Louisiana

Ages 5–11 · 16 minutes · Geography

Hope you're hungry! Grab a beignet and discover the many treats of Louisiana.

Dazzle in Louisiana's rich cuisine, lush swamps, and plentiful crawfish.

No prior knowledge needed.

Part of

The 50 States

Standards alignment

Common Core State Standards

D2.Geo.2.3-5 — Individually and with others, students… Use maps, satellite images, photographs, and other representations to explain relationships between the locations of places and regions and their environmental characteristics.
D2.Geo.3.3-5 — Individually and with others, students… Use maps of different scales to describe the locations of cultural and environmental characteristics.
D2.Civ.1.3-5 — Individually and with others, students… Distinguish the responsibilities and powers of government officials at various levels and branches of government and in different times and places.

Alabama

SS10.5.1.1 — Locating on a map states and capitals east of the Mississippi River

Alaska

1 — know that places have distinctive geographic characteristics;
1 — use maps and globes to locate places and regions;
There are many different kinds of living things in any area, and they exist in different places on land and in water.

Arizona

2.G1.1 — Use and construct maps, graphs, and other geographic representations of familiar and unfamiliar places in the world; and locate physical and human features. • Key physical features include but are not limited to seven continents, oceans, lakes, rivers, mountain ranges, coasts, seas, and deserts • Key human features include but are not limited to equator, hemispheres, North and South Pole, cities, states, countries, regions, and landmarks
2.G1.2 — Use maps, globes, and other simple geographic models to identify and explain cultural and environmental characteristics of places in the world based on stories shared. Arizona History and Social Science Standards modified 8/23/19 Page 19
2.G2.1 — Explain how weather, climate, and other environmental characteristics affect people’s lives in a place or region being studied.
2.G4.1 — Identify different physical and cultural regions in the world.

Arkansas

G.1.3.5 — Investigate the cultural characteristics of various places and regions from around the world.
2-LS4-1 — Make observations of plants and animals to compare the diversity of life in different habitats.
G.1.1.2 — Describe the physical and human characteristics of a place including roads, buildings, and borders using maps, globes, and photographs.
G.1.K.9 — Discuss products and traditions that connect people around the world (e.g., where products are made, celebrations, dance, art, food, toys).

California

2 — Students identify the human and physical characteristics of the places they are studying and explain how those features form the unique character of those places.
1.2.1 — Locate on maps and globes their local community, California, the United States, the seven continents, and the four oceans.

Colorado

SS.1.2.1 — Use geographic terms and tools to describe places and spaces.
SS.2.2.1 — Use geographic terms and tools to locate and describe spatial patterns and places.
SS.2.4.2 — Explain the roles and characteristics of people who govern different communities.
SS.3.2.2 — Define the concept of region through an examination of similarities and differences in places and communities.
SC.2.2.2.a — Make observations of plants and animals to compare the diversity of life in different habitats.

Connecticut

GEO 2.6 — Identify cultural and environmental characteristics of a place/region.
There are many different kinds of living things in any area, and they exist in different places on land and in water.
GEO 1.4 — Explain how weather, climate, and other environmental characteristics affect people’s lives in places or regions.
GEO.K.3 — Use maps, globes, and other simple geographic models to identify cultural and environmental characteristics of places.

Delaware

2-LS4-1 — Make observations of plants and animals to compare the diversity of life in different habitats.
G.1.K-3a — Students will understand the nature and uses of maps, globes, and other geo-graphics. Grade K and Grade 3
H.4.K-3b — Students will develop an awareness of major events and people in United States and Delaware history. • Who lives here and how did they get here? (immigrants, demographics, ethnic and religious groups) • Important people in our past • Different kinds of communities in Delaware and the United States
K-3a — Students will use the concepts of place and region to explain simple patterns of connections between and among places across the country and the world. Grade 3
There are many different kinds of living things in any area, and they exist in different places on land and in water.

Florida

SS.5.G.1.6 — Locate and identify states, capitals, and United States Territories on a map.

