequently Asked Questions
10Activity 1: Practice Rhyming
12Activity 2: Make a Checklist of Reading Strategies
14Activity 3: Make and Describe Patterns
16Activity 4: Create Graphs
19Activity 5: Play an Observation Game
21Activity 6: Model the Phases of the Moon
23Activity 7: Make a Timeline
26Activity 8: Name That Region
29For Teachers: Class-Home Connection Template
For Parents: Getting the Most Out of InSync Education
What Is InSync Education?
Your son or daughter’s district or school has begun using InSync
Education, an online database of academic resources designed
specifically for parents of children in kindergarten through grade
twelve. The resources in InSync Education:
· Support in-class learning in reading/language arts,
mathematics, science, social studies/history in kindergarten
through grade 12.
· Provide easy-to-read overviews of curriculum topics for
parents.
· Help with homework, studying for tests, writing reports, and
learning study skills and strategies.
· Provide extra review, practice, and enrichment activities that
are based on the standards taught at your child’s grade level.
· Are available in three languages (English, Spanish, and
Haitian Creole).
· Can be searched by keyword, browsed by standard, or viewed in
an index.
All of these features—and more—can be accessed online at
www.insyncedu.com/insync.
How Can This Book Help Me?
As part of InSync Education, we developed this book—eight easy,
standards-based activities in reading/language arts, math, science,
social studies/history to do with your child:
Activity 1: Practice Rhyming (Reading/Language Arts, K)
Activity 2: Make a Checklist of Reading Strategies
(Reading/Language Arts, Grades 1-6)
Activity 3: Make and Describe Patterns (Math, K-1)
Activity 4: Create Graphs (Math, Grades 3-5)
Activity 5: Play an Observation Game (Science, K)
Activity 6: Model the Phases of the Moon (Science, Grades
3-5)
Activity 7: Make a Timeline (Social Studies/History, K-1)
Activity 8: Name That Region (Social Studies/History, Grades
3-5)
Many more activities like these can be accessed online by
visiting www.insyncedu.com/insync.
Each activity includes:
· Activities that can be used to practice, review, and support
curriculum topics in fun, hands-on manner.
· Topic overviews that provide parents with a summary of the
curriculum topic.
· Glossary of Academic Terms that list subject-specific words
that parents may need defined.
· Additional Resources that suggest websites to learn more about
a curriculum topic.
In the coming months, look for notes from your child’s teacher
with further information about using InSync Education to support
in-class learning.
Ideas for Using InSync Education with Your Child
Here are a few ideas for using InSync Education with your
child:
1. Support in-class learning. Give your child extra practice and
enrichment in the four core subjects by doing a standards-based
activity together. Either pick an activity from this book or search
the online database of resources, and learn more about the skills
and concepts your child is learning in class in a fun way.
2. Find out about what your child is learning about in class.
Either in communication with your child's classroom teacher or by
using a district provided curriculum map, search for resources that
support the curriculum topics being taught your child's classroom.
Read an overview of the topic and browse activities you can do with
your child.
3. Help your child study for tests and quizzes. Before your
child takes a test or quiz, practice and review important concepts
with your child with activities developed to specifically support
various curriculum topics in reading/language arts, math, science,
and social studies/history.
4. Start an activity day with your child. Every weekend, pick an
activity, collect any materials needed to complete the activity,
and have fun! Pick a different subject the next weekend.
For Teachers: Integrating InSync Education Into Your
Classroom
What Is InSync Education?
Your district or school has begun using InSync Education, an
online database of academic resources designed specifically for
parents of children in kindergarten through grade twelve. The
resources in InSync Education:
· Support in-class learning in reading/language arts,
mathematics, science, social studies/history in kindergarten
through grade 12.
· Provide easy-to-read overviews of curriculum topics for
parents.
· Help with homework, studying for tests, writing reports, and
learning study skills and strategies.
· Provide extra review, practice, and enrichment activities that
are based on the standards taught at your child’s grade level.
· Are available in three languages (English, Spanish and Haitian
Creole).
· Can be searched by keyword, browsed by state standard, or
viewed in an index.
All of these features—and more—can be accessed online at
www.insyncedu.com/insync.
How Can This Book Help Me?
