New Jersey

Ages 5–11 · 17 minutes · Geography

New Jersey SHORE is neat! Come see what the Garden State has to offer.

Come meet famous New Jerseyans Thomas Edison and Shaquille O'Neal, and then enjoy a beloved New Jersey treat: salt water taffy.

No prior knowledge needed.

Part of

The 50 States

Standards alignment

Common Core State Standards

D2.Geo.6.K-2 — Individually and with others, students… Identify some cultural and environmental characteristics of specific places.
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.Geo.3.K-2 — Individually and with others, students… Use maps, globes, and other simple geographic models to identify cultural and environmental characteristics of places.
Climate describes a range of an area's typical weather conditions and the extent to which those conditions vary over years.

Alabama

SS10.2.6 — Identify states, continents, oceans, and the equator using maps, globes, and technology.
SS10.2.10.1 — Comparing physical features of regions throughout the United States
SS10.2.10.3 — Recognizing benefits of recreation and tourism at state and national parks (Alabama)

Alaska

1 — know that places have distinctive geographic characteristics;
1 — use maps and globes to locate places and regions;
2 — understand the people and the political, geographic, economic, cultural, social, and environmental events that have shaped the history of the state, the United States, and the world;
3-ESS2-2 — Obtain and combine information to describe climates in different regions of the world.

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
1.H4.2 — Draw upon fictional stories, biographies, and non-fiction/informational text to identify historical figures in your community, state, and nation and explain their significance in history and in the present day.
2.G2.1 — Explain how weather, climate, and other environmental characteristics affect people’s lives in a place or region being studied.
2.L.5.a — Identify real‐life connections between words and their use (e.g., describe foods that are spicy or juicy).

Arkansas

G.1.1.2 — Describe the physical and human characteristics of a place including roads, buildings, and borders using maps, globes, and photographs.
G.1.2.6 — Explain the influence of weather, climate, and physical characteristics on people’s daily lives in a place or region.
G.1.3.5 — Investigate the cultural characteristics of various places and regions from around the world.
H.1.2.5 — Explain state and national historical symbols and landmarks and the people and events associated with them.

California

1.2.4 — Describe how location, weather, and physical environment affect the way people live, including the effects on their food, clothing, shelter, transportation, and recreation.
3-ESS2-2 — Obtain and combine information to describe climates in different regions of the world.

Colorado

SS.1.4.2 — Identify and explain how the significance of notable people, places, holidays, and civic symbols reflect the origins and values of the government and its citizens.
SS.2.2.1 — Use geographic terms and tools to locate and describe spatial patterns and places.
SC.3.3.1.b — Obtain and combine information to describe climates in different regions of the world.

Connecticut

GEO 2.6 — Identify cultural and environmental characteristics of a place/region.
GEO 2.3 — Use geographic representations to identify cultural and environmental characteristics of place.
GEO 3.3 — Use maps of different scales to describe the locations of cultural and environmental characteristics.
GEO 2.4 — Explain how the environment affects people’s lives.

Delaware

G.1.4-5a — Students will demonstrate development of mental maps of Delaware and of the United States which include the relative location and characteristics of major physical features, political divisions, and human settlements. Grade 4
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
H.4.4-5b — Students will develop an understanding of selected themes in United States history, including: • Who are the American people? (demographics, immigration) • How did the United States develop its form of government? • How have advances in technology changed our lives? • Important people in American history

Florida

SS.3.G.2.5 — Identify natural and man-made landmarks in the United States, Canada, Mexico, and the Caribbean.
SS.3.G.3.1 — Describe the climate and vegetation in the United States, Canada, Mexico, and the Caribbean.
SS.5.G.1.6 — Locate and identify states, capitals, and United States Territories on a map.
SS.3.G.2.2 — Identify the five regions of the United States.

Georgia

S1E1.d — Analyze data to identify seasonal patterns of change.

