50 States: Washington

Washington

Washington State (WA) is located in the northwestern corner of the United States, just south of Canada. This state, named after our first President, became our 42nd state on November 11, 1889. Originally inhabited by Native American tribes, the region had been claimed by Spain, Russia, and the British before becoming the Oregon Territory under the control of the United States. In 1853, Congress created the Washington Territory.

The capital of Washington is Olympia, and the largest city is Seattle. Seattle is where Starbucks began. Washington is the 18th biggest state, encompassing 71,303 square miles. As of 2013, there were nearly 7 million people living there, making it the 13th most populous state. People who live in WA are referred to as Washingtonians. Some famous people born there include:

Burl Ives...singer

Alex Haley...author

James Caviezel...actor

Bob Barker...game show host

Glenn Beck...radio and television host

Bing Crosby...singer, actor

Bill Gates...Microsoft co-founder

Apolo Ohno...olympic gold medalist

Adam West...actor

Washington's nickname is "The Evergreen State," and the motto is "Al-ki." It is a Chinook word which means "by and by" or "hope for the future." Other state symbols include:

Bird...Goldfinch

Insect...Green darner dragonfly

Fish...Steelhead trout

Flower...Coast rhododendron

Tree...Western hemlock

Fruit...apple

Vegetable...Walla Walla sweet onion

Fossil...Columbian mammoth

The official flag of Washington was adopted in 1923. The state seal on the flag contains a picture of President Washington.

The coastline of Washington provides for a booming economy. The fishing industry is one of the best in the country with catches of Chinook salmon, pink salmon, clams, cod, halibut, oysters, shrimp, steelhead, tuna, and others. Washington also produces more apples than any other state. It is the second top producer of potatoes. It is also the leading producer of asparagus, hops, mint, cherries, and pears. In terms of manufacturing, Washington is a leader in producing aircraft and ships, as well as in the computer industry.

There are quite a few things to do in Washington. Here is a sampling:

Museum of Flight in Seattle

Tillicum Village in Seattle

Pioneer Farm Museum in Eatonville

Northwest Trek Wildlife Park in Eatonville

Vintage Motorcycle Museum in Chehalis

Mt. St. Helens Institute in Amboy

Pomeroy Living History Farm in Yacolt

Mt. Rainier Scenic Railroad in Elbe

Mt. Rainier National Park

Space Needle in Seattle

Olympic National Park in Port Angeles

Pike Place Market to visit the first Starbucks

Columbia River Gorge

Puget Sound Islands

One of the most well-known facts about Washington is the eruption of Mt. St. Helens in 1980. Combined with an earthquake, this eruption flattened hundreds of square miles of forest. Do some research on Mt. St. Helens. See what the area looks like now, 34 years later.

Play some learning games and test your knowledge.

The following items are for sale christianbook.com. If you purchase through my blog, I will receive a commission as I am an affiliate.

Washington By Jonathan Brown & Catherine Gardner(Editor) / Gareth Stevens Publishing

Washington Symbols Project Book, Grades 3-8 By Carole Marsh / Gallopade International Symbol projects include creating a model of the state bird, creating a fishbowl with the state fish using jello and gummy fish, and more! Grades K-8; ages 5-15.

Washington State History Lapbook Journal - PDF Download [Download] By Cyndi Kinney & Judy Trout / Knowledge Box Central Get to know Washington with Knowledge Box Central's Washington State History Lapbook Journal! This Lapbook Journal PDF download is designed for students in grades 6-12 and includes both a study guide as well as lapbook and journal pages in a single PDF file. The included state-specific study guide provides background material, historical notes, and other factual information; students will explore state symbols, songs, landmarks, famous people, geographical regions, timelines of historical events, and more. Parents should note that this study guide is identical to the study guide in the sold-separately lapbooks (which are designed for children in Grades K-8) so that parents can cover the information once with students of all ages. Six lapbook booklets, journal pages, and blank report pages are provided in one PDF file. The journal section provides room for students to document what he or she has learned during the study; students can choose to create several booklets in the lapbook section to help improve retention of the information. Students will complete booklets and journal pages with information on the state's populations and borders, state symbols, elected officials, natural wonders or state monuments, and more. This lapbook resource is in downloadable PDF format. All elements are in a single PDF.