As part of InSync Education, we developed this book—eight easy,
standards-based activities in reading/language arts, math, science,
social studies/history:
Activity 1: Practice Rhyming (Reading/Language Arts, K)
Activity 2: Make a Checklist of Reading Strategies
(Reading/Language Arts, Grades 1-6)
Activity 3: Make and Describe Patterns (Math, K-1)
Activity 4: Create Graphs (Math, Grades 3-5)
Activity 5: Play an Observation Game (Science, K)
Activity 6: Model the Phases of the Moon (Science, Grades
3-5)
Activity 7: Make a Timeline (Social Studies/History, K-1)
Activity 8: Name That Region (Social Studies/History, Grades
3-5)
Many more activities like these can be accessed online by
visiting www.insyncedu.com/insync.
Each activity includes:
· Activities that parents and children can use to practice,
review, and support curriculum topics in fun, hands-on manner.
· Topic overviews that provide parents with a summary of the
curriculum topic.
· Glossary of Academic Terms that list subject-specific words
that parents may need defined.
· Additional Resources that suggest websites to learn more about
a curriculum topic.
· Class-Home Connection Templates that can be filled out to
alert parents to resources that would support in-class
learning.
Ideas for Integrating InSync Education in Your Classroom
Here are four ideas for integrating InSync Education in your
classroom:
1. Differentiate instruction. Either during small group time or
afterschool, use InSync Education standards-based activities and
tips with students who may need information presented in a more
visual or hands-on manner.
2. Provide extra practice and review. Before a chapter test,
have small groups of student complete InSync Education activities
as needed to provide additional practice and review.
3. Offer extra help. Assign specific InSync Education resources
to students as needed to provide additional support using the
Class-Home Connection Template at the end of this book.
4. Extend and enrich learning. Use InSync Education activities
with students who want to learn more about a specific topic.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q: What is InSync Education?
A: InSync Education is an online database of academic resources
and activities designed specifically for parents of school-aged
children. All InSync Education resources are searchable and aligned
to Florida state standards.
Q: Who is InSync Education for?
A: InSync Education is designed for all parents of children in
kindergarten through the 12th grade. InSync Education is available
to parents in English and Spanish.
Q: What kinds of resources can I find on InSync Education?
A: InSync Education has hundreds of resources and activities in
core subject areas such as reading/language arts, math, science,
and social studies/history. InSync Education also offers parent
resources to help prepare students for standardized tests, practice
academic skills over the summer, and develop study skills and
lifelong learning strategies. Special resources for students in
grades 9-12 focus on life skills, applying to college, and career
readiness.
Q: How will using InSync Education help my child in the
classroom?
A: All of the resources in InSync Education are
standards-based—developed specifically to guide parents in how to
build the grade and subject specific knowledge and skills that
children are learning in the classroom. When you complete
activities in InSync Education with your child, you’ll help your
child learn what’s being taught in the classroom in
reading/language arts, math, science, and social
studies/history.
Q: What's included as part of InSync Education resources?
A: All resources in InSync Education provide an overview of the
content, two activities/tips related to the content, a glossary of
academic terms, and a list of additional web-based resources.
Resources are available in English (K-12), Spanish (K-12), and
Haitian-Creole (K-5). Resources for students in grades 6-12 also
include real world applications of content and list prerequisite
resources.
Q: How do I log into InSync Education?
A: To log into InSync Education, contact your district for
detailed log in instructions.
Q: How do I find resources in InSync Education?
A: Finding resources in InSync Education is easy. You can either
search for resources by keyword, browse resources by standard, or
browse through an index of all the resources in the database. Some
districts have also provided InSync Education with a district
curriculum calendar, which allows you to search for resources
connected to your student’s daily classroom learning schedule.
Q: I’m a teacher. Are other teachers using InSync Education in
their classroom?
A: Although InSync Education was initially built for parents,
the resources in InSync Education are also commonly used by
classroom teachers. Because InSync Education resources are
standards-based, activities can be used for in-class practice,
lesson differentiation, test prep and review, enrichment, or
additional support for individual students based on need.
Additionally, many teachers print out the resources in InSync
Education in the home language of the student as homework for both
the student and the parent, and as a way to reinforce and support
parental involvement in the student’s academic achievement.
Q: In which languages is InSync Education available?
A: InSync Education is available in English, Spanish and
Haitian-Creole. Additional languages can be added by individual
districts based on the needs of their parent population.
Q: How do I view InSync Education in another language?
A: Switching languages in InSync Education is easy, and can be
done from anywhere in the database, and at any time. Select either
Spanish or Haitian-Creole, and the entirety of InSync Education
will appear in the selected language. You may also identify your
language preference in your user profile.