Hawaii

SS.1.3.17.1 — Investigate historically significant events, people, and observances in history
SS.2.1.18.3 — Describe how significant people and events have shaped communities and
SS.K.3.13.3 — Examine physical characteristics on maps and globes using positional words
3-ESS2-2 — Obtain and combine information to describe climates in different regions of the world.
SS.2.1.6.1 — Investigate school, community, and national leaders and their responsibilities

Idaho

5.SS.2.1.4 — Name and locate the 50 States and their Capitals, and U.S. Territories.
Seasons are created by weather patterns for a particular region and time. Local patterns create four distinct seasons. (1-ESS-1.2)
Climate describes a range of an area's typical weather conditions and the extent to which those conditions vary over years. (3-ESS-1.2)
5.SS.2.1.2 — Identify the regions of the United States and their resources.

Illinois

SS.2.G.1 — With guidance and support, use print and digital maps, globes and other simple geographic models to identify cultural and environmental characteristics of places.
SS.3.G.1 — Use print and digital maps, globes, and other simple geographic models to identify topographic and other graphic representations of both familiar and unfamiliar locations.
SS.1.G.1 — With guidance and support, construct and interpret print and digital maps and other cultural representations of familiar places.
SS.K.G.1 — With guidance and support, explain how weather, climate and other environmental factors affect people's lives and cultural identities in our region.

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)
5.G.4 — Use maps to describe the characteristics of climate regions of the United States.

Iowa

SS.1.17 — Describe how environmental characteristics and cultural characteristics impact each other in different regions of the U.S.
3-ESS2-2 — Obtain and combine information to describe climates in different regions of the world.
L2.5.a — Identify real-life connections between words and their use (e.g., describe foods that are spicy or juicy).

Kansas

3-ESS2-2 — Obtain and combine information to describe climates in different regions of the world.
Climate describes a range of an area's typical weather conditions and the extent to which those conditions vary over years.
Benchmark 3.3.1 — The student will recognize and evaluate how societies are shaped by the identities, beliefs, and practices of individuals and groups.
RI.1.4 — Ask and answer questions to help determine or clarify the meaning of words and phrases in a text.

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.
3-ESS2-2 — Obtain and combine information to describe climates in different regions of the world.

Louisiana

3.6 — Identify and describe national historical figures, celebrations, and symbols. a. Describe the achievements of George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, Lewis and Clark, Sacagawea, Abraham Lincoln, Frederick Douglass, Harriet Tubman, Sojourner Truth, Sitting Bull, George Washington Carver, Susan B. Anthony, Mabel Ping-Hua Lee, Theodore Roosevelt, the Wright Brothers, Thomas Edison, Henry Ford, Alexander Graham Bell, Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., Jackie Robinson, Sally Ride, Katherine Johnson, and Mae Jemison. b. Describe the significance of state and nationally designated holidays, including 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, Christmas Day. c. Describe the history of American symbols, including the Liberty Bell, U.S. flag (etiquette, customs pertaining to the display and use of the flag), bald eagle, national anthem, Uncle Sam, Statue of Liberty, The Pledge of Allegiance, and the national motto “In God We Trust.” d. Identify and describe man-made American monuments and landmarks including the Gateway Arch, the Golden Gate Bridge, Jefferson Memorial, Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial in Washington D.C, Lincoln Memorial, Mount Rushmore, Pearl Harbor Museum, September 11 Memorial and Museum, Statue of liberty, the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier, U.S. Capitol, Washington Monument, and the White House. e. Identify and describe natural American landmarks, including the Grand Canyon, Mississippi River, Monument Valley, Niagara Falls, Rocky Mountains, Smoky Mountains, and Yellowstone National Park.
3.20 — Describe the geographic features of places in the United States.
3.9 — Describe how technological advancements such as the steam engine, railroad, airplane, automobile, electricity, telephone, radio, television, microwave, and digital technologies have affected the lives of people in the United States.
3-ESS2-2 — Obtain and combine information to describe climates in different regions around the world.

