Lansing, Michigan

   We took a pit stop in the cold snow in Lansing, Michigan, the state’s capital.  While we were there shivering, we learned about many facts that Michigan is known for.  Did you know that Michigan has been owned by four different countries?  They include Spain, Great Britain, France, and the United States.  Detroit was also known as the automobile capital of the world.  If you want to see natural beauty, visit one Michigan’s 133 state parks.  Finally, we learned that Magic Johnson, a famous basketball player, went to Michigan State University.  Wow!

    Speaking of sports, kids like to play in 6 feet of snow hills and go sledding. I’m getting cold just telling you about it, so lets move to some warmer things to do. They also like to go fishing, camping, and hunting. At recess, they like to play basketball, soccer, swings, and football.

     In Michigan, there isn’t just wonderful things to do, but wonderful things to see. Michigan has many beautiful forests and gorgeous waterfalls.  Did you know that anywhere you stand in Michigan, you are never more than 85 miles from the Great Lakes.  You can also visit the famous Mackinac Island and its bridge for some fabulous fudge.  If you can’t make it that far north, check out the world-famous Bronner’s Christmas store.  Isn’t that amazing!  Head over to Michigan to see those wonderful sights and delicious foods.

Omaha, Nebraska

   Our upcoming trip took us to Omaha, Nebraska. Did you know that Nebraska has a Hall of Fame with famous football players? Since we are talking about famous people, the founder of the Boys and Girls Town was born there. In addition, they also have a Lewis and Clark museum. Did you know that the Mormon Trail and the Oregon Trail both cross through Nebraska? Along with that, they have the longest foot bridge that crosses to the next state, Iowa. And did you know that the bridge is 4,200 feet long?!

    Nebraska has many exciting things to do. Omaha is home to Vala’s Pumpkin Patch, which has the famous pumpkin-eating dragon. They have been blessed with movie theaters and a children’s museum. The Omaha Children’s Museum has a cool room full of balls that get sucked up through tubes that run through the room and are dumped every few minutes in the middle room.  Since they have all these fun things to do, sometimes, they just want to relax and go to football games. If they are not feeling up for football and relaxing, they can play soccer, basketball, and in the winter, they can sled. Did you know that they have these humungous slides in downtown Omaha?  They are 30 feet long and can be used in the summer and in the winter!

     Would you like some fun facts about their state? Their first fun fact would be that they produce a lot of corn.  They love corn so much that they named a sports after it, the Corn Huskers!  Second, Omaha has the been the biggest city in Nebraska with over 450,000 humans (pets not included).  Not too much in Nebraska besides corn and people, but they were very kind! 

    Would you like to know anything else? If you do, here is some more information. Nebraska is scorching in the summer and chilly in the winter. Did you know that Omaha used to be the capital? Now, the capitol is Lincoln. Omaha, Nebraska is a great place to visit, but too bad; we have to move on to the next state.

Kenton, Ohio

   Along our journey, we stopped in a small town of only 5,000 people called Kenton, Ohio. We pulled up to the home of the Wildcats, Hardin Central Elementary.  The fifth grade language arts classroom had clocks for the different United States time zones.  How helpful for us!

    Hardin Central Elementary is not just a cool school, but its home is in a cool state!  First of all, eight presidents call Ohio their home.  Speaking of famous people, Neil Armstrong, the first man to walk on the moon, and the Wright Brothers, the inventors of the first airplane, also come from Ohio.  The capital, Columbus, originated from Christopher Columbus, the legendary explorer from Italy.  Finally, we learned that the Ohio was very important to the historic Underground Railroad.  Ohio seems to be a very historical state!

    Ohio isn’t just known for its history.  It also has some charming scenery, like Lake Erie and the Ohio River.  You can visit these places at many times of the year.  The warm summers, where temperatures reach an average of eighty degrees, or the snowy winters (These kids have already had seven snow days!) make Ohio a temperate place to visit!

    In conclusion, we wrapped up with some fun things to do in their state.  Ohio is known for the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in Cleveland and many amusement parks, such as Cedar Point, King’s Island, Mad River Mountain, and the Kalahari Water Park.  Awesome!  They also like to play kickball, basketball, football, tag and walk ‘n talk with friends (a wonderful “game” that you can’t do in class).  That was our wonderful trip Kenton, Ohio!

Stratham, New Hampshire

   On our trip, Skype Across America, we filled up for gas in New Hampshire. While we were waiting, we interviewed a class in Stratham. Luckily it took awhile to fill up, so we could ask them a couple questions about their state. Our very first question we asked them was, “What are some superior reasons why we should drop by your state?” They replied, “You should visit because we have spectacular skiing resorts on Old Man Mountain.  If you don’t like snow, we also have some unique beaches on the other side of the state.  The last thing they told us for this question was that they have four seasons, witch means that they have different weather for all seasons.

    While we were there, they gave us some facts about their state, like David Thomson explored New Hampshire in 1523, and in 1986, Christa McAuliffe died in space because of the Challenger accident. A space shuttle blew up in the outer atmosphere 73 seconds after the launch. The highest peak in New Hampshire is Mount Washington, which also holds the record wind speed at 231 MPH.  The capital of New Hampshire is Concord, but it was located in Exeter before that.

