Writing a State Report

Getting Started:

First, get to know about your state. Read as much information about it as you can find. Try both the Internet and the library; try a good search engine, an encyclopedia, and individual books on the USA and the states.

As you're reading about your state, take notes on key information, such as the name of the capital, current population figures, climate, geography (mountains, lakes, rivers, deserts), industries in the state, agricultural products, state symbols, etc.

The Structure of Your Report:

Start your report with an introductory paragraph that states the main ideas that you will be writing about. Then write at least four to five paragraphs that clearly describe your state. Each paragraph should cover one topic (for example, you should have at least one paragraph that describes the state's geography, and gives information on the state's location in the USA, its major bodies of water, its highest and lowest points, mountain ranges, etc.). End the report with a closing paragraph that summarizes what you wrote and learned.

Finally, cite your references

Check that your grammar, spelling, and punctuation are correct. Make sure to use complete sentences and write neatly! Define any technical terms that you use. Proofread your report for errors before you hand it in,  do  hand in a rough draft.

Topics to Research and Include in Your Report:

When you write your report, try to answer as many of the following questions as you can:

    * Geography: Describe your state's location within the US. (What states or major bodies of water border it?) What is the state capital? What are some major cities? How big is your state (list its area and its rank with respect to the other states)? You may want to include a map of your state - either draw it yourself or find one online.
    * Climate: What climates does the area have? Is it hot and mild (like Hawaii), is there an extreme climate (like Montana), or something else?
    *  Population: Give the latest population figures for your state. How does it rank in terms of the other states? What do the people of the state do for a living (what are the state's major industries and agricultural products)?
    * State Symbols: Describe the symbols that the state selected to represent it. Write about the state flag -- include what it looks like, when it was adopted - you can even draw a picture of it if you like. Some states have a state bird, a state insect, a state reptile, a state fossil, a state dinosaur, a state rock, a state soil, a state song, a state dance, and other unusual symbols.
    * Something Special: What is special about your state? What does it have that other states do not have? For example, list National Parks, National Monuments, historic battlefields, important places, or historic events that happened in your state.

Citing Your References: When you write your bibliography, list all of your references. Formats for each type of publication follows (there are different formats for different media):
     Web Site:     Author(s) if appropriate. Title of Site or web page. URL of site, date of publication (the earliest copyright year listed).
     Book:   Author(s). Title of book. Edition. Location of publisher: Name of Publisher, year of publication.
     Encyclopedia:      Title of encyclopedia, volume of encyclopedia used. Location of publisher: Name of Publisher, year of publication, pages where the article is located.
     Magazine or Journal: Author(s). "Title of article." Name of magazine, Volume.issue (date): pages where the article is located.
Author(s) are listed last name first, first name or initials (as cited in the publication).

Thank you to EnchantedLearning.com