Let's Discover Washington CD-ROM, Grades 2-8 By Carole Marsh / Gallopade International Discover the important events and places in Washington history alongside a couple of alien visitors! Let's Discover Washington covers state symbols, landmarks, geography, interesting places, state facts, and more in this fun CD-ROM. Perfect for reinforcing state studies, this software includes activities and a quiz. Grades 2-8. System Requirements: Macintosh: PowerPC Mac running Mac OS 8.1 up to 10.4 Tiger. This software is a "Classic" Mac Application and is not compatible with any Intel Based Macs or Macs running 10.5 Leopard or later. 24 MB Ram 2x CD-ROM Drive Windows: All Systems of Windows OS Pentium processor or newer 24 MB RAM Windows-compatible sound card and 2x CD-ROM Drive

Maps of the United States: A Reproducible Workbook and Curriculum Guide By Emerald Books Designed for students of a variety of ages, abilities, and learning styles, this unique collection of reproducible hand-drawn maps, worksheets, and activities brings a wealth of learning opportunities to your classroom or homeschool. Through hands-on mapping projects and other creative activities, students explore the fifty states of the Union and learn about Washington, D.C., U.S. territories, and the United States as a whole. Paperback, 128 pages.

U.S. Outline Maps & State Studies By Randy L. Womack / Golden Education Center This book was written as a complete resource for you to use by itself and /or along with your regular history, social studies and /or geography programs. This is an excellent book for introducing children to the different states. It is also helpful to encourage them to continue learning more about each individual state and this great country. Each state has a page of statistics and outline map. There are two pages of questions at the beginning of the book. One of these pages can be used with each of the states and the information given in this book. The other page, Additional Activities, has research oriented activities which require other resources. Information and maps of the United States and Washington, D.C. are also included, making this one of the most complete, easy-to-use resources about the U.S. available. Softcover, 108 pages. Grades 4 to adult.

Physical Geography: Volcanoes Of The United States DVD By TMW Media Group Discover the wonders of our earth with the Physical Geography DVD Series. The United States is fortunate to have active and dormant volcanoes in many of her western states. This DVD visits some of the most prominent volcanoes in America including: Craters of the Moon in Idaho, Mount Lassen in California, and Mount St. Helen's in Washington. Subjects covered include: where volcanic activity has taken place in the U.S.; how volcanoes are classified; the difference between a shield volcano and a composite volcano; why and where volcanoes occur along the Pacific Ocean's "Ring of Fire"; lava tubes, lava fields, and volcanic caves; visualization of volcanic terms such as lava, lava bombs, ash, pyroclastic flows, and pumice. Grades 9-12. 24 minutes on DVD.

Explore Mount St. Helens with Noah Justice: Episode 5 Study Study Guide, Awesome Science Series By Master Books This study guide accompanies the sold-separately Awesome Science Episode 5: Explore Mt. St. Helens DVD. A variety of follow-up activities to the DVD are provided, including word-bank sentence-completions, discussion questions, bonus activities, true/false, and other exercises. Some brief content reminders are also included. 40 pages, magazine style binding.

Volcano: Eruption & Healing of Mt St Helens By National Geographic School Publishing

Priceless Memories By Bob Barker with Digby Diehl / Center Street As host of Truth or Consequences and The Price Is Right, Barker has been welcomed into viewers' living rooms for over 50 years. In this fascinating account, he shares stories about being raised on a Native American reservation, training as a fighter pilot, marrying his high school sweetheart, fighting for animal rights, and more. 256 pages, softcover from Center Street.

The Passion of Christ, Definitive Edition, Blu-ray By 20th Century Fox Experience one of the cinema's most intensely powerful movies, The Passion of the Christ, now on Blu-ray hi-def. Featuring stunning cinematography and an inspired performance by Jim Caviezel, The Passion of the Christ is a triumphant and uncompromising film-making achievement. Rated R. Approx. 126 minutes. Disc One: Blu-ray* High-Definition Disc Two Versions of the Film: The Original Theatrical Version and a Version Edited for Graphic Depictions Enhanced Viewing Mode with Biblical Notes Audio Commentaries with Mel Gibson, Filmmakers and Theologians  And More! Disc Two: Standard Definition Disc Making of the Passion of the Christ Exclusive Documentary The Legacy: A Historical & Cultural Retrospective of the Crucifixion Historical Photo Gallery Deleted Scenes And More! Specifications: Aramaic/Hebrew/Latin Audio Korean, Brazilian Portuguese, Spanish, Cantonese, Mandarin, Tagalog, and Thai Subtitles Widescreen Commentary for the Visually Impaired *Blu-ray discs can't be played on standard DVD equipment. A Blu-ray player is needed.