Grade Level: Kindergarten
Subject: Reading/Language Arts
Activity 1: Practice Rhyming
Overview
The ability to rhyme is an important skill that develops your
child’s ability to recognize and produce patterns in language,
words, and sounds. In many cultures and for many years, caregivers
have been singing songs with rhymes or telling nursery rhymes to
babies and young children. Perhaps people have an instinct that
rhymes help children develop their language! In any case, this
skill of recognizing patterns will help your child learn how to
read.
To find a rhyme for a word, your child has to find another word
that has the same or similar ending sounds. For example, words that
rhyme with hat include bat, splat , flat , mat , and pat. Examples
of words that do not rhyme with hat are hand , ham, part, mad, bit,
and vet.
Activity
Together with your child, sing a song with rhymes to practice
producing rhymes. Examples of songs with rhymes are “Down by the
Bay,” “Willoughby Wallaby Woo,” “This Old Man,” “On Top of
Spaghetti,” “A-Hunting We Will Go,” and “The Ants Go Marching.”
· After your child is familiar with these songs, sing a line of
the song until the part where there is a rhyming word.
· Pause to have your child fill in the blank. Your child can say
any rhyming word, not just the ones you have already thought
of.
For example, in “Down by the Bay,” sing:
Down by the bay
Where the watermelons grow,
Back to my home
I dare not ______. (go)
For if I do,
My mother will say,
“Did you ever see a dog
Sitting by a ______ (log, frog)
Down by the bay?
For “A-Hunting We Will Go,” sing:
A-hunting we will go,
A-hunting we will go,
We'll catch a fox
And put him in a ______ (box)
And then we'll let him go.
Additional Resources
"Reading Rockets: Sounds & Symbols, Article 2 – Beginning
Reading and Phonological Awareness" – An article about the
relationship between being able to rhyme and reading.
http://www.pbs.org/launchingreaders/soundsandsymbols/helpfularticles_2.html
Glossary of Academic Terms
rhyme – to produce a word that has similar or the same final
sounds as another word
Grade Level: Grades 1-6
Subject: Reading/Language Arts
Activity 2: Make a Checklist of Reading Strategies
Overview
Some texts your child reads may be difficult for him to
understand. Learning some reading strategies and how to use them
will help your child understand difficult texts.
· Reread – Have your child read the difficult passage of text
again and read the text more slowly. By rereading, your child may
learn more about the text than the first time she read it.
· Check context clues – Have your child look at the text
surrounding the text he is having trouble reading. Use what he
understands to help him figure the meaning of text he doesn't
understand.
· Predict – Have your child use what she already knows about the
text to predict what will come next. After your child has developed
a prediction, she can compare her prediction with the text,
revising her prediction as necessary.
· Summarize – Have your child summarize the most important parts
of a text. By summarizing what he already knows about the text,
your child may be able to determine the meaning of a passage he
can't understand. You will also be able to determine if your child
understands the main ideas of a text before trying to help him with
specific passages of text he may have trouble understanding.
· Question – Have your child ask questions about the text. For
example, as she reads, your child could ask herself: How is this
organized? What is this paragraph telling me? By asking questions
about a text, your child will stay more engaged while she is
reading, promoting better understanding of a text.
· Clarify by checking other sources – Have your child read an
easier text about the same subject to find information that helps
explain the meaning of a difficult passage. You could also have
your child look in a glossary or dictionary if he doesn’t
understand a difficult word.
Each of these reading strategies can be used on their own to
understand difficult texts; they also can be used together.
Activity
Help your child create a checklist of reading strategies to use
when she is reading.
· Make a checklist of the reading strategies listed above, with
definitions of each strategy.
· Have your child create a drawing of each strategy that helps
her remember how to use it.
· Have your child use the checklist of reading strategies when
she reads a text that is difficult.
Additional Resources
"Reading Rockets: Reading for Meaning" – An article that
includes tips and explanations about how to help a reader make
sense of text.
http://www.pbs.org/launchingreaders/readingformeaning/helpfularticles_1.html
Glossary of Academic Terms
reading strategies – research-based strategies that will help
your child understand difficult text
Grade Level: K-1
Subject: Mathematics
Activity 3: Make and Describe Patterns
Overview
When your child is able to identify and continue patterns of
objects and numbers, he is using logic. Logic is a necessary skill
for understanding algebra and geometry topics.
A repeating pattern has a unit that repeats over and over.
Repeating patterns often use shapes and colors.
Example 1. Some repeating patterns use colors.
The pattern is red, blue, yellow. This is the part that repeats.
The pattern can also be described with letters (ABC…) or numbers
(1, 2, 3…). The item that comes next in the pattern is a red
square.
