The Library of Congress has so many awesome resources that I will probably be posting about some of them for quite some time! One that I came across today is part of the America's Story resource called Explore the States. This would be a perfect resource for 5th grade as they look at different states, or for 4th grade to study just North Carolina. You can click on the U.S. map for any state, then get a short paragraph of information about it, but more importantly, lots of good links to give you a good idea of the history and stories about the state. This is not the site for information about things like state symbols, but for more interesting stories and pieces about a state, this is a great place to start. 
Let's use North Carolina as an example. Links include information about Kitty Hawk and the Wright Brothers, the Lost Colony, wild horses at Shackleford Banks, and the Lexington Barbecue Festival (among others). These are good links to give you a flavor of the state, more than the state seal. These are the things kids are going to be drawn in by and remember more than the state flag.
Another great use for this site would be to add to books you might be reading. If you are reading a book with a dog sled race, check out the Iditarod link from the Alaska page. If the book talks about the Dust Bowl, check out the Oklahoma page. There is even an audio file of someone who lived through it talking about her experience. A story with an immigration through Ellis Island? Check out the New York page to read about Ellis Island and living in crowded conditions.
Check out the resources here today!
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