Front Range Peaks west of Denver | Source
Are you looking for fun worksheets, books, and activity ideas for teaching and/or learning about Colorado? Included are links to our favorite worksheets and lapbook pages, book suggestions for children, points of interest, and YouTube video clips — all related to the state of Colorado! These are the resources we found most helpful while completely a unit study of the individual states of the United States. You can find the links for my pages for each of the 50 states at Teaching the 50 States of America.
I have been to Colorado. Have you?
Image credit: http://www.animalpicturesarchive.com/view.php?did=4127&tid=2
What Makes This State Unique: Bighorn Sheep
The bighorn sheep is Colorado’s official state animal. They are only found in the Rocky Mountains.
Untamed Americas – Big Horn Bash by National Geographic
Image credit: http://www.race-dezert.com/home/pikes-peak-is-still-cool-a-prelude-to-a-race-19945.html
What Makes This State Unique: Pikes Peak International Hill Climb
The Race to the Clouds, officially know as Pikes Peak International Hill Climb, is an exciting annual car race up 12 miles of road on Pike’s Peak, climbing almost 5,000 feet. There are 156 turns on the course, many of which are right next to a sheer drop offs.
My children really enjoyed watching the races to the top of Pike’s Peak!
Cliff edge on the western face of Grand Mesa | Source
What Makes This State Unique: Grand Mesa
Grand Mesa is the world’s tallest flat-topped mountain. It stretches across the Western portion of the state for about 40 miles and reaches elevations of over 11,000 feet.
Image credit: http://worldtraveltours.org/attractive-vacation-that-has-many-challenge-in-aspen-colorado/.html
What Makes Colorado Unique: Skiing in Aspen
Aspen is a popular ski resort and tourist attraction. Aspen began as a humble mining camp and was named for its abundance of Aspen trees. In the mid-nineteenth century, a ski resort opened. As many celebrities and businesses rapidly flooded the town, so did property values. Aspen has some of the most expensive real estate prices in America.
World’s Most Expensive Homes – Aspen, Colorado
Snowboarding
Image credit: http://www.heritageonlinegallery.com/AlfredoRodriguezPaintings.htm
What Makes This State Unique: Pike’s Peak Gold Rush
With the motto of “Pike’s Peak or Bust!” gold prospectors flooded the Rocky Mountains of Colorado when gold was found in 1859. Known as Pike’s Peak Gold Rush, it would eventually lead to the creation of the state of Colorado. There are at least three major gold mines still in production today in Colorado.
Colorado’s State Flag
Colorado’s state flag contains blue to represent the blue skies, white to represent the snow-capped mountains, gold to represent the sunshine and (or possibly gold mining), The blue is meant to represent the skies, and red to represent the color of the soil.
Our Favorite Children’s Books on Colorado
Our Favorite Picture Book on Colorado
C Is for Centennial : A Colorado Alphabet (Alphabet Series)This is my favorite series on individual states! Each page has a simple rhyme about a word that begins with each letter of the alphabet (perfect to read if you have younger children). Then it includes a bit more about that particular regional animal, location, etc. It provides a wonderful overview of what makes Colorado unique. Both modern and historical aspects of Maine are included. Plus, the illustrations are beautiful! My children (ages 2, 4, 6, and 9) all enjoyed this book! Buy Now 
Prunes and Rupe by Lydia Griffin – Image is from amazon.com
More Great Picture Books Related to Colorado
Prunes and Rupe by Lydia Griffin – This is a beautiful folksy-art illustrated picture book of the true story about the friendship between a gold prospector in Colorado and his burro, Prunes. It is a great book to read!
Pigs Over Colorado by Kerry Lee Maclean – This cute picture book follows a family of pigs as they travel through the state and see the modern tourist sites.
America the Beautiful by Katharine Bates (Author), Wendell Minor (Illustrator) – Katharine Lee Bates was inspired to write this song after viewing Pike’s Peak in Colorado. This book does a nice job of illustrating the song with gorgeous watercolor paintings of scenes from America.
The Twelve Days of Christmas in Colorado (The Twelve Days of Christmas in America) by Linda Ashman has illustrations that are appealing to young children and the text is set to the tune of “The Twelve Days of Christmas” that includes what makes Colorado unique: ranches, ghost towns, mountains, skiers, etc. It also includes longer text as it follows children who are visiting the sites of the state.