Example 2. Other repeating patterns use shapes.
The pattern is circle, circle, triangle (AAB or 1, 1, 2). The
item that comes next in the pattern is a circle.
A number pattern follows a rule. The rule tells what to do to
get from one number to the next.
Example 3.
24681012____
Each number is 2 more than the one before it. The rule is to add
2 or count by 2s. The next number in the pattern is 2 more than 12,
or 14.
Example 4.
51015202530_____
Each number is 5 more than the one before it. The rule is to add
5 or count by 5s. The next number in the pattern is 5 more than 30,
or 35.
Activity
Practice making and describing patterns with your child.
· Cut out a variety of squares, circles, hearts, and triangles
from sheets of colored paper.
· Create a shape or color pattern with the cutouts.
· Ask your child to describe the pattern using words.
· After he states the pattern correctly, have him express the
pattern in a different way, using letters, numbers, or sounds.
· Finally, instruct him to tell what comes next in the
pattern.
· Continue the activity by taking turns creating and describing
the patterns.
Additional Resources
"E-Example 4.5.2: Learning About Number Relationships" – Read
about the importance of working with patterns and play a pattern
game.
http://standards.nctm.org/document/eexamples/chap4/4.5/index.htm#applet
Glossary of Academic Terms
number pattern – a pattern of numbers that follows a rule
10, 20, 30, 40, 50 . . .
Rule: Count by tens.
repeating pattern – a pattern of shapes, colors, or similar
items that has a repeating unit
skip counting – skipping numbers when counting; counting by
numbers other than 1s
skip counting by 2s: 2, 4, 6, 8, 10, 12, ….
skip counting by 10s: 10, 20, 30, 40, 50, …
Grade Level: Grades 3-5
Subject: Mathematics
Activity 4: Create Graphs
Overview
Every day, children are faced with making decisions based on
information that they have. Learning how to analyze data will help
your child in decision-making situations.
Example 1. Use a frequency table to record and display data.
A group of students took a survey. They were asked if they play
soccer, basketball, baseball, or lacrosse. The table shows the
results.
Sports Played
Sport
Boys
Girls
Baseball
27
5
Basketball
22
9
Lacrosse
13
8
Soccer
25
29
Here are some facts that can be stated by analyzing the
data:
· More children in the survey play soccer than any other
sport.
· Lacrosse is the sport with the fewest number of players.
· Thirty-one of the children surveyed play basketball.
Example 2. Use a double-bar graph to analyze data and compare
data sets.
This double-bar graph shows the same data as the frequency
table. Each sport in the graph has a separate bar for boys and
girls. To see what each bar stands for, look at the number to the
left that it aligns with.
Here are some facts that can be stated by analyzing the data in
the double-bar graph:
· More girls than boys in the survey play soccer.
· Five more boys than girls in the survey play lacrosse.
· The greatest difference between the number of girls and boys
occurs in baseball.
Activity
Make a graph for data collected in your neighborhood.
· Select a topic that can be observed in a walk through the
neighborhood (colors of houses or cars, numbers of different kinds
of trees, numbers of kinds of animals seen).
· Find a notepad and pencil, and take a walk with your
child.
· Record what you observe.
· Return home and discuss with your child what types of graph
would be appropriate for your data. Encourage your child to decide
which kind to construct.
· Make a graph with the data.
Additional Resources
"Create a Graph" – Supply the data, and create a graph of your
choice on this web site.
http://nces.ed.gov/nceskids/createagraph/default.aspx
Glossary of Academic Terms
data – information about a specific topic
data sets – collections of information about different groups
(people, events, etc.)
double-bar graph – a graph with bars that shows data and can be
used to compare data sets
frequency table – a table with numbers that is used to record
and display data
Grade Level: Kindergarten
Subject: Science
Activity 5: Play an Observation Game
Overview
One of the best ways for children to learn about science is
through observation—that is, watching, listening, and paying close
attention to the world around them. Children’s observations prompt
them to think like scientists by asking questions and wondering why
the world is the way it is.
Observing a Ladybug
Observing an Airplane
has wings
has black dots on its back
can fly
can walk
is red or orange
doesn’t make sounds that we can hear
smaller than my thumb
has 6 legs
has wings
can fly
makes a loud roaring sound
much bigger than a person
has wheels
has lots of little windows
sometimes makes lines in the sky
Observations can include things you see, things you hear, or
things you experience by touch, smell, or taste. It’s a good idea
to record observations in some way, either by drawing a careful
picture or by making a list.