Maine

3-ESS2-2 — Obtain and combine information to describe climates in different regions of the world.
F2 — Identifying the major regions of the Earth and their major physical features and political boundaries using a variety of geographic tools including digital tools and resources. *
SL.3.K.a — Describe familiar people, places, things, and events and, with prompting and support, provide additional detail.

Maryland

DCI.ESS2.D.3-5.2 — Climate describes a range of an area's typical weather conditions and the extent to which those conditions vary over years.

Massachusetts

1.T2.3 — Explain that a city that is called a capital is the center of government for a state or nation.
4.T4a.1 — On a political map of the United States, locate the states in the Northeast (listed alphabetically: Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island and Vermont).
3-ESS2-2 — Obtain and summarize information about the climate of different regions of the world to illustrate that typical weather conditions over a year vary by region.

Michigan

4–G1.0.1 — Identify questions geographers ask in examining the United States.
4–G1.0.3 — Use geographic tools and technologies, stories, songs, and pictures to answer geographic questions about the United States.
3-ESS2-2 — Obtain and combine information to describe climates in different regions of the world.
4–G2.0.2 — Locate and describe human and physical characteristics of major U.S. regions and compare them to the Great Lakes region.

Minnesota

4.3.2.4.1 — Name and locate states and territories, major cities and state capitals in the United States.
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.
2E.4.2.1.2 — Obtain and use information from multiple sources, including electronic sources, to describe climates in different regions of the world. (P: 8, CC: 1, CI: ESS2)

Mississippi

3.CI.2.3 — Recognize locations where government is practiced at the national, state, and local levels.
5.10.2 — Identify and label each of the 50 states on a map.
1.G.2.2 — Compare and contrast the climate, weather, and seasons of the regions of the United States.

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.
4.EG.5.C.a — Identify and compare physical characteristics of specific regions within the nation.
5.H.3.C.a — Identify and describe the contributions of historically significant individuals to the United States from c. 1800-2000.
3.ESS2.D.2 — Obtain and combine information to describe climates in different regions of the world.

Montana

SS.G.5.1 — identify and label US regions, territories, states and their capitals/major cities;
SS.G.K — The geography content standard for kindergarten is that each student will use maps, and other representations, to describe place characteristics.

Nebraska

SS K.3.3.b — Identify the four seasons.
SS 5.3.1.a — Use maps and atlases to locate major human and physical features in the United States.
SS 5.3.2.b — Identify and classify regions and places within the United States using physical and human features.
SS K.3.2.a — Identify physical characteristics of place.

Nevada

Climate describes a range of an area's typical weather conditions and the extent to which those conditions vary over years.
3-ESS2-2 — Obtain and combine information to describe climates in different regions of the world.

New Hampshire

SS.HI.2.3.1 — Identify individuals and/or groups who have profoundly affected life in the United States, e.g., Abraham Lincoln, or Pilgrims. (Themes: H: Individualism, Equality and Authority, I: Patterns of Social and Political Interaction, J: Human Expression and Communication)
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.HI.4.4.2 — Explore the impact of important technological inventions, e.g., new forms of transportation or housing. (Themes: E: Cultural Development, Interaction, and Change, G: Science, Technology, and Society)
Climate describes a range of an area's typical weather conditions and the extent to which those conditions vary over years.

New Jersey

6.1.5.HistoryCC.9 — Evaluate the impact of ideas, inventions, and other contributions of prominent figures who lived New Jersey.
6.1.2.Geo.HE.1 — Explain how seasonal weather changes, climate, and other environmental characteristics affect people's lives in a place or region.
6.1.2.Geo.HE.3 — Identify cultural and environmental characteristics of different regions in New Jersey and the United States.
6.1.5.CivicsCM.5 — Investigate the lives of New Jersey individuals with diverse experiences who have contributed to the improvement of society.

