Lesson Plan - We Made State History

View a Slideshow: State Symbols
Discuss: What are some examples of state symbols? How do you think these symbols are chosen? 

Preview Words to Know

Project the online vocabulary slideshow and introduce the Words to Know.

• legislature 
• designate

Set a Purpose for Reading

As students read, have them notice the steps the Kansas kids took to get the law passed. 

1. Why does the author say the process of getting an official fruit in Kansas “wasn’t easy”?
The author says the process wasn’t easy because there were many steps. The students met with a lawmaker, did research, got support from other kids in the state, wrote letters, and spoke to the legislature.
^{(RI.4.1 MAKING INFERENCES)}

2. How did the students decide which fruit they wanted to be a state symbol?
The students sent ballots to other schools and asked other kids to vote. When they tallied the votes, the sandhill plum—a wild plum in western Kansas—was the winner.
^{(RI.4.3 EXPLAINING EVENTS)}

3. What is the main idea of the section “Making History”? 
The main idea of this section is that the students’ hard work paid off in April, when the sandhill plum became the official state fruit of Kansas.
^{(RI.4.2 MAIN IDEA)}

FEATURED SKILL: Opinion Writing

Use the Skill Builder “Plan a State Symbol” to have students propose  a new symbol for your state.

^{(W.4.1 OPINION WRITING)}