Activity
Improve your child’s observation skills by playing a simple
observation game.
· Place three items from nature on a tray. For example, you
might put a pine cone between a leaf and a blade of grass.
· Let your child look at the tray for 10 to 15 seconds.
· Then have your child close her eyes, or take the tray
away.
· While she is not looking, make a change: you can move one or
two objects on the tray, add a new object, or replace one of the
objects on the tray with something new.
· Then show your child the tray again.
· Ask her what’s different and how she knows.
· You can repeat this game several times.
Glossary of Academic Terms
observation – using sight, hearing, or other senses to describe
a living thing or an object
Grade Level: Grades 3-5
Subject: Science
Activity 6: Model the Phases of the Moon
Overview
Other than the sun, the moon is the brightest object in the sky.
Despite its brilliance, though, the moon has no light of its own.
When we see the moon from the earth, we’re actually seeing sunlight
reflecting off the moon’s surface. The amount of sunlight we see
depends on the moon’s position in the sky and the angles formed by
the earth, the sun, and the moon. Because the moon revolves around
the earth, these angles are always changing. As a result, the moon
looks a little different each day. The changes are often referred
to as the phases of the moon.
The first phase is the new moon. The new moon takes place when
the moon is between the sun and the earth. Though sunlight strikes
the moon when the three bodies are lined up this way, we can’t see
it; the side that’s lit up is the side facing away from us.
As the days pass, however, the position of the moon changes.
Each day it moves further away from the line between the sun and
the earth. As a result, more and more of it is visible every day.
At first, the visible part forms a crescent, but in about a week
half the moon is illuminated. At this point, the moon is at first
quarter. A week after that comes the full moon, when all, or nearly
all, of the side facing the earth is lit up. At this point, though,
the visible part of the moon begins to shrink. Within a week the
moon is only half visible again (we say it’s at third quarter), and
soon after that it dwindles to a crescent and finally to another
new moon—and the cycle begins again.
Activity
Model the movement of the moon to show why we see phases of the
moon.
· Set up a “sun” by turning on a lamp.
· Have your child stand 8 to 10 feet from the lamp to represent
the earth.
· Then get a ball, apple, or other round object. Color half of
it with a bright marker, or cover half with colored tape; the goal
is to make the two parts contrasting colors.
· Tell your child that this object represents the moon, and the
colored side represents the part that’s lit up, which is the part
that is facing the sun at any given time.
· Now hold the “moon” so it’s between your child and the lamp.
Position it with the colored part directly facing the “sun.”
· Ask your child how much of the colored side she can see from
“earth” (not much!).
· Explain that this represents the new moon, when the sunlight
strikes the side of the moon we can’t see from earth.
· Then slowly walk in a circle around your child, keeping the
colored side of the ball facing the lamp at all times. Your child
can pivot to face the moon but shouldn’t change position
otherwise.
· As you walk, have your child describe how much of the colored
side she can see.
· Have your child call out first quarter, full, and third
quarter at the appropriate points.
· Talk about the activity results and how they relate to the
real moon and its phases.
Additional Resources
NASA, “What Are the Phases of the Moon?” – Information and
diagrams about the moon and its movements.
http://starchild.gsfc.nasa.gov/docs/StarChild/questions/question3.html
Glossary of Academic Terms
crescent – a narrow curved shape; the moon as seen just before
and just after the new moon
first quarter – the phase that occurs about a week after the new
moon, when half the moon is visible from the earth
full moon – the phase occurring directly between new moons, when
the entire moon is visible from the earth
new moon – the start of the moon’s phases, when the moon is
nearly invisible from the earth
phases of the moon– a cycle in which the moon appears to grow
and then diminish in size
third quarter– the phase that occurs a week after the full moon,
when half the moon is visible from the earth
Grade Level: K-1
Subject: Social Studies/History
Activity 7: Make a Timeline
Overview
Learning how to use and create a timeline will help your child
understand the order of events. It also will help him see how
events are connected to one another. Timelines have a beginning
date and an ending date. Events are displayed on a timeline in
chronological order, from the earliest date on the far left to the
most recent date on the far right.
Some timelines show the order of historical events. This
timeline shows three important events in American history. These
events are organized by date.
Some timelines show the order of personal events. This timeline
shows three important events in a student’s day at school. These
events are organized by time.
Activity
Tell your child that you are going to talk about the order in
which things happen by making a timeline.
· Think of five events that happened during your child’s
day.