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.
2.23 — Generate a description for their region of the United States by identifying unique features.
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.

New York

1.5b — Maps are used to locate important places in the community, state, and nation, such as capitals, monuments, hospitals, museums, schools, and cultural centers. * According to the Dignity for All Students Act, “others” includes, but is not limited to, people of different races, weights, national origins, ethnic groups, religions, religious practices, mental or physical abilities, sexual orientations, gender identity, and sexes.
K.7a — Climate, seasonal weather changes, and the physical features associated with the community and region all affect how people live.
4.6e — Entrepreneurs and inventors associated with New York State have made important contributions to business and technology.
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.

North Carolina

2.G.1.1 — Recognize absolute and relative location of various settlements, territories, and states in the development of the American nation.
2.H.1 — Understand how various people and events have shaped America.
K.G.1.1 — Use maps, globes, and/or digital representations to locate places in the classroom, school, community, and around the world.
3.G.1.2 — Explain how climate and physical characteristics affect the ways in which people live in a place or region.
K.G.1.3 — Identify locations in the classroom, community, and around the world with positional words.

North Dakota

5.R.1 — Comprehend information during and after listening to a grade-level text.
Climate describes a range of an area's typical weather conditions and the extent to which those conditions vary over years.
5.C.6 — Engage in a range of discussions using active listening skills, posing and responding to specific questions to clarify information.
5.F.11 — Acquire and use grade-level vocabulary, clarifying the meaning of unknown and multiple-meaning words and phrases in the text, choosing from a range of strategies.

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.6 — Models and maps represent real places.
K.5 — Terms related to direction and distance, as well as symbols and landmarks, can be used to talk about the relative location of familiar places.
K.ESS.1 — Weather changes are long-term and short-term.

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.
4.2.5 — Identify and locate on a political map the fifty states and the United States capitol.
3.ESS2.2 — Obtain and combine information to describe climates in different regions of the world.

Oregon

2.12 — Identify relative location of school and community in the state, nation and the world.
2.5 — Identify city and civic leaders and their functions.
1.6 — Locate and identify important places in the community (school, library, fire department, cultural places, etc.).
1.7 — Explain how seasonal changes influence activities in school and community.

Pennsylvania

7.1.3.B — Identify and locate places and regions.
7.2.3.A — Identify the physical characteristics of places and regions.
7.3.3.E — Identify the human characteristics of places and regions by their political activities.
8.3.3.A. — Identify contributions of individuals and groups to United States history.
8.3.3.C. — Identify important changes in United States history (e.g., Belief Systems and Religions, Commerce and Industry, Innovations, Politics, Settlement Patterns and Expansion, Social Organization, Transportation, Women’s Movement).

Rhode Island

SS3.2.2 — States in the Northeast Explain the states that make up the Northeastern region including their admittance to the United States and their identities
SS3.2.1 — Geography and environment of the Northeast Explain the geography and environment of the Northeastern region of the United States
SS3.2.4 — The Northeastern region today Argue how the geography and environment of the Northeastern region contributed to its social, cultural, and economic development
SS3.1.3 — States and territories Explain what states and territories are and their locations within the United States

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.
3.2.3.ER — Identify spatial variations in climates around the world and recognize the relationship between climate and human activities. This indicator prompts students to inquire about how climate affects decision-making regarding such factors as food, clothing, and shelter around the world.
3-ESS2-2. — Obtain and combine information to describe climate patterns in different regions of the world.

South Dakota

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
2.L.5.a — Identify real-life connections between words and their use (e.g., describe foods that are spicy or juicy).
3-ESS2-2 — Obtain and combine information to describe climates in different regions of the world.

Tennessee

3.09 — Identify and locate the fifty states of the U.S.
2.18 — Analyze how the location of regions affects the way people live, including their: food, clothing, shelter, transportation, and recreation.
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.
K.ESS2.2 — Develop and use models to predict weather and identify patterns in spring, summer, autumn, and winter.