How to Draw Colorado’s Sights and Symbols (A Kid’s Guide to Drawing America) by Jennifer Quasha is part of a wonderful series that combines state geography with art. Each page contains something about the state (a state artist, the state flag, bird, tree, capitol building, areas of interest, and animals.) A photograph will be included along with a brief explanation about that item. Then the page opposite of that includes step by step directions on how to draw that symbol or site. Even my 6 year old is able to follow the drawing directions, and I’ve been amazed at how well my 9 year old has been drawing each of the state flags as he follows the instructions in the book.
Best Books for Babies, Toddlers, and Preschoolers
Good Night Colorado (Good Night Our World)This sturdy board book goes through various scenes of what makes Colorado special. It is written simply and has illustrations that appeal to even the youngest of listeners. This is best for babies through age 3. Buy Now 
Little Colorado (Little State) Board book by Denise Brennan-Nelson – Image is from amazon.com
More Great Options for Babies, Toddlers, or Preschoolers
Good Night Denver (Good Night Our World) Board book by Susan Bouse is from the same series as the one above, but it focuses on the main sites of Denver.
Little Colorado (Little State) Board book by Denise Brennan-Nelson goes through the state’s symbols using riddles and rhymes. It has illustrations that appeal to even babies.
All Aboard!: A True Train Story by Susan Kuklin has very simple text to accompany photographs of the five Durango and Silverton Narrow Gauge steam engines that are still in operation in the Colorado Rocky Mountains. It is a great option for babies or toddlers who love trains!
Our Favorite Chapter Book Related to Colorado
In the Heart of the Rockies: A Story of Adventure in ColoradoIf you have a child who loves adventure, this is a great book! It is very clean and is great for teaching virtue to your children. It’s kind of like Swiss Family Robinson set in the Wild West Days of Colorado. It is 184 pages. Buy Now 
Little Britches: Father and I Were Ranchers by Ralph Moody – Image is from http://goodbooksforyoungsouls.blogspot.com/2013/06/favorite-literary-fathers.html
More Chapter Books That Take Place in Colorado
Little Britches: Father and I Were Ranchers by Ralph Moody (260 pages) – This is another great book full of adventure and wholesome virtue. It’s about a family who moves to Colorado to become ranchers at the turn of the century. It is the first book in the author’s autobiography series. He is 9 in this book.
The Secret School by Avi (176 pages) – This is about a teenage girl who is determined to operate a school in a rural town in Colorado in the 1920s.
Zebulon Pike: Explorer of the Southwest (Legendary Heroes of the Wild West) by William Reynolds Sanford (49 pages) – If you have children who love adventure books, you must read about the Rocky Mountain Explorer, Zebulon Pike. This is a shorter chapter book (49 pages). Another good one is “Zeb Pike, Boy Traveler” by Augusta Stevenson which is part of the Childhood of Famous Americans series.
Tales, Trails and Tommyknockers: Stories from Colorado’s Past by Myriam Friggens (144 pages) – This is a fun way to get in Colorado history with a bunch of interesting stories from the past.
Our Favorite Free Worksheets and Lapbook Pages on Colorado
Colorado’s state quarter features Longs Peak. | Source
Great Worksheets on Colorado
All About Colorado provides great links to printable worksheets, book suggestions, and activity ideas about Colorado.
Colorado for Teachers includes wonderful printable worksheets, activity ideas, and book suggestions.
Colorado Unit Study offers many helpful links and activity ideas about Colorado.
Lapbook for “Prairie School” offers free lapbook pages and activity ideas for “Prairie School” by Avi.
Lapbook for “Amber on the Mountain” includes free lapbook pages and activity ideas for “Amber on the Mountain” by Tony Johnston.
More of Our Favorite Family-Friendly Video Clips Giving an Overview of the State
How the State of Colorado Got Its Shape by the History Channel
Garden of the Gods
Summer in Telluride
Commercial for Telluride: Explore. Experience. Enjoy.
Where is Denver, the capital of Colorado?
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© 2012 Shannon
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