Homeschool Corner: Geography - Maine

Welcome to Day 2 of our series "Road Trip United States". For those of you who are just joining us, we have been learning about the history of the United States and how states were formed. We are taking a learning road trip from the comforts of our own home. Today we learned that Maine was the twenty-third state.

We are loving Kids Learn America! by Patricia Gordan & Reed Snow. They have made it most enjoyable to remember the capitals of each state. Does anyone enjoy learning these capitals? Well, my kids have embraced it due to the fun way it is presented in Kids Learn America! It can be difficult to remember the capitals of all the states, so I was delighted when I found this fun way to remember them. To remember Maine's capital they recommended imagining a lion with a shaggy mane with a gust of wind blowing it. The mane will help you remember Maine, and the gust of wind will help you remember Augusta. This is a cute way to remember the capitals.

Here are some things we learned about Maine:

Maine is home to more than 60 lighthouses. The oldest lighthouse is Portland Head Light in Cape Elizabeth. Visit PBS for a fun lighthouse craft.

Did you know that Petit Manan National Wildlife Refuge is the nesting grounds to Puffins? Color the Puffins "Parrots of the Sea" with these coloring pages. You will find some interesting information about them here.

Guess where 90 percent of the lobster comes from? You guessed it Maine. Watch this interesting video about lobster.

Maine has more moose that any other state. Watch this informative video about moose.

On a fun note, don't blow your nose in public in Waterville, Maine, it's illegal.

I love the free printables from USA-Printables. I print them out and my 3rd grader colors them for his USA Notebook. It shows the capital, the state bird, and the state flower. Here is the link for the Maine coloring page.

Download my free PDF notebook cover to keep all your coloring pages in. It makes a nice keepsake memory too!

Learning is supposed to be fun, right? It is all about how you present the material and allowing kids to be hands on while learning. Children love being read to. If you find interesting things and present them in a fun way, they will love what they are learning. Allow your kids to learn what they are interested in. Don't feel like you have to do everything. A page here and there will enhance their learning without overwhelming them. Be hands on, do a lighthouse craft or imitate lobsters. These are things that they will retain.

Have fun creating memories with your child. This is a special cherished time.

Blessings,
Bridget