Texas

1.15C — identify the contributions of scientists and inventors such as Alexander Graham Bell, Thomas Edison, and Garrett Morgan.
1.5A — identify and describe the physical characteristics of place such as landforms, bodies of water, Earth's resources, and weather; and
2.4B — locate places, including the local community, Texas, the United States, the state capital, the U.S. capital, and the bordering countries of Canada and Mexico on maps and globes.
2.1B — identify and explain the significance of various community, state, and national landmarks such as monuments and government buildings.

Utah

2.3 — Standard 3: Students will use geographic tools and skills to locate and describe places on earth.
3.1.2 — Obtain and communicate information to describe climate patterns in different regions of the world. Emphasize how climate *patterns*can be used to predict typical weather conditions. Examples of climate *patterns*could be average seasonal temperature and average seasonal precipitation. (ESS2.D)

Vermont

D2.Geo.6.K-2 — Individually and with others, students… Identify some cultural and environmental characteristics of specific places.
D2.Geo.3.K-2 — Individually and with others, students… Use maps, globes, and other simple geographic models to identify cultural and environmental characteristics of places.
Climate describes a range of an area's typical weather conditions and the extent to which those conditions vary over years.
D2.Geo.4.K-2 — Individually and with others, students… Explain how weather, climate, and other environmental characteristics affect people’s lives in a place or region.

Virginia

2.10.a — The student will describe the contributions and roles of changemakers in United States history including, but not limited to Scholars and Inventors: Benjamin Franklin, Benjamin Banneker, Thomas Jefferson, George Washington Carver, Booker T. Washington, Orville and Wilbur Wright, Steve Jobs, Jonas Salk, Thomas Edison, Alexander Graham Bell, and Mary Jackson.
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.
USI.1.c — The student will apply history and social science skills to understand the geography of North America by locating the 50 states.
1.7.b — The student will apply history and social science skills to connect geography to historic events of Virginia and the United States by understanding that the location of Virginia determines its climate and its four distinct seasons.
Skill.2.i — The student will apply history and social science skills to the content by using content vocabulary to demonstrate comprehension.

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.
G2.K.1 — Explain how weather, climate, and other environmental characteristics affect people’s lives in a place or region.

Washington, D.C.

1.23 — Describe how location, weather and physical environment affect the way people live, including the effects on their food, clothing, shelter, transportation and recreation.
2.5 — Identify and explain the different climate patterns in different global regions.
1.18 — Compare the features of a city, county, state, country and continent.
1.19 — Locate and explain physical features on maps.

West Virginia

SS.3.13 — Distinguish between a continent, country, state and capital.
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.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.5.24 — Analyze the people and the factors that led to Industrialization in the late 19th century United States. • Examine how the Industrial Revolution was furthered by new inventions and technologies (e.g., light bulb, telegraph, automobile, assembly line, etc.). • Identify prominent inventors and scientists of the period and summarize their inventions or discoveries (e.g., Thomas Edison, Alexander Graham Bell, the Wright Brothers, Henry Ford and Albert Einstein, etc.). • Explain the causes and effects of immigration and urbanization on the American economy during the Industrial Revolution (e.g., role of immigrants, the growth of cities, the shift to industrialization, the rise of big business and reform movements, etc.).

Wisconsin

SS.Geog2.d.4-5 — Summarize positive and negative factors of cities. Identify the location and patterns of cities within our state and country.
SS.Geog4.a.2 — Categorize characteristics of the local community (e.g., weather and climate, population, landforms, vegetation, culture, industry). Describe how certain places have meanings that distinguish them from other places. (e.g., shopping mall, park, places of worship).
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.

Wyoming

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
SS2.5.3 — 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
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
3-ESS2-2 — Obtain and combine information to describe climates in different regions of the world.