Georgia

S3L1.c — Use evidence to construct an explanation of why some organisms can thrive in one habitat and not in another.

Hawaii

SS.1.2.14.3 — Investigate cultural and environmental characteristics of your community
2-LS4-1 — Make observations of plants and animals to compare the diversity of life in different habitats.
SS.2.3.13.4 — Describe major geographic features of places using maps, photos, and other geographic representations
SS.2.1.6.1 — Investigate school, community, and national leaders and their responsibilities

Idaho

There are many different kinds of living things in any area, and they exist in different places on land and in water. (2-LS-2.1)
5.SS.2.1.4 — Name and locate the 50 States and their Capitals, and U.S. Territories.
3.SS.2.1.3 — Locate on a map waterways, landforms, cities, states, and national boundaries, using standard map symbols.

Illinois

SS.6-8.G.4.LC — Identify how cultural and environmental characteristics vary among regions of the world.

Indiana

5.G.2 — Use maps and globes to locate states, capitals, major cities, major rivers, the Great Lakes, and mountain ranges in the United States. (E)
K.LS.2 — Describe and compare the physical features of common living plants and animals.
3.G.5 — Explain that regions are areas that have similar physical and cultural characteristics. Identify Indiana and the local community as part of a specific region.

Iowa

SS.K.14. — Compare environmental characteristics in Iowa with other places.
Interpret Processes, Rules and Laws

Kansas

There are many different kinds of living things in any area, and they exist in different places on land and in water.
Benchmark 4.5.1 — The student will recognize and evaluate dynamic relationships that impact lives in communities, states, and nations.

Kentucky

2.G.GR.1 — Examine geographic features of places in North America, using a variety of geographic data, including maps, photos and other geographic tools.
K.G.KGE.1 — Identify physical and environmental characteristics of communities.
There are many different kinds of living things in any area, and they exist in different places on land and in water.

Louisiana

1.25 — Identify where Louisiana is within the United States and on the globe.
1.8 — Identify examples of Louisiana's culture, including: a. State and nationally designated holidays: New Year’s Day, the birthday of Martin Luther King, Jr., Inauguration Day, Washington’s Birthday, Mardi Gras, Memorial Day, Juneteenth, Independence Day, Labor Day, Columbus Day, Veterans Day, Thanksgiving Day, and Christmas Day b. Music: Cajun, jazz, zydeco c. Languages: French, Spanish, Native languages (e.g., Atakpan, Caddo, Choctaw) d. Architecture: St. Louis Cathedral, The Cabildo, State Capitol, Louisiana Superdome, Strand Theater, Sports Hall of Fame, The National WWII Museum e. Traditions: lagniappe, second line parades, king cake, red beans and rice on Mondays f. Cuisine: jambalaya, gumbo, etouffee, bread pudding, meat pies, tamales g. Symbols: Louisiana State flag, brown pelican, magnolia tree, brown bear h. Individuals who have made significant contributions to Louisiana’s artistic heritage.
1.11 — Identify Louisiana as a unique state among fifty, and as a part of the United States.
1.28 — Describe the physical characteristics of various regions of Louisiana, including bayous, swamps, floodplains, forests, and farmland.

Maine

SL.3.K.a — Describe familiar people, places, things, and events and, with prompting and support, provide additional detail.
2-LS4-1 — Make observations of plants and animals to compare the diversity of life in different habitats.

Massachusetts

4.T4b.1 — On a political map of the United States, locate the states and the national capital city in the Southeast, and the U.S. territories in the Caribbean; add to the timeline the admission dates for states in the Southeast (listed alphabetically: Alabama-1819, Arkansas-1836, Delaware-1787, Florida-1845, Georgia-1788, Kentucky-1792, Louisiana-1812, Maryland-1788, Mississippi-1817, North Carolina-1789, South Carolina-1788, Tennessee-1796, Virginia-1788, West Virginia-1863); territories Puerto Rico, and the United States Virgin Islands.
4.T4b.2 — Describe the diverse cultural nature of the region, including contributions of Native Peoples (e.g., Powhatan Chiefdom, Seminole, Cherokee, Creek), African Americans, Europeans (e.g., the early Spanish settlements in Florida) and immigrant groups from other regions of the world.

