Discuss how the maps show the products that are important to a particular area.

After talking about your state's map and its symbols, you might check out maps for neighboring states or for states in other parts of the country.

Next, provide an U.S. outline map for students to use to complete this activity. In addition, provide one of the following two work sheets (depending on the grade level of your students):

• U.S. Corn Production by State #1 (for younger students -- grades 2-4).
  Students will not comprehend the large numbers that appear on the chart, but you can help them understand by using 17 kernels of corn to represent 1.7 billion (1,700,000,000) ears of corn, then 16 kernels would represent 1,600,000,000 billion ears, 9 kernels would represent 900,000,000, and so on. Complete the chart with students. Then let students glue the appropriate number of kernels to each of the top ten corn-growing states.
• U.S. Corn Production by State #2 (for older students -- grades 5-up).
  You might work with students to round off the large numbers on the chart and to determine the number of kernels of corn that represents each state's corn production. Then let students glue the appropriate number of kernels to each of the top corn-growing states on the outline map.

Extension Activities

• You might do this activity as a class. Instead of using individual U.S. maps, print the U.S. outline map on a transparency. Place the transparency on an overhead projector and have a few students trace the map onto a bulletin board covered with white paper. Instead of using popcorn kernels on the copy of an outline map, use pieces of popped popcorn on the bulletin board map. (You might even spray paint some popcorn in advance so the map will be colorful.) You could map corn production statistics for every state instead of only the ones listed on the work sheets. You can find U.S. corn production data at http://usda.mannlib.cornell.edu/reports/nassr/field/pcp-bban/cropan02.pdf or http://www.corn.org/uscprod.htm.
• Students might create a bar graph illustrating the top corn-growing states. The graph will provide a visual reference point to help students see which states grow the most corn. They might create their graphs using popped popcorn on colored paper.

More Map Resources

U.S. Crop Production Maps
These maps show production of a variety of grains.

Oil and Natural Gas Production in the United States
Discuss with students how this map illustrates the areas where oil and gas is produced.

Census 2000 Population Profile Maps
These U.S. Census maps do not show products; they show population. Students might find these maps to be of interest. Share with students the map of your state.

Assessment

Check students' maps for accuracy. Post the maps on a bulletin board.

Have students write a paragraph describing the meaning of the maps they created.

ANSWERS to U.S. Corn Production By State #1: Iowa - 17 kernels; Illinois - 16 kernels; Nebraska - 11 kernels; Indiana - 9 kernels; Minnesota - 8 kernels; Ohio - 4 kernels; Kansas - 4 kernels; South Dakota - 4 kernels; Missouri - 3 kernels; and Wisconsin - 3 kernels. ANSWERS to U.S. Corn Production By State #2: Colorado - 100,000,000 (1 kernel); Illinois - 1,600,000,000 (16 kernels); Indiana - 900,000,000 (9 kernels); Iowa 1,700,000,000 (17 kernels); Kansas - 400,000,000 (4 kernels); Kentucky - 200,000,000 (2 kernels); Maryland - 100,000,000 (1 kernel); Michigan - 200,000,000 (2 kernels); Minnesota - 800,000,000 (8 kernels); Mississippi - 100,000,000 (1 kernel); Missouri - 300,000,000 (3 kernels); Nebraska - 1,100,000,000 (11 kernels); New York - 100,000,000 (1 kernel); North Carolina - 100,000,000 (1 kernel); North Dakota - 100,000,000 (1 kernel); Ohio - 400,00,000 (4 kernels); Pennsylvania - 100,000,000 (1 kernel); South Dakota - 400,000,000 (4 kernels); Tennessee - 100,000,000 (1 kernel); Texas - 200,000,000 (2 kernels); Wisconsin - 300,000,000 (3 kernels).

Lesson Plan Source

Education World

Submitted By

Gary Hopkins

National Standards

LANGUAGE ARTS: English
GRADES K - 12
NL-ENG.K-12.12 Applying Language Skills

MATHEMATICS: Representation
GRADES Pre-K - 12
NM-REP.PK-12.1 Create and Use Representations to Organize, Record, and Communicate Mathematical Ideas
NM-REP.PK-12.3 Use Representations to Model and Interpret Physical, Social, and Mathematical Phenomena

SOCIAL SCIENCES: Economics
GRADES K - 4
NSS-EC.K-4.1Productive Resources
NSS-EC.K-4.18 National Productivity
GRADES 5 - 8
NSS-EC.5-8.1 Productive Resources
NSS-EC.5-8.18 National Productivity

SOCIAL SCIENCES: Geography
GRADES K - 12
NSS-G.K-12.1 The World in Spatial Terms
NSS-G.K-12.2 Places and Regions

Find more popcorn activities in Education World's article, Popcorn Isn't Just for Movies Anymore.

Click to return to this week's Cover the Curriculum With Popcorn lesson plan page.

Article by Gary Hopkins
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