What's wacky, cool, interesting, or fun about the state YOU'RE in?
Who or what is the Junior Geography Detective Squad? So glad you asked!
In the book State of Wilderness, Elysabeth Eldering presents state-related facts in an entertaining, playful format. Matt, Guy, and Mary Beth explore a handheld video game, "Junior Geography Detective Squad: 50 States Mystery Trivia Series," that helps them with their social studies in a fun and challenging way. Together, they become the Junior Geography Detective Squad, eager to discover new facts about geography and the fifty states. And isn't fun the key to learning?
Author Elysabeth Eldering makes learning fun with her book, State of Wilderness. As Matt and his best friend, Guy, play the game, they are given twenty-seven clues, and each boy writes the number of the clue beside his guess. Matt's sister, Mary Beth, helps them out along the way. The one who correctly guesses the state first wins. Matt and Guy raise the stakes, making a bet: the loser has to do anything the winner tells him to do. And given the friendly rivalry between these two, it's sure to be something embarrassing!
Readers can play along as each clue is revealed. Questions vary in difficulty, getting easier as the game draws to a close. Geography, history, weird laws, and politics are just some of the areas covered by the clues. Can you guess the state? I was halfway through the clues before I guessed!
At the end of the book, you will find more learning activities related to the subject state: a map quiz, a cryptogram, facts about the state flag and motto, and a bibliography for more information. Teachers' guides, available for all books in this fifty-state series, will make this a fun addition to the classroom, too.
If you love Geography, and want to learn more about the 50 United States of America, you're in luck!
State of Quarries, second book in the JGDS 50-state, mystery, trivia series is coming this month. The third book, State of Reservations, is due out in spring 2009.
Where will the adventure take you next?
My adventures led me to settle in Texas in the early 1990s. Texas is a huge state, second only to Alaska in size. Did you know that six different flags have flown over the state of Texas since 1519: Spanish, French, Mexican, Texan, United States, and Confederate. The name "Texas" comes from a Spanish misunderstanding of the Caddo Indian word for friend. Houston is home to the world-famous LBJ Space Center and the Astrodome.
What can you tell us about your state? Leave a comment, below, and give us some fun, wacky, strange, little-known fact about your state. When you do, include a valid email address and you'll also be entered to win some state-related goodies from author Elysabeth Eldering - but be sure to enter the email address in the body of the comments section, since I can't see the one that validates your comments! If you're worried about spam, you can enter it like this:
email [at] provider.com - as long as Elysabeth, who is decidedly human, can read it, you're entered!
Hey! How are you doing. OYu have a great website. I'm going to go through archives and see what I can use for my writing. Thank You!!!
ReplyDeleteRecent blog post: Pretty Dream Questions
I've traveled from Texas (where I was born) to Guam in the far Pacific, to Morocco across the Atlantic in northwest Africa, to Maine (where I graduated from high school).
ReplyDeleteHowever Oklahoma was always home, and still is. The name of the state means home of the red man. Although, many people think Oklahoma is flat and boring, it has the Ouachita Mountains in the southeast corner of the state, lakes and forests of the eastern half, The Great Salt Plains and Alabaster Caverns in the northwest corner before the Panhandle, and play grounds galore.
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Thanks for starting us off with some fun facts about Oklahoma, Viv! I lived in Tulsa, Oklahoma, for many years. That's where I met my husband and gave birth to my daughter, Katie. Those are some fun facts - for me!
ReplyDeleteRecent blog post: How Does the CPSIA Affect You or Your Family?
I live in Pennsylvania. Indiana County, in western PA, is the "Christmas tree capitol of the world." This is proudly displayed on a billboard as you enter the county.
ReplyDeleteBeth
Recent blog post: Eggs are okay
Holly thinks I'm decidedly human. Lol - Okay - great info and thank you all for stopping by.
ReplyDeleteBeth, that sounds like a cool place to visit - the Christmas Tree Capital. I'm finding out so much about each state as I progess in writing the series. One of these days I'd love to visit every state and some of the places people mention in these fun fact trivia postings.
I'm living in South Carolina, but as Vivian, I also have traveled places. My father retired from the Army in December 1976 and since that time, the south has pretty much been home. I've lived in several states up and down the eastern seaboard and a couple of places overseas.
Something interesting about my state - let's see - South Carolina is the nation's leading peach producer and shipper east of the Mississippi River. And here everyone thought Georgia was the Peach State. See you all in the postings - E :)
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A great interview, Holly. If I were still teaching, I'd use these books in my classroom. I think the kids would love them and also learn more than through a textbook.
ReplyDeleteBeverly
Recent blog post: Interview with Donna M. McDine
Beverly, you can still spread the word to your teacher friends. Thanks for stopping by and posting a comment - see you all in the postings - E :)
ReplyDeleteRecent blog post: Covey anyone?
Chickens are considered a protected species in Key West, Fl. and they roam the city streets quite freely.
ReplyDeleteJane Kennedy Sutton
Author of The Ride
jane@janesutton.com
http://janekennedysutton.blogspot.com/
Recent blog post: What’s So Hard About Being a Writer?
You did a great job of introducing Elysabeth and her fantastic book series. Hope you have lots of sales, Elysabeth.
ReplyDeleteRecent blog post: Here's the question
How funny that is Jane. In my little town, we have chickens and roosters roaming around. The other day, I was going down the little road by the post office and almost at the stop sign and hadn't seen the roosters on the side and one of them crowed and scared me. They are funny to watch when cars are coming down the road - they run like crazy but never really the area of grass across from the thrift store. I don't know who they belong to but they seem to have free range of the town because we see them everywhere - Thanks for stopping by and leaving a comment. See you in the postings - E :)
ReplyDeleteRecent blog post: Travel the States book tour
Let's see: PA is the home of Mr. Ed's elephant Museum, The Caboose Motel (made entirely of train cabooses)and has the distinction of being the location of the nations's first Hospital, Library, Zoo, Newspaper, Nation's Capitol, All Motion-Picture Theater, Television Broadcast, Radio Broadcast, Educational Public Television Station, Cable Television, Paper Mill, Druggist, High-Speed Multi-lane Highway (PA Turnpike), Banana Split
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Ohhh send me a banana split without nuts please. Lol. This is all great info and definitely something from that will show up in the book about Pennsylvania. And, no I can't tell you if that will be in the second year or the twelfth year but it will be out (fingers crossed) during that time and I'm sure whoever is from the state will remember all the wonderful tidbits Joyce gave us. Thanks for stopping by Joyce. See you all in the postings - E :)
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