Michigan

4–G1.0.3 — Use geographic tools and technologies, stories, songs, and pictures to answer geographic questions about the United States.
4–G2.0.2 — Locate and describe human and physical characteristics of major U.S. regions and compare them to the Great Lakes region.
4–G1.0.1 — Identify questions geographers ask in examining the United States.
K–G1.0.1 — Recognize that maps and globes represent places.

Minnesota

4.3.2.3.1 — Locate and identify the physical and human characteristics of places in the United States, and also Canada or Mexico. For example: Physical characteristics—landforms (Rocky Mountains), ecosystems (forest), bodies of water (Mississippi River, Hudson Bay), soil, vegetation, weather and climate. Human characteristics— structures (Statue of Liberty), bridges (Golden Gate Bridge), canals (Erie Canal), cities, political boundaries, population distribution, settlement patterns, language, ethnicity, nationality, religious beliefs.
4.3.2.4.1 — Name and locate states and territories, major cities and state capitals in the United States.
0.1.2.2.1 — Describe symbols, songs and traditions that identify our nation and state. For example: American Flag, bald eagle, White House, Statue of Liberty, Pledge of Allegiance, Minnesota state flag.
0.3.2.3.1 — Identify the physical and human characteristics of places, including real and imagined places. For example: Physical characteristics—landforms (Rocky Mountains, Mount Everest), ecosystems (forest), bodies of water (Hudson Bay, Indian Ocean, Amazon River), soil, vegetation, weather and climate. Human characteristics—structures (Great Wall of China, Eiffel Tower), bridges (Golden Gate Bridge), canals (Erie Canal), cities, political boundaries, population distribution, settlement patterns, language, ethnicity, nationality, religious beliefs.
3.3.1.1.1 — Use maps and concepts of location (relative location words and cardinal and intermediate directions) to describe places in one’s community, the state of Minnesota, the United States or the world. For example: Relative location words— close to, above, bordering. Description using relative location words—"Our school is across from the post office." Description using cardinal directions— "Mexico is south of the United States." Description using intermediate directions—“Hawaii is southwest of the continental United States.”

Mississippi

5.10.2 — Identify and label each of the 50 states on a map.
1.G.1.4 — Understand the relationship of the location of a place from community to county, state, nation, and continent (Jackson is in Hinds County, which is in the state of Mississippi, which is in the country of the USA and on the continent of North America).

Missouri

4.EG.5.B.a — Name and locate specific regions, states, capitals, river systems and mountain ranges in the United States based on historical or current topics.
5.EG.5.B.a — Name and locate specific regions, states, capitals, river systems and mountain ranges in the United States based on historical or current topics.
5.H.3.C.a — Identify and describe the contributions of historically significant individuals to the United States from c. 1800-2000.

Montana

SS.G.5.1 — identify and label US regions, territories, states and their capitals/major cities;
SS.CG.2.1 — explain the roles of people who help govern different communities including tribal communities; and
SS.G.2.1 — use the basic components of a map to identify physical and political features, including American Indian reservations; and

Nebraska

SS 1.3.2 — Explore places and regions.
SS 1.3.4.b — Describe the characteristics of individual culture.
SS 3.3.1.d — Locate specific places on maps and globes.
SS 5.3.1.a — Use maps and atlases to locate major human and physical features in the United States.

