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Research the states in the South
Write \"pen pal\" letters to other group members based on their research.
Comment respectfully on other students' work.

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For each group:

Pen or pencil
Notebook
Computer or other device with internet connection

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Read through and familiarize yourself with the entire activity.

Write the following on the board:

Alabama
Arkansas
Florida
Georgia
Kentucky
Louisiana
Mississippi
North Carolina
Oklahoma
South Carolina
Tennessee
Texas
Virginia
West Virginia

Write the following categories on the board:

Geography
Famous People
History
Industries
Landmarks
Weather
Wildlife

Prepare a few facts about the South, such as these:

The South is often called \"Dixie,\" which comes from a song (also called \"Dixie\") written in 1859.
Nearly 60% of North Carolina is forest.
Atlanta, Georgia, is the headquarters city for Coca Cola, Home Depot, Delta Airlines, and other international businesses.

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Ask students what they know about the country's southern states. If they need prompting, tell them that the states written on the board are the 14 states that make up the part of the United States known as the South. Share the facts you prepared with students.
Tell students that in this activity, they will work in groups to research a state in the South. Then, they will each write a letter about the state or city as though they live there. They will exchange letters with a student in another group as though they are pen pals. Explain that pen pals are people who live far away and write letters or emails to each other but have usually never met. Pen pals often learn a lot about the other person's region by writing to each other.
Divide students into small groups. Assign each group 1 of the southern states you wrote on the board. Have them research the categories you also wrote on the board. Prompt students with questions to help guide their research, such as these:
- What are some of the major events that happened in the state's or city's history? Why are these important to the history of the United States?
- What are some large cities in this state? What famous buildings and statues are found in these cities? What are some fun things people can do if they visit these cities?
- What lakes, rivers, mountains, and islands are located in this state or city? What fun things can people do if they visit these places?
- What are some major industries in the state or city?
- What famous people come from the state or city?
Circulate around the room, offering guidance as needed.
Assign each student a partner from another group. Have each student write a letter to their partner about the state they researched as though they are pen pals. Remind them to write the letter from the point of view of someone who lives in that state, such as, \"I love living near the Florida Everglades because...\" or \"It's really hot today down in the Louisiana bayou.\" Remind them to include important details they learned from their research, such as information about wildlife, landmarks, etc. Have students exchange and read the letters.
Reconvene as a whole group. Have students share what they learned from the letter they received from their \"pen pal.\" Encourage students to say what they liked about each other's work.
To wrap up, discuss with students what they learned from this activity. Ask:a. How are the southern states the same? How are they different?b. Which state in the South do you think would be the most interesting place to live or visit? Why?c. If you do not live in the South, how are the states there similar to or different from the state where you live?

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Have students write letters to more than 1 pen pal.

After conducting their research, have small groups collaborate to make a large map of the region, illustrating it with pictures representing what they learned.

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Southern States Pen Pals

Southern States Pen Pals

Southern States Pen Pals

Overview