Created byEva Benner
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Maine's Treasures: A State Symbol Adventure
Grade 1Social Studies25 days
In this engaging 1st-grade social studies project, students transform into "Maine Experts" to explore how state symbols reflect their home’s unique identity and history. Through shared research and geographic mapping, students investigate the characteristics and habitats of iconic symbols like the moose, lobster, and white pine. The experience culminates in a creative design challenge where students synthesize their learning to propose a "New Maine Coin" that tells the story of what makes their state special.State SymbolsMaineIdentityGeographyResearchCivicsCommunity
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Inquiry Framework
Question Framework
Driving Question
The overarching question that guides the entire project.How can we, as Maine experts, use our state symbols to tell the story of what makes our home special?Essential Questions
Supporting questions that break down major concepts.- How do symbols help us tell the story of where we live?
- What do Maine's state symbols tell us about our history, our animals, and our people?
- Why is it important for a state to have symbols that everyone recognizes?
- How can we use Maine's state symbols to show others what makes our state special?
Standards & Learning Goals
Learning Goals
By the end of this project, students will be able to:- Identify and describe at least five Maine state symbols, including the state animal, bird, insect, tree, crustacean, flower, fish, berry, treat, soda, and dessert.
- Explain the significance of state symbols and how they represent Maine's unique geography, history, and natural resources.
- Conduct shared research using informational texts and media to gather facts about Maine's symbols.
- Communicate what makes Maine special by creating a product (e.g., a guide, map, or presentation) that uses state symbols to tell a story about the state.
- Demonstrate an understanding of how symbols serve as a way for a community to share a common identity.
Maine Learning Results: Social Studies
Civics & Government 1
Primary
Students understand key ideas and processes that characterize democratic government in the community and the United States by recognizing symbols, monuments, celebrations, and leaders of State government.Reason: This is the foundational standard provided by the teacher, directly addressing the recognition of state symbols as a component of understanding state government.
Geography 1
Supporting
Understand the nature and uses of maps and globes by identifying symbols and locating the community, Maine, and the United States.Reason: Since students are exploring symbols that represent the state of Maine, locating where these symbols originate (e.g., the coast for lobsters, forests for white pine) reinforces geographic awareness.
Common Core State Standards (ELA)
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.W.1.7
Primary
Participate in shared research and writing projects (e.g., explore a number of "how-to" books on a given topic and use them to write a sequence of instructions).Reason: The project requires students to act as 'Maine experts,' which involves researching specific symbols and synthesizing that information into a narrative or product.
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.SL.1.4
Secondary
Describe people, places, things, and events with relevant details, expressing ideas and feelings clearly.Reason: Students are tasked with telling the story of Maine using symbols; this standard aligns with the oral or visual presentation of their findings.
Entry Events
Events that will be used to introduce the project to studentsProject: The New Maine Coin
Students receive a special video 'briefing' from a local park ranger or state official (or a teacher in character) announcing that Maine is designing a new state coin. The students are tasked with researching which symbols are 'important enough' to be stamped onto the money everyone uses.The 'Whoops!' State Poster
The teacher displays a humorous 'Maine State Poster' featuring a palm tree, a kangaroo, and a cactus. Students will immediately recognize the mistakes, sparking a debate and inquiry into what plants and animals actually define Maine's identity and why those choices matter.The Great Mascot Search
A 'Missing Mascot' flyer appears for a local sports team that wants a Maine-themed name but can't choose between a Chickadee, a Moose, or a Lobster. Students must interview 'expert' witnesses (upper-grade students or community members) to find out the unique 'superpowers' of each state symbol to help the team decide.📚
Portfolio Activities
Portfolio Activities
These activities progressively build towards your learning goals, with each submission contributing to the student's final portfolio.Activity 1
The Secret Language of Symbols
Before diving into Maine-specific symbols, students will explore the concept of what a symbol is. This activity uses familiar icons (like a red octagon for 'stop' or a heart for 'love') to help students understand that a symbol is an image that stands for an idea or a place. Students will then look at a 'mystery bag' of Maine items to start predicting which ones might represent our state.Steps
Here is some basic scaffolding to help students complete the activity.1. Show students common symbols (stop signs, recycling signs, emojis) and ask what they mean. Define 'symbol' as a picture that stands for something else.
2. Introduce the 'Maine Mystery Bag' containing a toy moose, a pinecone, a lobster shell, and a chickadee feather. Ask students why these items represent Maine and not a place like a desert or a jungle.
