Need ideas for 5th grade project about Washington state

[eeyoreforever]

My dd in 5th grade brought home an assignment yesterday that is due next Wednesday. It should actually be kind of fun, but I want to be able to give her some good ideas to use. Each child is assigned a state and has to do research and a booklet on their state - most of this part will be done at school. What she has to do at home is to make a float representing the state that she picked - Washington state and on the last day of school take a "tasting sample" of some type of food from their state.

The float is to be made out of a shoebox or box similar to that. It will have wheels on it and they are going to have a parade through the school pulling their floats. So far, I thought we could try to make a spaceneedle and maybe something to represent the Olympic National Park or Mount Ranier and create a state flag. My dad lives in Washington, but I don't think he would have time to find a mini space needle and mail it to me.

For the food, I figured we would send "Washington state apples". Any better ideas? This may be a dumb question, but when you cut apples, what do you dip/soak them in to keep them from turning brown and for how long?

I hope some creative minds can throw out a few good ideas for us and thanks for reading.

 

[Meriweather]

Mount St. Helens, salmons, eagles, ferry boats, wheat fields, tulips, coffee (big coffee drinkers), Microsoft, Boeing, totems and Native American things, orcas

Hope that gives you some ideas.....if you need more specifics, PM me...I need to run now or I would go into more details.

Good luck...sounds like fun.

 

[tkd lisa]

To stop apples from turning brown, use lemon juice.

 

[disykat]

I'm sure your daughter can find lots of great ideas by visiting any website on Washington tourism. Just have her do a yahoo or google search. My 5th grader is doing New Mexico for his state project and has has been able to get a wealth of information that way. He also found that by going to teaching websites (try proteacher.net) that he could find great ideas that could be modified for his use.

 

[two4ruff]

Native Foods - apples (of course), salmon, huckleberries, and wine (not good for 5th grade though )

Native animals - cougar, salmon, eagles, osprey, orca, black & grizzly bears, moose, elk, deer, badgers - most other alpine animals

Landmarks: Space Needle, Mt St Helens, Mt Rainer, Columbia River, west side ferries,

Home of: Sonics, Seahawks, Boeing, Microsoft, founders of Starbucks & Costco, numerous ski resorts, Bigfoot , Navel, Army & Air Force Bases, Bruce Lee, Jimi Hendrix, grunge rock, Washington State University (top veternarian school), University of Washington, Gonzaga, Walla Walla State Prison,

One of the top producers of wheat, lumber, & tree produced crops

Man, I could go on all day! I'm on the east side of the state, let me know if I can be of further help!

 

[disneychrista]

I wish they would give a little more time for these projects. My DD is doing Idaho and as soon as I found this out I went to the Idaho state website and ordered brochures (including one designed for kids doing school projects) but now I am doubting that they will get here in time to even help.

She already had to have her "information packet" filled out for today.

Oh well. Guess if we ever go to Idaho we will have plenty of brouchures ready.

 

[missypie]

We vacationed there last summer and my kid is really got a kick out the tidal pools on the west coast of the Olympic Penn...you could do starfish, etc. They also loved the Ranier cherries and the original Starbucks at the Pike St. market.

 

[Sleepy]

Get one of those mini cocktail umbrellas and spraypaint some cotton a dark blue to hang above it. It always rains in Washington.

 

[TinkBoo&ElliesMum]

Originally posted by two4ruff
Native animals - cougar, salmon, eagles, osprey, orca, black & grizzly bears, moose, elk, deer, badgers - most other alpine animals

Do geeks count as native animals? We have a lot of them on this side of the mountains!

We also have geoducks (ick!)

For foods aside from Apples, we also have Aplets and Cotlets - it's a candy thing. Almond Roca is also a Washington State thing, they started in Tacoma.

 

[yourtravelpro]

Originally posted by Sleepy
Get one of those mini cocktail umbrellas and spraypaint some cotton a dark blue to hang above it. It always rains in Washington.

Or, so we make everyone think that!!

 

[two4ruff]

Wish it WOULD rain over here once in awhile!! Maybe once a month, if we're lucky!

Common stereotype, we're used to it!

Tinkboo&ElliesMum - I think we have our share of geeks on this side too

 

[TinkBoo&ElliesMum]

Originally posted by yourtravelpro
Or, so we make everyone think that!!

I think they're catching on though - look how many people are still moving here!!

I haven't seen the sun in years, really!! It rains all day, every day!

Ok, I've been hoping for rain for weeks, got a bit last week but it wasn't enough! It's just been way too warm around here lately - it's Seattle, it's supposed to be cold and wet 330 days a year!!

 

[Sleepy]

Originally posted by two4ruff
Common stereotype, we're used to it.

Wasn't a stereotype in the part of Washington I lived 25 years ago.

 

[eeyoreforever]

Thanks to everyone who has posted so far. I had tried doing some google searches, but apparently my mind was blank because I couldn't think of the word "tourism".

I didn't realize Washington was known for cheeries, but that might be an easier thing for me to send then cutting up apples.

Sleepy - funny idea about the umbrella. My dd will actually probably want to do that.

I appreciate all the responses so far and look forward to reading more.

 

[TinkBoo&ElliesMum]

Originally posted by Sleepy
Wasn't a stereotype in the part of Washington I lived 25 years ago.

25 years is a long time!

Places like the pennisula are still getting quite a bit of rain, but the rest of the state has been pretty dry in recent history. Looks like we're in for another drought this summer. And wildfire season has started early after having an extra dry April, there have been 77 wildfires in the state already this year.

 

[katerkat]

Just subbing - I like hearing about my next state.

 

[issa]

not trying to be snotty...but why arent the kids doing the research for this? why not go to the library and let them get books..or let them research online with close supervision (so no accidental clicks on bad sites)

I learned to research while in school..and the research became more indepth as the grades went up, isnt this a stepping stone for harder work later on.

I still use the skills I gained in reasearching, amazes me when people cant find answers and havent even tried a simple method to find out on thier own.

 

[eeyoreforever]

Issa - my dd will primarily be doing her own research. We will be out of town this weekend and have a very full calendar next week. With only a week to do this project, I am just trying to find some websites or ideas to help get her started. There are so many websites and such to look at, it is overwhelming for her. Not all 5th graders are expert researchers.

 

[BriarfoxinWA]

What about Washington POTATOES!???!!

Washington grows 20% of all of the potatoes grown in the US.
#1 in french fry production in North America.

Grant & Franklin Counties in Washington State are the No. 1 & 2 potato producing counties in the nation and in the world!

You could use french fries on your project!


Had to add: WESTERN Washington gets all of the rain. EASTERN Washington is primarily high desert. We get 330 days of sun - they get 330 days of rain....