New Hampshire

SS.GE.2.1.3 — Identify major physical and human features in the United States and on Earth, e.g., cities, oceans, or continents. (Themes: C: People, Places and Environment, G: Science, Technology, and Society)
SS.GE.2.2.1 — Explore the physical and human characteristics of place, e.g., roads, schools or mountains. (Themes: C: People, Places and Environment, E: Cultural Development, Interaction, and Change, G: Science, Technology, and Society)
SS.GE.2.2.2 — Recognize that areas of the Earth's surface share unifying geographic characteristics, e.g., towns, deserts or woodlands. (Themes: C: People, Places and Environment)
SS.GE.2.3.2 — Explore the components and distribution of ecosystems, e.g., desert or rain forest. (Themes: C: People, Places and Environment)
SS.HI.2.3.3 — Recognize that groups have enhanced art, music and literature of our nation, e.g., Africa American or Irish. (Themes: E: Cultural Development, Interaction, and Change, F: Global Transformation, J: Human Expression and Communication)

New Jersey

6.1.5.GeoPP.1 — Compare and contrast characteristics of regions in the United States based on culture, economics, and physical characteristics to understand the concept of regionalism.
6.1.5.GeoPP.2 — Describe how landforms, climate and weather, and availability of resources have impacted where and how people live and work in different regions of New Jersey and the United States.
6.1.5.CivicsPI.5 — Explain how government functions at the local, county, and state level.
6.1.5.GeoSV.2 — Use maps to explain the impact of location and place on the relationships between places in New Jersey, the United States and other countries.

New Mexico

1.18 — Use a variety of maps to locate specific places and identify major landforms, bodies of water, and other places of significance around the United States.
There are many different kinds of living things in any area, and they exist in different places on land and in water.
5.27 — Using a map, identify and locate the 50 states in the United States and know the capitals of each state along with the surrounding U.S. territories.
K.10 — Identify the local, state, and national symbols (e.g., flag, bird, song).

New York

There are many different kinds of living things in any area, and they exist in different places on land and in water.
E.3.1 — Geography can be divided into six essential elements which can be used to analyze important historic, geographic, economic, and environmental questions and issues. These six elements include: the world in spatial terms, places and regions, physical settings (including natural resources), human systems, environment and society, and the use of geography. (Adapted from The National Geography Standards, 1994: Geography for Life)
E.1.3 — Study about the major social, political, economic, cultural, and religious developments in New York State and United States history involves learning about the important roles and contributions of individuals and groups.
E.5.1 — The study of civics, citizenship, and government involves learning about political systems; the purposes of government and civic life; and the differing assumptions held by people across time and place regarding power, authority, governance, and law. (Adapted from The National Standards for Civics and Government, 1994)

North Carolina

K.G.1.1 — Use maps, globes, and/or digital representations to locate places in the classroom, school, community, and around the world.
1.B.1.1 — Identify cultural practices and traditions in local communities and places around the world.
2.G.1.1 — Recognize absolute and relative location of various settlements, territories, and states in the development of the American nation.
K.B.1.1 — Identify cultural practices in local communities and around the world.

North Dakota

5.C.4 — Use grade-appropriate, conversational, general academic, and domain-specific words and phrases.
5.C.6 — Engage in a range of discussions using active listening skills, posing and responding to specific questions to clarify information.
5.R.1 — Comprehend information during and after listening to a grade-level text.

Ohio

1.5 — Places are distinctive because of their physical characteristics (land forms and bodies of water) and human characteristics (structures built by people).
K.LS.2 — Living things have physical traits and behaviors, which influence their survival.
3.5 — Daily life is influenced by the agriculture, industry and natural resources in different communities.

Oklahoma

4.2.2 — Identify major physical features in the United States and analyze how physical processes shape places. A. Identify and describe the physical characteristics of places, including the major landforms, bodies of water, vegetation and climates in the United States. B. Describe the location and characteristics of the major ecosystems in the United States.
4.2.3 — Explain how people create regions using common geographic characteristics. A. Identify and describe the major physical, cultural, and economic regions of the United States, comparing one’s own region to the other regions. B. Explain how and why regions change over time by comparing regions in the past with life in the same regions in the present.
4.3.2 — Examine the characteristics of culture, including the distribution and complexity of the regions of the United States. A. Identify the characteristics of culture (language, customs, beliefs, food, clothing, shelter) and compare the cultural characteristics of different regions of the United States. B. Explain how the characteristics of culture affect the ways in which people live.
There are many different kinds of living things in any area and they exist in different places on land and in water. (2.LS4.1)
4.2.4 — Describe how physical processes of the Earth’s surface impact humans and their environment. A. Identify and describe the different climates in the United States using maps, globes, and graphs. B. Explain how climate and natural processes including floods, wind, and storms impact how we live.
4.2.5 — Identify and locate on a political map the fifty states and the United States capitol.

