Webs are an excellent tool to help students organize facts in a systematic and visual manner. Students will research Indiana and use the blank template provided to show what they have learned. They will then create a 6 cell web that includes the state motto, flower, tree, and bird, capital and other major cities, a famous citizen, date of statehood, nickname, and an interesting tourist spot for Indiana. This activity could be used as part of a Regions of the United States unit, or as part of an informational research unit.
(These instructions are completely customizable. After clicking "Copy Activity", update the instructions on the Edit Tab of the assignment.)
Due Date:
Objective: Create a 6 cell web that includeIns the state motto, flower, tree, and bird, capital and other major cities, a famous citizen, date of statehood, nickname, and an interesting tourist spot for Indiana.
Student Instructions:
Design short, focused lessons that introduce Indiana topics before the main activity. Mini-lessons build background knowledge and spark student interest in state facts.
Demonstrate how to fill out each section of the web using think-alouds and examples. Modeling helps students understand expectations and boosts their confidence.
Show students how to use kid-friendly websites and library books. Reliable sources support accurate facts and teach research skills.
Encourage students to write clear, concise summaries and to use creative drawings for each web section. Summarizing and illustrating deepen understanding and make learning memorable.
Organize a classroom gallery walk where students display their webs and discuss their findings. Sharing promotes engagement, pride, and peer learning.
A spider map activity is a visual organizer where students place the topic—in this case, Indiana—in the center and branch out key facts like the state motto, flower, tree, bird, capital cities, famous citizens, statehood date, nickname, and tourist spots into surrounding cells. This helps students systematically collect and present information.
To create a simple Indiana state research project for grades 3–6, provide a blank web template. Have students research Indiana and fill each section with facts about the state motto, symbols, capital, cities, famous people, date of statehood, nickname, and tourist attractions. Let them illustrate each fact and write a short summary.
When learning about Indiana, students should include its state motto, state flower, state tree, state bird, capital and major cities, a famous citizen, date of statehood, nickname, and an interesting tourist spot.
The best way to help students organize state research information is by using visual organizers like spider webs or graphic organizers. These provide clear sections for each topic, making research more engaging and easier to understand.
Spider maps help students break down complex topics—like U.S. state facts—into manageable parts. They promote visual learning, organization, and retention by allowing kids to connect facts with images and summaries in a structured format.