Learning the 50 states can be an exciting journey for kids, and what better way to embark on this adventure than through music? Dr. Jean Feldman’s “50 States Song,” famously featured on platforms like Kids Learning Tube, turns geography into a fun sing-along experience. Set to the catchy tune of “Turkey in the Straw,” this song makes memorizing all the states engaging and easy. Get ready to explore the United States through song with lyrics designed to make learning memorable for every child!
Dive into the 50 States Song Lyrics
Here are the complete lyrics to Dr. Jean Feldman’s “50 States Song,” perfect for singing along and learning:
**There are 50 states in our country,**
**You can learn them all if you sing them with me.**
**We'll start with "A" and work our way through.**
**We are all very proud of the red, white and blue.**
**Alabama, Alaska, Arizona, Arkansas**
**California, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware**
**Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, Idaho**
**Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Don't you know!**
**Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maine**
**Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota**
**Mississippi, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska**
**Nevada, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New Mexico**
**New York, North Carolina, North Dakota, Ohio**
**Oklahoma, Oregon, Pennsylvania, We're on a roll!**
**Rhode Island, South Carolina, South Dakota, Tennessee**
**Texas, Utah, We're near the end, you see.**
**Vermont, Virginia, and Washington State**
**West Virginia, Wisconsin, Wyoming. This is great!**
**We can sing them, we can say them, and now that we're all through.**
**We'll kiss our brains and say, "Yahoo!"**This song is structured to be simple and repetitive, which aids in memorization. The familiar tune of “Turkey in the Straw” makes it instantly accessible and enjoyable for children.
Fun Activities to Enhance Learning with the 50 States Song
Beyond just singing along, there are numerous interactive activities you can incorporate to make learning the 50 states even more effective and fun:
- State Card Recognition: Write each state name on an index card. As you sing the song, have children hold up the card when they hear their state mentioned. This activity reinforces state names and auditory recognition.
- Hometown Cheer: Encourage children to stand up and cheer when their birth state or home state is sung. This personalizes the learning experience and creates a sense of connection to the geography.
- Map It Out Challenge: After learning the song, challenge kids to locate each state on a map as they sing. This integrates geographical awareness with memorization, helping them visualize where each state is located.
- Creative State Projects: Assign each child a state from the song. They can then research interesting facts about their state, draw its flag, or create a short presentation to share with the class. This expands learning beyond just memorizing names.
Why the “50 States Song” is a Great Learning Tool
Dr. Jean Feldman, a renowned educator, understands how children learn best. Using music as a tool for education leverages multiple learning styles:
- Auditory Learning: The song naturally caters to auditory learners who grasp information best through listening and singing.
- Kinesthetic Learning: Adding actions, like pointing to a map or holding up cards, engages kinesthetic learners who learn by doing.
- Memory Enhancement: Music and rhythm are powerful memory aids. Setting information to a tune makes it easier to recall, which is particularly effective for memorizing lists like the 50 states.
- Fun and Engaging: Learning through song transforms a potentially tedious task into an enjoyable activity, keeping children motivated and interested.
Whether you’re a teacher looking for classroom resources or a parent wanting to support your child’s learning at home, the “50 States Song” with lyrics available from Kids Learning Tube and resources like Dr. Jean Feldman’s Sing to Learn series, is an invaluable tool. Start singing, start learning, and explore the geography of the United States in a whole new way!
