Illinois Today

Young pupils test their geography skills by matching the 50 states to their correct state capitals. The states are listed in alphabetical order on the left, and a list of state capitals are presented in random order in a right-hand...

Invite your youngsters to learn about a state or region through their choice of a creative project. The resource lists 15 project options that range from a 3-D map of the area, to a puppet show about the region. Pupils can also propose...

With a wonderful bibliography to support this lesson on Illinois, President Lincoln, and rural vs. urban settings, this activity is a motivating experience. The lesson begins with pupils exploring books, such as The Little House by...

Young scholars create a travelogue of a particular U.S geographic region that includes aspects of population, climate, landforms, culture, famous people, and places as well as any natural resources. They present the travelogue to the class.

If you could travel anywhere in the United States, where would you go? Use this question to interest your fourth, fifth, and sixth graders as they experiment with Mapquest or other direction-based resources. They choose where they'd like...

Take a trip to the Golden State with this informative ESL presentation about California. Slides detail the state bird, state flower, and state tree with pictures and explanations. Some of the information is dated, such as Arnold...

If you happen to live in Indiana, or a neighboring state, and are planning a field trip to the Whitewater Canal State Historic Site, then this lesson plan will suit your needs quite well. In it, suggestions for activities before, during,...

Connect the geography and history of Illinois using an art-centered lesson on the railroads. The railroad connected once-distant places, particularly in the Midwest. Using research, class members create postcards of fictional cross-state...

Take your students on a tour throughout the National Monument to the Forefathers. Midge Frazel walks us through important aspects of the park, and present important facts about each one. What a great way to go on a field trip, without...

Students of all ages are introduced to the geography of Illinois. Depending on the grade level, they participate in different activities which allow them to discover Illinois in the past and present. They examine the animals and...