Any recommendations on teaching state and capitals to Kindergartners? Do you think that song would be the best would be song?
Wow, is this a requirement or for fun? If you had to do this, I would go for a song. Might make it easier to remember.
Not for fun : ( I told my daughter's teacher that I would help out with manipulatives or anything she needed help with. After school today we discussed ways to make learning the 50 states and capitals less boring. I suggested song (that's what I was planning on helping my child memorize them). The students also have to learn the Books of the Bible. I am going to search and see if I can find something that has a decent tempo and cadence. Perhaps, I can still make flash cards? Maybe the students will learn the state and capitals as "sight words" as well.
Well, for the states you could do the "Fifty Nifty United States" song, but that might be a bit fast for them. My 3rd graders learn the Books of the Bible--there is a Wee Sing Bible Songs that has great songs for those (one OT, one NT). Seems like quite a task for K, though...
I can understand teaching the states, but I don't get the capitols part. If I need to know the capitol of a state I can google it. The only time I have ever needed to know capitols was when playing a trivia game or watching Jeopardy. I teach second and it is all I can do to get them to learn the difference between cities, states, countries, and continents!
And I know that kinders don't understand this. I don't know how many times one child would say, "I live in Wisconsin" and 20 other kids would say, "I live in Wisconsin, too!!!" Developmentally, they just don't have an understanding of those things.
I teach my kinders all 50 states! We learn a new one/two every week. This is their FAVORITE part of the day! They feel so smart! We even learn Canada and Mexico, the a few mountain ranges, and oceans! They LOVE learning this! By the end of the year they can say each one as the captain points to the map! I say go for it! I teach fun facts about each state as we go. We also kinda "sing" them as we say them with fun hand movements! Dr. Jean has a states song I believe!
Sorry, this is so NOT developmentally appropriate. Better choice would be to have Ks learn their home address, phone number, their own state.
I can see this as a fun year long project, but the OP sounds like they have to learn it quickly, but I could have read it incorrectly.
No, it's a year long project. So far they are still in the "A" states. I don't think it's one of those things that will keep them from being promoted.
(Singing) Alabama, Alaska, Arizona... You put just about anything to music and I'll remember it. I memorized the first part of the periodic table in HS chemistry by putting it to the tune of the Can-Can song!
I never had to learn the state capitals in school. I'd say I probably know most of them based on common knowledge, but definitely not all. I've never needed this information or felt like I should have learned it either...putting aside that it's not developmentally appropriate, why would anyone need to learn these anyway?
There's an Animaniacs song you can look for on YouTube for the states and capitals. I think it's a ridiculous expectation...it's nothing more than a dog and pony trick that will impress some parents. But if you must....
Try John Farrell "50 States in Just One Minute" or "50 States in Under One Minute." Check his website. The song is fun and amazing. I don't see how K kids could learn this though. It would be totally rote and without meaning.
You can try using this link as an idea for 50 states song with words. http://mrsjonesroom.com/songs/50states.html Seems fast for K though. You could also look into getting a 50 state puzzle where students can also memorize the geographic location of each state.
Maybe you should bring up to your team how much more productively kindergartners' school time could be spent. A child in Arizona has no concept of Wyoming. Czacza is right, its a parlor trick. Meaningless. Perhaps they could study their own state, along with another where a friend or family member lives? Just to give them some concept of distance? I know if my own current kindergartner was wasting time doing this when she could be improving her reading or logic skills in math, I'd be pretty upset.
I forgot to say, John Farrell'ssong teaches each song with its capitol. It is also fast, but you could learn it yourself and teach it to them w/out music.
Just for clarification... A capital is a city that is the state's seat of government A capitol is the building in which state government business is conducted...
