Fifth Grade State Fair, or Maryland: the Old Line State

Today was the fifth grade State Fair.  For some weeks, the fifth grade has been doing a state's unit, learning states and their capitals, and individually, learning about one state in particular.  Today was their chance to show off what they had learned.

Blythe was absent the day states were chosen, so she got the left over state of Maryland.  It wasn't her top (or 2nd or 3rd or even 4th) choice, so she wasn't thrilled, but she did her work.  She had to come up with five interesting facts about Maryland, learn about their industries and their largest cities, and about a well-known person from Maryland (Harriet Tubman).  Then she had to accumulate items that represented the state.  She really, really, really, really wanted a stuffed blue crab, but she told me too late for us to order one, so she was disappointed. 

I was only able to dart in at the beginning and take a quick picture, then dash out, so I don't know how it went.  When I asked Blythe about it, she gave me this report:

"It was kind of boring.  We just had to sit there, but we did get to stamp everyone's passports when they came by.  After the break, I stood in the corner and yelled, 'Come to Maryland! Not stupid South Caro-leena.'"  Another enormous disappointment: Blythe wanted a crab stamp for the passports, but I couldn't find one of those either.  She had to settle for a sand dollar.

And there you have it.  I do have to say that these state fair projects give me a hankering to visit the states the children have learned about.  I had little interest in West Virginia, but wanted to go check it out after Brandt studied it.  And there are lots of things to do in Maryland, so I think we should go. 

Five interesting facts about Maryland

1. Babe Ruth, the Sultan of Swat, was born in Baltimore and attended Saint Mary's Industrial School.  He then grew up to be a famous baseball player.

2. Annapolis is  knows as the sailing capital of the world.  

3. Annapolis was the capital of the United States for a short while after the signing of the Treaty of Paris.

4. The refrigerator was invented in Baltimore by Thomas Moore in 1803.

5. The nickname the Old Line State comes from George Washington referring to the bravery of the Maryland troops during the Revolutionary War.

Babe Ruth was from Maryland, they grow lots of tomatoes, are known for their oysters, and their crabs cooked with Old Bay Seasoning.