· Write the events you think of below, but do not put them in
chronological order. For example, you might write the following:
Jessie ate dinner, Jessie got dressed, Jessie went to school,
Jessie did homework.
· Read each statement aloud to your child.
· Ask her to tell you which event happened first, second, third,
and fourth. Write which event happened first, second, third,
fourth, and fifth below.
· Work with your child to put the five events you just put in
chronological order on the blank timeline provided below. The
timeline should be organized with the time of day on top; the
events your child named should be written underneath the
timeline.
· When the timeline is complete, ask your child questions about
it:
· What happened before [event]?
· What happened after [event]?
· Which happened first, [event] or [event]?
· What happened between [event] and [event]?
What Happened During Your Day?
Event 1: __________________________
Event 2: __________________________
Event 3: __________________________
Event 4: __________________________
Event 5: __________________________
Timeline
Additional Resources
The Smithsonian, "Timeline" - View an interactive timeline of
events in American history.
http://americanhistory.si.edu/timeline/index.cfm
Glossary of Academic Terms
chronological order - sequentially ordering events according to
the time they happened
Grade Level: Grades 3-5
Subject: Social Studies/History
Activity 8: Name That Region
Overview
Learning about the five regions of the United States will help
your child understand more about the diversity of the country in
terms its physical characteristics. The United States includes 50
states and covers more than 3.5 million square miles. When we study
the United States, we often focus on its five distinct regions.
Northeast
The Northeast has many lakes, rivers, and coastal areas. The
weather is extremely cold in the winter. The Northeast includes the
states of Maine, Vermont, New Hampshire, Massachusetts, Rhode
Island, Connecticut, New York, Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Delaware,
and Maryland.
Southeast
The Southeast has many lakes, rivers, and coastal areas. The
weather is usually mild, but it is often very humid during the
summer. The Southeast includes the states of Arkansas, Louisiana,
Kentucky, Tennessee, Mississippi, Alabama, Virginia, North
Carolina, South Carolina, Georgia, and Florida.
Midwest
The Midwest has lakes and rivers, and the land is generally very
flat. The winters are extremely cold. The Midwest includes the
states of North Dakota, South Dakota, Nebraska, Kansas, Minnesota,
Iowa, Missouri, Wisconsin, Illinois, Michigan, Indiana, and
Ohio.
Southwest
The Southwest has large areas of desert land. The weather is
very dry, and it can get extremely hot during the summer. There is
not much water in this region. The Southwest includes the states of
Arizona, New Mexico, Texas, and Oklahoma.
West
The West includes very tall mountains and coastal areas. The
weather can be very cold in certain parts of the region and very
warm in others. The West includes the states of Washington, Oregon,
California, Idaho, Nevada, Montana, Wyoming, Utah, Colorado,
Alaska, and Hawaii.
Activity
Tell your child that you are going to play a game called “Name
That Region.” You will name a state, and your child will tell you
in which region the state is located. Start with the states listed
in the chart below and continue with other states as desired.
New York (Northeast)
North Dakota (Midwest)
California (West)
Maine (Northeast)
Idaho (Midwest)
Oregon (Northwest)
New Mexico (Southwest)
Maryland (Southeast)
Florida (Southeast)
Oklahoma (Southwest)
Virginia (Southeast)
South Carolina (Southeast)
Illinois (Midwest)
Vermont (Northeast)
Mississippi (Southeast)
Nebraska (Midwest)
Georgia (Southeast)
Ohio (Midwest)
Texas (Southwest)
Additional Resources
"United States of America" – View facts, photos, videos, and
maps that teach you more about the geography of the United
States.
http://kids.nationalgeographic.com/Places/Find/United-states-of-america
"Fun State Facts" – Click on the map to learn interesting facts
about each state.
http://factfinder.census.gov/home/en/kids/funfacts/funfacts.html
Glossary of Academic Terms
coastal areas – areas near the coast of oceans, lakes, or
rivers
physical characteristics – a recognizable geographic feature
such as a mountain, river, weather pattern, and so forth
For Teachers: Class-Home Connection Template
Use the following template to alert parents to what students are
learning about in class and the related resources available at
www.insyncedu.com/insync.
____________
Dear Parent/Guardian:
We are currently learning about ______________________________.
Overviews and activities related to this topic can be accessed
online at www.insyncedu.com/insync by searching under the
keyword:
_____________________
Please contact me at ______________________________ if you have
any questions.
Sincerely,
Classroom Teacher
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□ My son or daughter successfully completed the activities on
______________________________!
Parent/Guardian Signature ____________________