3. In pairs, students sort pictures into two piles: 'General Symbols' and 'Maine Symbols.'
Final Product
What students will submit as the final product of the activityA 'Symbol vs. Object' T-chart where students categorize images and explain that symbols 'tell a story' without using words.Alignment
How this activity aligns with the learning objectives & standardsAligns with Civics & Government 1: Students recognize symbols that characterize state government. This activity builds the foundational vocabulary and concept of what a 'symbol' represents before applying it specifically to Maine.Activity 2
Symbol Scientist Investigation
In this activity, students become 'Symbol Scientists.' Working in small groups, they will be assigned one specific Maine state symbol (e.g., the Moose, the Chickadee, or the Honeybee). They will use teacher-provided books, short video clips, and photos to find three 'Superpower Facts' about their symbol that make it special to Maine.Steps
Here is some basic scaffolding to help students complete the activity.1. Students are assigned to a 'Specialist Team' (e.g., The Lobster Squad or the Pine Tree Professionals).
2. Using a simplified graphic organizer, students record the name of their symbol and one thing it eats, where it lives, and what it looks like.
3. Students draw a detailed, scientifically accurate picture of their symbol, paying attention to colors and shapes found in nature.
Final Product
What students will submit as the final product of the activityA 'Symbol Scientist Fact File' featuring a drawing of the symbol and three dictated or written facts about its characteristics and why it lives in Maine.Alignment
How this activity aligns with the learning objectives & standardsAligns with CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.W.1.7: Participate in shared research and writing projects. Students will use informational texts and media to gather facts about their assigned state symbol.Activity 3
Mapping Maine's Treasures
Students will learn that symbols aren't just random; they represent Maine's unique land and water. In this activity, students will look at a large physical map of Maine. They will determine which symbols belong in the 'Great Woods' (North) and which belong in the 'Salty Sea' (Coast). They will then place icons of the symbols on a map to see how Maine's geography dictates its symbols.Steps
Here is some basic scaffolding to help students complete the activity.1. Explore a map of Maine, identifying the blue areas (ocean/rivers) and green areas (forests/mountains).
2. Discuss why a lobster wouldn't live in the forest and why a moose wouldn't live in the middle of the ocean.
3. Cut and paste symbol icons onto a simplified Maine state outline map based on their natural habitats.
Final Product
What students will submit as the final product of the activityA 'Symbols of the Land' map where students glue icons of the white pine, moose, and lobster onto the correct geographic regions of Maine.Alignment
How this activity aligns with the learning objectives & standardsAligns with Geography 1: Understand the nature and uses of maps by identifying symbols and locating Maine. This helps students connect symbols to the physical environment of the state.Activity 4
The Symbol Storytellers
Symbols tell a story! Students will practice their 'Expert' voices by choosing their favorite symbol and explaining why it is the best choice to represent Maine. They will focus on 'selling' their symbol to the class, using the facts they learned in previous activities to support their opinion.Steps
Here is some basic scaffolding to help students complete the activity.1. Students choose their 'Number One' favorite Maine symbol.
2. Using a sentence frame (e.g., 'The moose represents Maine because...'), students practice their explanation with a 'turn-and-talk' partner.
3. Students present their pitch to the 'Coin Commission' (the rest of the class) to prepare for the final design challenge.
Final Product
What students will submit as the final product of the activityA 30-second 'Expert Pitch' delivered to the class or recorded on a tablet, explaining: 'I think the [Symbol] is special because...'Alignment
How this activity aligns with the learning objectives & standardsAligns with CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.SL.1.4: Describe people, places, things, and events with relevant details, expressing ideas and feelings clearly. This builds the oral communication skills needed for the final project.Activity 5
The Grand Design: Maine's Master Coin
It’s time to complete the mission! Using everything they’ve learned, students will design the 'New Maine State Coin.' They must choose two symbols to feature—one for the 'Heads' side and one for the 'Tails' side. They will need to explain how these two symbols together show what makes Maine a special place to live.Steps
Here is some basic scaffolding to help students complete the activity.1. Students select two symbols that they believe represent different parts of Maine (e.g., one from the forest and one from the sea).
2. Sketch the design on a large circular template, adding the words 'Maine' and the current year.
3. Complete a 'Designer's Note' that states: 'I chose these symbols because they show that Maine is [description].'
4. Display the coins in a 'State House Gallery' for other classes or parents to visit.
Final Product
What students will submit as the final product of the activityA large-scale gold or silver paper coin featuring hand-drawn symbols on both sides, accompanied by a 'Letter to the State' explaining their choices.Alignment
How this activity aligns with the learning objectives & standardsAligns with Civics & Government 1 (recognizing symbols of State government) and the Inquiry Framework goal of using symbols to tell Maine's story. This is the culmination of the 'New Maine Coin' entry event.🏆
Rubric & Reflection
Portfolio Rubric
Grading criteria for assessing the overall project portfolioMaine State Symbols: Expert Storyteller Rubric
Category 1
Foundational Knowledge & Research Skills
Assesses the foundational knowledge of state symbols and the research skills used to understand them.Criterion 1
Symbol Recognition and Concept
Students' ability to identify specific Maine state symbols and explain how an image can represent the identity of a place.