    They recommended some fun things to do while we were there.  They said Water Country water park, fishing and ice fishing in winter, playing in lakes and other outside activities.  We decided to do a little ice fishing before we left.  Can you believe that people drive their cars out onto the lakes?!?

    Since they were youngsters, we asked them what they enjoy at recess. They responded by saying they play kickball, swing on the swings, soccer, and in the winter, they play on the snow piles.

    For our final question, we asked what else they would want us to know about their state. They told us that you can go across their state in less than 3 hours and their population is only 1-2 million peeps. Did you know Alan Shepherd, the first American in space, was from New Hampshire?

    “The gas tank is full! Time to hit the road!” someone yelled. We’re off on another adventure!

Tuscumbia, Alabama

   Along our journey around the United States, our next stop was Tuscumbia, Alabama. We learned some historic facts, like Montgomery is their capital, and it is Helen Keller’s birthplace.  The first rocket to the moon was built in Alabama.  Therefore, the US Space and Rocket Center is also in this state.  Finally, Mardi Gras is a festival that is celebrated in Mississippi, Louisiana, Alabama, etc.

    We also learned about some pretty outdoor scenery, like their beautiful beaches, their fantastic Spring Park, and their historical Dismals Canyon.  It is a very beautiful place with a stunning waterfall lush, green vegetation. That is what we learned about the marvelous scenery.

    Because of their gorgeous weather, they can incorporate sports all year round.  Here are some entertaining things to do in Alabama, like Pick It Up and Get Busted, which is a game that is similar to dodgeball, football, hide and seek, and tag. Birmingham Zoo, Point Mallard Water Park, hunting, and camping are all fun things to do in the great state of Alabama.

Memphis, Tennessee

    Our next stop on our journey around the United States was Memphis, Tennessee.  We thought we would try a new format today to keep our readers’ interest.   

Q: What are some reasons to visit Tennessee?

A: We are known for their mouth-watering Memphis barbecue, the Grand Ole Opry, a concert hall for country music, the majestic Great Smoky Mountains, the home of Elvis, and blues music.

Q: What are the top five facts about your state?

A: First, Fed Ex was found in Tennessee, and the headquarters are still there.  Second, Reelfoot Lake was created by an earthquake in 1811 and is famous for eagle sightings.  Third, it is bordered by eight states.  Fourth, Tennessee is called the Volunteer State becuase of all the people that volunteered for the Civil War.  Finally, three presidents, Andrew Jackson, James K. Polk, and Andrew Johnson call Tennessee home.

Sidenote: This last fact about the presidents threw us through a loop after learning about North Carolina the previous day.  Both classes from these states claimed these three presidents.  After further research, we discovered that these three presidents were born in North Carolina but eventually moved to Tennessee before presidency.

Q: What are some fun activities in your state?

A: We like to camp, hike, and fish.  We also love to visit Dolly wood, a theme park created by Dolly Parton.

Q: What do you like to do at recess?

A: We have a life-size chess set and a climbing wall on our playground.

Q: What else would you like people to know about your state?

A: We have excellent colleges and universities like the University of Tennessee.  Memphis has a famous hotel called the Peabody with the phenomenal marching ducks.  Finally, you can visit Mud Island along the Mississippi River to see a model of the famous river that is big enough for kids to wade in.

We’ll see you later in Alabama!

Lenoir, North Carolina

    After we went to New Jersey, our next stop was Lenoir, North Carolina.  North Carolina is known for their stunning lighthouses, which are humungous towers that warn ships where the shore is located.  The town that we talked with is recognized for their beautiful furniture made there.  The state of North Carolina has this enchanting college called Duke University.  We were intrigued by the photos we saw.  Finally, the people of North Carolina are known for their friendliness.  We agree.

    North Carolina is also known for a couple historical facts.  First, two presidents, James K. Polk and Andrew Johnson call this state home.  The Wright Brothers also took their first flight at Kitty Hawk.  Isn’t that interesting?

    Would you like to hear about the great outdoors of North Carolina?  They have beautiful mountain ranges, level plains of piedmont, and astonishing beaches.  They also have four seasons!  That is amazing!  In the summer, it is steaming hot, and fall is a beautiful time because of the colorful leaves.  Do you want to know how many snow days they had?  Okay, I’ll tell you.  They had 5 snow days so far!

    Some entertaining activities to do in the state include camping, visiting lakes, fishing in the streams, and hunting.  They also told us they like to play soccer, baseball, and basketball in their gorgeous weather.  At recess, they like to talk to friends, play on swings, and participate in relay games.  Prepare to have fun if you ever visit North Carolina!

Monmouth Beach, New Jersey

On our way across the United States, we stopped in Monmouth Beach, New Jersey.  An enthusiastic class told us that water parks, farms, the beach, snow, and seasonal landscapes attracted people to their state.  They also said that their state produced large amounts of apples and corn.  Their class told us that some celebrities call New Jersey their home.  Then, they explained that New Jersey has twenty-one counties, was one of the thirteen colonies, has a population of 8,707,739 people, and has its capital in Trenton.  Chris Christie is the governor of their state.

