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For the journal, Library Media Connection,

I'm reviewing a new set of state books with a reading level of 7-8,

which come in hc and paperback. The review will likely appear in the  
spring.

My target questions were:

  1. Would your teachers, Gr. 6-12, make use of a set of books, one

on each state, that have short chapters on geography, history,

economics, style of government, and famous citizens?

2. Do you have such a set? What is its title?

3. To what extent would your students use other sources?

  [From the answers quoted below, I conclude that a few middle  
schools would be interested in this new set on the states, which is  
at a more sophisticated level than the ones usually used in  
elementary school. I will recommend the new series from Rosen  
Publishing called "The United States: Past and Present,"  
supplemented, especially for maps, by internet sites.]

HIT:

1. From Janice Gray:
Our middle school students have projects each year on the 50 states,  
so state books are definitely used in our library.  The type of book  
you've mentioned is used as a valuable resource for these projects.  
In addition, many students just like to check books about states  
where they have lived previously, are planning to travel, or just  
because they have an interest.  This section of our library is second  
only to the 700s in popularity and use.

The sets of state books that we currently house in our library are  
the following:

Welcome to the USA!

America the Beautiful

 From Sea to Shining Sea

This Land is Your Land

States and their Symbols

States (My Report Links.com)

World Almanac series

Some of these series are lower in level, but I feel it's important  
for those students with a lower reading level to also have adequate  
materials.  Our students also use online references to aid in their  
state studies.

Hope this helps!

Janice Gray, Librarian

Lenoir City Middle School

Lenoir City, TN  37771

jgray@lenoircityschools.com
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-

2. From Louise Jones:

Yes, our 7th grade classes still do state reports.

They do the traditional reports on the state symbol, date of  
statehood, flower, bird, etc.  I do not see any higher order thinking  
going on in this type of report.  So, their needs are simple - the  
basic facts about a state. They are not going to read a lot of text  
in their quest for the facts.  The teachers aren't willing to give  
enough time to it for them to really get to know their state.

Louise Jones

Hardee Jr. High

Wauchula, Fl
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3. From Janet Perry:
I don't know about individual state reports like the old days, but my  
kids like to check out the state books just to look at on their own.   
I have been getting the latest America the Beautiful series from  
Scholastic, and I always have 3 or 4 checked out, and no report that  
I know of.

Janet Perry, Prek-12 Librarian Cerro Gordo CUSD 100, Cerro Gordo, IL  
perrybros@hotmail.com
--------------------------------------------------

4. From Joanne Glasgow:
Typically 5th graders study the states here in my district.  They are  
on to more "worldly" issues by Middle School and Modern WOrld HIstory/ 
20th Century American history in HS.

Joanne Glasgow

Teacher Librarian

Evergreen Campus Library

   serving AAA, HS3 and TEC HS

Seattle, WA
------------------------------------------------------------------------ 
----

5. From Sandra Carswell:
Last year our 8th grade ss and la teacher collaborated on a state  
project at the end of the year. I didn't have any state books in my  
library but borrowed from the intermediate school. The intermediate  
school decided to weed them so I took them. They are a little old but  
the students used them quite well. They mostly used them for history,  
culture, famous people from that state, places of interest, etc. They  
also use our online databases for the up-to-date information/stats.  
The teachers told me this was in their curriculum at the end of the  
year. It was the first time in 3 years they had done it so I'm  
waiting to see if I need to buy some newer books or not.

Sandra Carswell, Librarian

S.C. Lee Junior High School

1205 Courtney Lane

Copperas Cove, TX 76522

254-542-7877
--------------------------------------------

Thank you to all. Joan Kimball

Joan Kimball

retired from Hart's Hill School Library, Whitesboro, NY

now living and writing at

165 Thoreau Street, Concord, Mass. 01742

978-318-0991    woodkimball@gis.net

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