Oregon

2.12 — Identify relative location of school and community in the state, nation and the world.
K.10 — Locate, identify and describe places of importance to self, family, school, and culture.
K.SL.4 — Describe familiar people, places, things, and events and, with prompting and support, provide additional detail.
2.LS4.1 — Make observations of plants and animals to compare the diversity of life in different habitats. [Clarification Statement: Emphasis is on the diversity of living things in each of a variety of different habitats.] [Assessment Boundary: Assessment does not include specific animal and plant names in specific habitats.]

Pennsylvania

7.1.3.B — Identify and locate places and regions.

Rhode Island

SS3.3.2 — States and territories in the Southeast Explain the states and territories that make up the Southeastern region including their admittance or incorporation to the United States and their identities
SS3.1.3 — States and territories Explain what states and territories are and their locations within the United States
SS3.3.1 — Geography and environment in the Southeast Explain the geography and environment in the Southeastern region of the United States
SS3.3.4 — The Southeastern region today Argue how the geography and environment of the Southeastern region contributed to its social, cultural, and economic development
There are many different kinds of living things in any area, and they exist in different places on land and in water.

South Carolina

3.1.3.PR — Identify the spatial hierarchy of political and physical geographic features. This indicator prompts students to inquire about spatial hierarchies (i.e. scale) to understand connections between Earth's systems. Political features include cities, states, and countries. Physical features include forests, mountains, oceans, and rivers.
3.2.2.ER — Identify and analyze the ways people interact with the physical environment in different regions of the state, the country, and the world.This indicator prompts students to inquire about a variety of geographic landforms, water bodies, and climate patterns around the world and how humans interact with them, including population distribution and settlement patterns.
2-LS4-1. — Make observations of plants and animals to compare patterns of diversity within different habitats. Clarification Statement: Emphasis is on the diversity of living things in a variety of different habitats. State Assessment Boundary: Assessment does not include specific animal and plant names in specific habitats.

South Dakota

3.C.1.1 — Research and explain the meaning behind South Dakota’s symbols
3.G.1.2 — Locate the seven continents, four oceans, and major physical features and regions of the United States on a map or globe
K.G.1.1 — Recognize that maps and globes represent places
K.SL.4 — Describe familiar people, places, things, and events. With prompting and support, provide additional detail.
2-LS4-1 — Make observations of plants and animals to compare the diversity of life in different habitats.

Tennessee

1.01 — Describe the cultural aspects of a place, including a student’s community and state.
3.09 — Identify and locate the fifty states of the U.S.
2.17 — Compare and contrast regions of the U.S. (i.e., Southeast, Northeast, Great Plains, Southwest, Rocky Mountain, and Pacific Northwest) in terms of climate, physical features, and population.
2.18 — Analyze how the location of regions affects the way people live, including their: food, clothing, shelter, transportation, and recreation.

Texas

1.5A — identify and describe the physical characteristics of place such as landforms, bodies of water, Earth's resources, and weather; and
1.5B — identify and describe how geographic location influences the human characteristics of place such as shelter, clothing, food, and activities.
2.11D — identify symbols such as state and national birds and flowers and Uncle Sam; and
5.6B — describe regions in the United States based on physical characteristics such as landform, climate, and vegetation;

Utah

1.2.2 — Construct an explanation by observing patterns of external features of living things that survive in different locations. Emphasize how plants and nonhuman animals, found in specific surroundings, share similar physical characteristics. Examples could include that plants living in dry areas are more likely to have thick outer coatings that hold in water, animals living in cold locations have longer and thicker fur, or most desert animals are awake at night. (LS1.A, LS1.D)
2.2.1 — Obtain, evaluate, and communicate information about patterns of living things (plants and animals, including humans) in different habitats. Emphasize the diversity of living things in land and water habitats. Examples of *patterns*in habitats could include descriptions of temperature or precipitation and the types of plants and animals found in land habitats. (LS2.C, LS4.C, LS4.D)
2.2.3.b — Identify community and state symbols, documents and landmarks (e.g., city hall, county courthouse, state capitol, Utah State Constitution, flag, holidays).
2.3 — Standard 3: Students will use geographic tools and skills to locate and describe places on earth.

