Image credit: http://blog.lastbash.com/2010/03/city-guide-atlantic-city-new-jersey.html
Are you looking for fun worksheets and lapbooks, children’s books, and YouTube video clips for teaching and/or learning about New Jersey? Whether you’re a school teacher, homeschooling parent, involved parent, librarian, lifelong learner, or a student searching for ideas and books on New Jersey, look no further! This is part of a series of pages I created while teaching about the fifty states. You can find the links for my pages for each of the 50 states at Teaching the 50 States of America.
Salt Water Taffy
What Makes This State Special: Atlantic City
Saltwater Taffy was invented in Atlantic City after a candy store “got soaked by ocean water.” Atlantic City also claims to have the longest boardwalk in the world, and each year it hosts the Miss America pageant.
Image credit: http://gobigorgohomeblog.com/187
What Makes This State Special: Menlo Park
New Jersey is home to the world’s largest light bulb, a memorial found the Thomas Edison Center at Menlo Park water tower. It was at laboratory at Menlo Park that Thomas Edison invented the light bulb, phonograph (a record player), & motion picture projector. The world’s largest light bulb happens to be only a few miles from the world’s largest water sphere tower.
“Hadrosaurus reconstruction” by Jim, the Photographer from Springfield PA, United States of America
What Makes This State Special: The Birthplace of Modern Paleontology
John Hopkin’s discovery of an almost complete Hadrosaurus in 1838 near Haddonfield led New Jersey to become known as the birthplace of modern paleontology.
New Jersey state quarter
New Jersey’s State Flag and State Quarter
New Jersey’s state flag features a shield with three plows and the horse’s head represent the state’s tradition of agriculture. The helmet shows that the state governs itself. The two women represent the goddesses Liberty (who is holding a liberty staff and cap) and Ceres, the goddess of Agriculture (who is holding a cornucopia). The year 1776 is when New Jersey declared its independence from England.
New Jersey’s state quarter features Washington crossing the Delaware River.
Our Favorite Children’s Books on New Jersey
Our Favorite Picture Book on New Jersey
The Legend of the Cape May Diamond (Myths, Legends, Fairy and Folktales) by Trinka Hakes Noble – All images are from amazon.com.
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The Legend of the Cape May Diamond (Myths, Legends, Fairy and Folktales) by Trinka Hakes Noble tells the legend behind Cape May diamonds, which are actually crystal clear quartz stones that can be found along the New Jersey shore, particular around the Cape May area.
Celebrating New Jersey: 50 States to Celebrate (Green Light Readers Level 3) by Jane Kurtz and C.B. Canga is part of a fun reader series that follows a teacher as he takes his students to visit the main sites of each state. In this book they travel to the Jersey Shore in Atlantic City, Cape May, and numerous historic sites and landmarks.
The Sand Lady: A Cape May Tale by Corrine M. Litzenberg is a cute story about a child who is playing on the beach in Cape May when her sand creation comes to life and takes her back to 1912. It is a good way to introduce the history of the area.
How to Draw New Jersey’s Sights and Symbols (A Kid’s Guide to Drawing America) by Melody S. Mis is part of a great 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.
Abigail Takes the Wheel (I Can Read Chapter Books) by Avi takes place in the late 1800’s in New Jersey. It is about a girl and her brother who daily travel with their father on a boat from Old Port, NJ. One day when they are in the harbor of New York City the girl must take the wheel and steer her father’s boat.
The Twelve Days of Christmas in New Jersey (The Twelve Days of Christmas in America) by Margaret Woollatt is a fun way to introduce the history and facts about New Jersey.
People of Twelve Thousand Winters (Tales of the World) by Trinka Hakes Noble is about a Lenni Lenape boy who takes care of his cousin who has disabilities. One day his father tells him he must leave for warrior school. He struggles with what to do with his cousin.
Our Favorite Board Books for Preschoolers, Toddlers, and Babies
Little New Jersey (Little State) Board book by Trinka Hakes Noble – Image is from amazon.com
More Good Board Books for Babies, Toddlers, and Preschoolers
Little New Jersey (Little State) Board book by Trinka Hakes Noble uses rhymes and riddles to go through New Jersey’s state flower, bird, trees, etc.
Count To Sleep New Jersey Board book by Adam Gamble goes through the numbers 1 to 10 using pictures of New Jersey’s landmarks (Jersey shore, boardwalks, etc.) as illustrations.
123 New Jersey (Cool Counting Books) Board book by Puck counts from 1 to 10 and includes illustrations from various sites around the state including the Camden Aquarium, George Washington Bridge, Jersey Shore, and more.
Good Chapter Book Related to New Jersey
I Survived: The Shark Attacks of 1916 by Lauren Tarshis – Image is from amazon.com
More Good Chapter Books Related to New Jersey
I Survived: The Shark Attacks of 1916 by Lauren Tarshis (112 pages) is based on the real shark attacks that took place in Springfield, NJ in 1916. In the story a 10 year old boy is almost attacked by a shark, though only person believes him. Soon the town finds out he was telling the truth.
Wizard of Menlo Park, New Jersey (Just in Time) by Carol Lynch Williams (152 pages) is about two children who are taken back in time to 1879 using a time machine invented by Thomas Edison.
Our Favorite Free Worksheets and Lapbook Pages on New Jersey
Great Worksheets and Lapbooks on New Jersey That We Used When Creating Notebooks on Individual States
All About New Jersey provides great links to printable worksheets, book suggestions, and activity ideas about New Jersey.
New Jersey for Teachers includes wonderful printable worksheets, activity ideas, and book suggestions.
Lapbook for “Owl Moon” offers free lapbook pages and activity ideas for “Owl Moon” by Jane Yolen.
Lapbook for “The Ballot Box Battle” includes free lapbook pages and activity ideas for “The Ballot Box Battle” by Emily Arnold McCully.
New Jersey State Facts & Trivia lists numerous points of interest about New Jersey. The site also includes a number of helpful worksheets, links, and information.
More of Our Favorite Family-Friendly Video Clips Giving an Overview of the State
Our Favorite Video on New Jersey: History Channel’s Documentary on States
Where is Trenton, the capital of New Jersey?
© 2012 Shannon
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