A Unit on Virginia - Lesson 3: Richmond Is Our State Capital

Target Curriculum: History and Social Science

Target Grade: K

SOLs: E/W.K.1   HSS.K.2   HSS.K.3   HSS.K.4  
Time: 15-20 min.

Objective:
1. Students will locate Virginia on a map of the United States. 2. Students will recognize map symbols for cities and the state capital. 3. Students will locate their hometown, as well as the state capital on a map of Virginia. 4. Students will become aware that the governor is the leader of a state. 5. Students will participate in singing a song with a repeated pattern.

Purpose:
This is lesson #3 in a unit designed to introduce children to basic map skills and to help familiarize them with basic facts about Virginia. This lesson expands students' map skills as they become aware of map symbols for cities and capitals. Students will also learn the meanings of "capital" and "governor".

Materials:
Large United States map (one that shows capitals) Map of Virginia (one that shows cities) Pictures of Richmond, especially government buildings (can be found in books, tourist brochures of Virginia) Lyrics to The State of Virginia Worksheet with a simple map of Virginia showing the state capital and 3 or 4 other cities, including the one students' school is located in (1 per student).

Procedure:
1. Begin by singing the first verse of The State of Virginia with students. 2. Display the U.S. map and review material from earlier lessons by asking students to point to Virginia, the ocean, and answer questions using the cardinal directions. 3. Display a map of Virginia. Help students locate their city or town on the map. Draw attention to the dot next to the name of the city or town. Explain that the dot is the map symbol for cities or towns. If the map legend indicates this, help students locate the city symbol on it. 4. Let students take turns find other cities on the map. List each one on the board along with the name of your city. (If desired, extend the activity by having children identify the beginning letter/sound of each city .) 5. Locate Richmond on the map and draw attention to the star symbol next to it. Identify Richmond and explain that it has a special symbol because the city is our state capital. Explain what a capital is. If any students have visited Richmond, encourage them to describe their experiences there. 6. Explain to students that the state capital is where the governor lives. Explain that the governor is the leader of the state and that he and the people who help make laws for our state work in Richmond. 7. Have several children point to the state capital on the large map or point to the city they live in. 8. Display and discuss the pictures of Richmond. 9. Pass out student maps of Virginia and ask students to locate the symbol for the capital city and ask them to circle the star symbol and underline the word, Richmond. Challenge students to find their hometown on the map and circle it. 10. Teach students the second verse of The State of Virginia.

Observations:
Showing pictures of Richmond, made the discussion more concrete for students.

Conclusions:
After learning the song, students were easily able to remember the state capital.