    The students in New Jersey gave us a rundown of popular recreation activities in their state.  They said that playing at the beach is a popular attraction, along with boating, surfing, tubing, and water skiing.  Sledding, biking, basketball, soccer, and baseball are some popular sports in New Jersey.  People also travel to New Jersey for its amusement parks, including the boardwalks in Atlantic City, and of course, Six Flags.  At recess, New Jersey kids enjoy playing football, soccer, baseball, jump rope, four square, and Nuke ‘Em, which is like volley ball.  They also have two playgrounds at their school.  Wow, that sounds like fun!

    We had the opportunity to speak with two classes in New Jersey, and the second class told us all about the state facts.  Animals found in New Jersey include whales, dolphins, and fish.  The state tree of New Jersey is the red maple, its state bird is the gold finch, their state nickname is the Garden State, and the state flower is a violet.  Our friends in New Jersey told us about a national park in their state called Pine Lands National Reserve.  It must be truly beautiful.  We wish we could stay there, but we have to move along to the next state.

Waukesha, Wisconsin

On our journey to across the US, the next stop was Wisconsin! They gave us five reasons to visit their state. They included the parks, the lakes, the Dells, the famous Milwaukee Art Museum, and Discovery World.  We learned that the Dells is a water park  north of the capital, Madison. They mentioned the top five facts about their home state. They are a Great Lake state, which means that they are one of the eight states that touch the Great Lakes. Did you know that Wisconsin produces more cheese then any other state? They are leading cranberry producers.  (If you visit the Ocean Spray website, you can see some awesome videos of cranberry bogs!) Finally, they are home to the Green Bay Packers, and if you didn’t pay attention to the Superbowl XLV, they won!

    We also learned about some exciting things to do in their state. They familiarized us with the sport of tailgating, or picnicking before Brewer and Packer games.  It is a little warm in Arizona to do that here.  They also like to swim on the lakefront, snowmobile, sled, camp, and ski. Awesome! The last thing we asked them was what they enjoyed to do at recess. They gave us a lesson on how to play King of the Hill on 15-foot snow hills.  That is the conclusion of our adventure to Wisconsin.  See you in New Jersey soon!

Sioux Rapids, Iowa

Our next stop on our road trip across the United States took us to Iowa.  We went to a small town in northwest Iowa with a population of only eight hundred people.  That is small in comparison to our town of Tucson, Arizona.  Since it is so small, the primary industry is farming.  Iowa is the number one producer of corn.  We also learned about combines.  Most of us have never even seen one, but most of the Iowa students have ridden in them before.

    Iowa also has a new type of farming on the horizon.  They have large windmills that produce energy for the citizens to use.  They are also famous for the world’s largest strawberry ever grown, located at Strawberry Point.  They built a large statue in its honor!

Find a link to the city below to learn more:

http://www.strawberrypt.com/

    Since farming is such an important part of this state, they told us about a local field trip destination called the Living History Farm, a working farm from the past.  Some other popular sites include the Allee Mansion and the home of Herbert Hoover.  Iowa is also known for Dubuque, a lake made from glaciers.  West Okoboji is also a famous lake, because it is the largest, natural, blue-water lake in the world.

    As we were chatting, they asked if we wanted to see all the snow from the recent blizzard.  We were jealous of the glistening snow but were surprised to see very few trees.  Before we left, they also told us about a favorite sports team, the Hawkeyes.  Just like us, they enjoy sports, both watching them and playing them at recess.

    Stay tuned for our next stop in Waukesha, Wisconsin!

Jonesboro, Arkansas

    Our journey has begun!  Our first stop along the Skype trip across the United States was Arkansas.  Here are the top five reasons that third graders in Jonesboro, Arkansas think you should visit their state.  First, did you know that they can find and keep diamonds at the Crater of Diamonds National Park?  Second, they have many hot springs located in their state.  Hot springs are created when water in the earth is heated by the core of the earth.  Third, they have many mountains to hike, including Mt. Magazine, the highest point in Arkansas.  Finally, it is also a good place to hunt for rabbits and ducks and fish for bass, catfish, and bluegill.  Those are the top five reasons to visit the great state of Arkansas!

    Would you like to know five interesting facts about Arkansas?  Check out the list below:

1. 1.Wal-mart was started in Bentonville, Arkansas.
2. 2.Bill Clinton, the 42nd president of the United States, calls this state home.
3. 3.Arkansas is known growing cotton.
4. 4.Rice and beans are also two popular cash crops.
5. 5.Arkansas is known as “The Natural State,” because of its outdoor landscapes.

    Finally, we asked the third graders about some fun things that they do in their state in order to compare and contrast what life is like in different states.  They play dodgeball, volleyball, and tag at recess.  They like to watch college basketball games like we do, but they told us that they don’t have as many options to choose from when going out to eat at restaurants.  That’s the end of our virtual trip to Arkansas.  49 states and the District of Columbia to go!

P.S.  We learned a valuable lesson in culture and weather today.  Our trip to Iowa has been delayed due to heavy snow.  Lucky!  Snow days are scarce in the Arizona deserts.