Teaching Geography with Children’s Literature: Virginia: Facts and Symbols

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Summary
Virginia: Facts and Symbols is a fact book all about the great state of Virginia. Bill McAuliffe does a wonderful job presenting children with all the knowledge they need to know. about Virginia. From learning Virginia’s nickname; Old Dominion, to learning that the state dog is the Foxhound, this book describes everything that a person may want to know about Virginia. With the turn of every page the reader learns a fun fact about Virginia. Children may need to know that the “state shell is the oyster shell”, or maybe they wanted to find out that the “state fish is the brook trout”(21). The photography inside the book is bright and colorful and a new picture is displayed with almost every page.

Curriculum Connections
This book would be best utilized for teachers who are studying the Geography SOL 1.4. Teachers can present this book when talking about the state’s capital. Since the book has plenty of pictures of Virginia inside of it, it could also be an excellent resource when teachers ask the students to identify the state by it’s shape. This book could also be presented by teachers who are discussing Geography SOL 1.6; the location of his/her community.

Additional Resources

  • FunTrivia: This website could be used as a fun introduction to studying the state of Virginia. It’s a fun quiz that is based on Virginia.
  • Printables: This is specifically made for teachers. It includes quite a few printables that are all based on the state of Virginia, including games, puzzles and quizzes.
  • Old Dominion: This would be a fun game to play that would challenge the students who have successfully completed all their other assignments. A fun crossword puzzle.

Book: Virginia: Facts and Symbols
Author: Bill McAuliffe
Publisher: Hilltop Books
Publication Date: 1999
Pages: 24
Grade Range: 1-4
ISBN: 978-0736802215

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