The Word of Promise MP3 NKJV New Testament By Thomas Nelson The Word of Promise New Testament Audio Bible uses Dramatic Audio Theater to deliver the entire New Testament in a new and exciting way, complete with music and sound effects. Jim Caviezel (The Passion of the Christ) leads this star-studded cast in a compelling presentation of the New King James Version New Testament. This multi-voiced audio drama is directed by actor, writer, producer, and president of the award-winning Cerny/American Creative Studios, JoBe Cerny. It features an original music score written by award-winning Italian composer, Stefano Mainetti and state-of-the-art sound effects. 25 Hours on 3 MP3-CDs. Special Features and Cast List: Jim Caviezel as Jesun Terence Stamp as the voice of God Micheal York as the Narrator Academy Award winner Richard Dreyfuss as Moses Academy Award winner Marisa Tomei as Mary Magdalene Golden Globe winner Stacy Keach as Paul Academy Award and Golden Globe winner Lou Gossett, Jr. as John Kimberly Williams-Paisley as Mary, Mother of Jesus Golden Globe and Tony Award nominee Lou Diamond Phillips as Mark Luke Perry As Judas and Steven John Heard as Matthew Chris McDonald as Luke John Schneider as James Ernie Hudson as Peter Stefano Mainetti as Composer & Orchestral Contributions by Dove Award winners Michael W. Smith and Rebecca St. James are also featured Co-produced by Jim Caviezel and New York Times best-selling author and broadcast journalist, Raymond Arroyo Directed by actor, writer, producer, and president of the award-winning Cerny/American Creative Studios, JoBe Cerny Bonus DVD showing scenes from the actors' recording sessions

Lighthouses of Washington By Bruce Roberts & Ray Jones / Globe Pequot A winning combination of practical travel information, stunning color photographs, and rich maritime history makes Lighthouses of Washington your essential guide to maritime beacons in the Evergreen State. From Cape Disappointment Light on the Columbia River to Admiralty Head Light in Puget Sound, the twenty-five lights included here are presented in geographic order, making it easy for you to move from your armchair to the drivers seat and back again. Take this handy little guide with you on your travels, and keep it as a picture-perfect souvenir of your trip to coastal Washington. Inside you will find a detailed description of each lighthouse complete travel information, including driving directions and GPS coordinates; fascinating historical facts; quick summaries of key information such as date established, height of tower, and type of lens; more than fifty beautiful full-color photographs; a glossary of terms; helpful icons indicating historic interest, scenic quality, accessibility, and amenities descriptions; and photographs of lost lighthouses.

Roots Unabridged 3 CDs Mp3 Audiobook on CD By Alex Haley / BBC Audiobooks America

White Christmas Anniversary Edition, 2-DVDs By Word Entertainment Inc White Christmas is a treasury of Irving Berlin classics, among them "Count Your Blessings Instead Of Sheep," "Sisters," "Mandy," and the beloved holiday song "White Christmas." In this incredible 2-disc Anniversary Edition, you will find the timeless musical, plus new special features that include backstage stories, a look at the actors, and more! Two talented song-and-dance men (Bing Crosby and Danny Kaye) team up after the war to become one of the hottest acts in show business. One winter, they join forces with a sister act (Rosemary Clooney and Vera Ellen) and trek to Vermont for a white Christmas. Of course, there's the requisite fun with the ladies, but the real adventure starts when Crosby & Kaye discover that the inn is run by their old army general who's now in financial trouble. And the result is the stuff dreams are made of. 2 DVDs. Widescreen. Approx. 120 minutes.

Who Is Bill Gates? By Patricia Brennan Demuth, Ted Hammond & Nancy Harrison / Grosset & Dunlap Did you know that Bill Gates went to Harvard but dropped out? Or that he was from Seattle? Or that he has given billions of dollars to charities? Learn all about the life and works of Bill Gates with this biography written just for kids! Featuring black-and-white illustrations and short chapters, kids will discover more about the cofounder of Microsoft.