Vermont

D2.Geo.2.3-5 — Individually and with others, students… Use maps, satellite images, photographs, and other representations to explain relationships between the locations of places and regions and their environmental characteristics.
D2.Geo.3.3-5 — Individually and with others, students… Use maps of different scales to describe the locations of cultural and environmental characteristics.
D2.Civ.1.3-5 — Individually and with others, students… Distinguish the responsibilities and powers of government officials at various levels and branches of government and in different times and places.

Virginia

USI.1.c — The student will apply history and social science skills to understand the geography of North America by locating the 50 states.
Skill.2.b — The student will apply history and social science skills to the content by applying geographic skills to identify and understand geographic features and connections.

Washington

G1.3.2 — Investigate the physical, political, and cultural characteristics of places, regions, and people in North America, including the location of the fifty states within the regions of the United States.
G1.3.1 — Examine and use maps and globes to understand the regions of North America in the past and present.
G2.2.1 — Identify some common and unique cultural and environmental characteristics of specific places.
G1.2.2 — Use maps, globes, and other simple geographic models to identify cultural and environmental characteristics of places.

Washington, D.C.

1.18 — Compare the features of a city, county, state, country and continent.
K.20 — Explain the concept of relative location using directional words.

West Virginia

SS.3.13 — Distinguish between a continent, country, state and capital.
SS.3.19 — Compare and contrast regions of the United States in regard to plant and animal life, landforms, climate and human interactions with the environment.
SS.5.17 — Compare and contrast the various regions of the United States; locate each of the fifty United States and correlate them with their regions.
SS.2.15 — Identify cultural contributions and differences made by people from the various regions in the United States using literature, documents and oral accounts.

Wisconsin

SS.Geog1.c.4-5 — Create and label a map (paper or digital) of the local community, state, tribal lands, and country, including both physical (e.g., oceans and continents) and human (e.g., roads, buildings) characteristics. Identify and construct regions (digital or paper) in Wisconsin and the United States.
SS.PS1.a.K-1 — Describe symbols, songs, and traditions that identify our state and country. Assess the importance of rules and laws at home, in school, and in the community.
There are many different kinds of living things in any area, and they exist in different places on land and in water.

Wyoming

SS2.5.3 — Human Place and Movement Use the human features of a community to describe what makes that community unique (e.g., cultural, language, religion, food, clothing, political, economic, population, and types of jobs in an area) and why others move to or from that place. RL.1.2, RL.2.3 RI.1.3, Rl.2.2, RI.2.10 W.K.2, W.K.7 W.1.1, W.1.7 W.2.1 W.2.7 SL.K.4, SL.1.4, SL.2.2 K-2-ETS1-1
SS2.5.1 — Spatial Use a map, globe, and mental mapping to identify familiar areas and simple patterns and create maps using various media. 2-ESS2-2
SS2.5.2 — Physical Place and Region Identify, describe, and use local physical and human characteristics to discuss the similarities and differences between parts of the community (e.g., neighborhoods, schools, towns, and reservation communities). RL.1.2, RL.2.3 RI.1.3, Rl.2.2, RI.2.10 W.K.2, W.K.7 W.1.1, W.1.7 W.2.1, W.2.7 SL.K.4, SL.1.4, SL.2.2
SS5.5.2 — Physical Place and Region Explain how physical features, patterns, and systems impact different regions and how these features may help us generalize and compare areas within the reservation, state, nation, or world. RL.3.2, RL.4.7, RL.4.9 RI.3.3, RI.4.3, RI.5.3 W.3.2, W.3.7, W.4.2.b W.5.2.b W.5.7 SL.3.4