Exemplary
4 PointsThe student accurately identifies 5 or more Maine symbols and provides a sophisticated explanation of how symbols 'tell a story' or represent state identity without words.
Proficient
3 PointsThe student accurately identifies 5 Maine symbols and correctly explains that a symbol is a picture that stands for a specific place like Maine.
Developing
2 PointsThe student identifies 3-4 Maine symbols but may struggle to explain the difference between a general object and a state symbol without assistance.
Beginning
1 PointsThe student identifies fewer than 3 symbols or requires significant teacher support to recognize images that represent Maine.
Criterion 2
Research and Fact-Finding
The ability to participate in shared research to gather and record specific facts about a symbol's characteristics, habitat, and 'superpowers.'
Exemplary
4 PointsThe student independently records 3 or more detailed facts and makes a clear connection between the symbol's physical traits and its life in the Maine environment.
Proficient
3 PointsThe student records 3 facts about their symbol (what it looks like, where it lives, what it eats) using the provided graphic organizer and resources.
Developing
2 PointsThe student records 1-2 facts about their symbol, or the facts recorded are general and not specific to the symbol's identity in Maine.
Beginning
1 PointsThe student requires intensive support to identify or record any facts from the provided informational texts or media.
Category 2
Geography and Habitat Mapping
Assesses the student's understanding of Maine's physical geography through the lens of state symbols.Criterion 1
Geographic Connection
Students' ability to connect symbols to the physical landscape of Maine (Coastal vs. Forest) using a map.
Exemplary
4 PointsThe student accurately places all symbols on the map and provides a logical reason why each belongs in that specific geographic region (e.g., 'Lobsters need salt water').
Proficient
3 PointsThe student accurately places the symbols in the correct geographic regions (Coastal/Ocean vs. Forest/Inland) on the Maine map.
Developing
2 PointsThe student places most symbols correctly but makes 1-2 errors or requires prompting to distinguish between land and water habitats.
Beginning
1 PointsThe student places icons randomly on the map without regard for the symbol's natural habitat or geographic region.
Category 3
Communication and Synthesis
Assesses the student's ability to communicate their expertise and apply their knowledge to a final summative product.Criterion 1
Oral Communication (The Expert Pitch)
The ability to orally present an opinion and supporting facts regarding why a symbol is significant to the state of Maine.
Exemplary
4 PointsThe student delivers a highly persuasive pitch with clear speech, eye contact, and uses multiple 'Expert Facts' to justify their choice.
Proficient
3 PointsThe student clearly describes why their chosen symbol is special using relevant details and a complete sentence frame.
Developing
2 PointsThe student shares their favorite symbol but provides limited or vague reasons why it represents Maine.
Beginning
1 PointsThe student struggles to express an idea or provide any supporting details during the pitch.
Criterion 2
Synthesis and Creative Design (The Master Coin)
The ability to synthesize learning into a final creative product that represents Maine's identity through two distinct symbols.
Exemplary
4 PointsThe student creates a detailed coin design featuring two complementary symbols and writes a 'Letter to the State' that shows deep pride and understanding of Maine's diversity.
Proficient
3 PointsThe student completes the coin design with two symbols, the state name, and the year, and provides a clear reason for their choices in the Designer's Note.
Developing
2 PointsThe student completes the coin with one symbol or is missing required elements like the year or a written explanation.
Beginning
1 PointsThe coin design is incomplete, or the symbols chosen do not reflect the learning from the previous activities.
Reflection Prompts
End-of-project reflection questions to get students to think about their learningQuestion 1
How much of a 'Maine Expert' do you feel like after finishing your project?
Scale
Required
Question 2
Why do we have state symbols like the moose, the lobster, and the white pine tree?
Multiple choice
Required
Options
To show what makes our state special.
Because we just like those animals.
To help people find their way home.
Question 3
If you had to pick just ONE symbol to tell a story about Maine, which one would it be and why?
Text
Required
Question 4
Which part of our 'Maine Expert' project helped you learn the most about our state?
Multiple choice
Required
Options
Being a Symbol Scientist and doing research.
Mapping where the symbols live in Maine.
Designing the 'New Maine Coin'.
Giving my Expert Pitch to the class.
Question 5
If you saw a Maine symbol today, how well could you explain it to a friend or family member?
Scale
Optional