Eight for Each State - Idaho | Your Morning Basket

Welcome to the Eight For Each State US Geography tour. I am so glad you are joining us.

Be sure to check out all of our US Geography resources to help you plan a complete study of the USA.

When I think of Idaho, I think potatoes. Who doesn’t? While potatoes are a huge part of Idaho’s identity, we found many other exciting things to tempt us to visit this strangely shaped state.

From gems, to interesting music, to stunts, and tall tales of real mountain men, Idaho was an exciting state to study.

1. P is for Potato by Stan and Joy Steiner

PinWhen we begin with one of these books from the Discovering America series, out US Geography study always goes well. These books are full of unique information of each state. We always read the rhyme on each page, as well as the extra information on any page the girls want to know more about. For Idaho, we read more about the Hot Springs, Appaloosa horses (also mentioned in the Washington book), and the txistu.

Other nonfiction books for Idaho:

2. An Introductory Idaho video

Idaho – Visit the 50 States

3. Idaho the Gem State

Idaho is the only place other than India in the whole world where star garnets can be found. The mountains of Idaho also contain opals, jasper, agate, petrified wood, and nearly every other precious gem.

PinJust like you can dig for diamonds in Arkansas, you can look for your very own star garnet in Idaho. Be sure to put the Emerald Creek Garnet Area on your list of places to visit on your next trip west!

PinFor some good pictures of Idaho gems, visit Geology.com, and Outdoor Idaho’s “Gem State.” For Information about where to find different gem deposits, visit Idaho Gemstone Deposits, and this map from Outdoor Idaho.

Learn More with Nature Guide: Gems. Can’t make it to Idaho but still want to dig for gems, not a problem! This fun kit could be a great addition to make US Geography come alive when you are thousands of miles away from the nearest gem mine.

4. Fancy Potatoes

PinRuth made this dish almost entirely herself. I am so surprised at how her confidence in the kitchen has grown through our US Geography study alone.

We found our recipe in our US Geography food standby The United States Cookbook: Fabulous Foods and Fascinating Facts From All 50 States by Joan D’Amico. This book has been a valuable resource for us as we look for fun recipes to try for each state.

5. Sacajawea

While we talked about Lewis and Clark in our Louisiana state study, I wanted to focus on Sacajawea here because she was born in Idaho.

Captured as a young girl, sold to another Native American tribe and then sold again as wife to Toussaint Charbonneau. Be aware that any children’s version is probably not the real version of the story.

Children’s books about Sacajawea:

Who Was Sacagawea? by Judith Bloom Fradin
Sacagawea by Liselotte Erdrich – This amazingly illustrated book tells more of the real history than most.
Sacagawea: Journey into the West (Graphic Biographies) by Jessica Gunderson – Anytime a graphic history is involved, Ruth chooses it first to read. They are usually vivid and fun, and she learns quite a bit from them.
A Picture Book of Sacagawea by David A. Adler – One of the many great books in this series about famous people.

6. Basque Music

The Basque people live in the Pyrenees Mountains between France and Spain. Some of them migrated to the United States and settled in Idaho. Their culture and music is still celebrated by their decedents today. Enjoy this video of a Basque music. The flute like instrument is called a txistulari.

7. Evel Knievel and the Snake River Jump

Just for fun, this Evel Knievel stunt from the 1970s is a good one to watch. Skip to the end if you want to see just the stunt and not the pre-show.

Evel Knievel Snake River Jump 2

8. Mountain Men Pin

After Lewis and Clark returned from their expedition to the Pacific, many men followed their trail as fur trappers. These men became known as Mountain Men. Many of these trappers would meet each year near Bear Lake in Idaho to trade, resupply, and tell stories, some true, some embellished, and some outright tall tales.

P is for Potato: An Idaho Alphabet (Discover America State by State)Pin Idaho: The Gem State (Exploring the States)Pin Idaho (Hello U.S.A.)Pin Nature Guide: Gems (Nature Guides)Pin Mega Gemstone Mine Dig KitPin The United States Cookbook: Fabulous Foods and Fascinating Facts From All 50 StatesPin SacajaweaPin Who Was Sacagawea?Pin SacagaweaPin Sacagawea: Journey into the West (Graphic Biographies)Pin A Picture Book of Sacagawea (Picture Book Biography)Pin It Happened in America: True Stories from the Fifty StatesPin Mountain Men: True Grit and Tall TalesPin

It Happened in America by Lila Perl – The Idaho chapter tells about several mountain men.
Mountain Men, True Grit and Tall Tales by Andrew Glass



Download your FREE State Scrapbooking Pages

About
Latest Posts

Jessica

Contributor at pambarnhill.com

Jessica Lawton is a homeschool mom to five fantastically fabulous children. Her hobbies include book collecting, knitting, reading, and birdwatching. While teacher or writer were never on her list of Things to Be When I Grow Up, she curiously finds herself doing both, and enjoying it. This only strengthens her firmly held belief that God has better plans for us than we have for ourselves.