50 States, 50 Capitals

Lyrics

Verse I
Listing capitals is so much for for me
In Alabama, you've got Montgomery
and in Alaska, you know Juneau's the boss
Phoenix in Arizona; Little Rock in Arkansas

In California, we've got Sacramento
Then we go to Denver out in in Colorado
Hartford, Connecticut; Dover, Deleware;
Listing all the state capitals everywhere because...

Chorus
50 states got 50 state capitals
All around the country, man, it's transnational
Trying to list them all might sound irrational
But, you gotta start somewhere

Verse II
Down in Florida, we got Tallahassee
Atlanta in Georgia; Honolulu, Hawaii;
Boise, Idaho; I don't know the next one
Capital of Illinois? Springfield's the correct one

Indianapolis, Indiana; Des Moines, Iowa
And then Topeka down in Kansas
Frankfort, Kentucky; then Louisiana's got Baton Rouge
And we keep running through all the...

Chorus
50 states got 50 state capitals
All around the country, man, it's transnational
Trying to list them all might sound irrational
But, you gotta start somewhere

Verse III
August, Maine; Annapolis, Maryland
Boston, Massachusetts and Lansing, Michigan
St. Paul, Minnesota then Jackson, Mississippi
Then in Missouri it's Jefferson City

Helena, the capital of Montana
Lincoln, Nebraska; Carson City, Nevada
Concord, New Hampshire; Trenton, NJ
Then down in New Mexico we've got Sante Fe

In New York, we're talking about Albany
Then Raleigh, NC; Bismarck, ND
In Ohio, Columbus leads the way
Then Oklahoma City in the state of "OK!"

And Salem is the capital of Oregon
Harrisburg, Pennsylvania; let's keep it moving on
Next is Providence in Rhode Island
Then Columbia down in South Carolina

Chorus
50 states got 50 state capitals
All around the country, man, it's transnational
Trying to list them all might sound irrational
But, you gotta start somewhere

Verse IV
Pierre, SD; Nashville, Tennessee;
Austin, Texas; Salt Lake City, UT
Montpelier, Vermont; Richmond in Virginia
The state of Washington with the city of Olympia

Charleston, West Virginia; we're almost done
Wisconsin's capital: you know it's Madison, then
a city in Wyoming that's called Cheyenne
But let's let the chorus come 'round again, it goes...

Chorus
50 states got 50 state capitals
All around the country, man, it's transnational
Trying to list them all might sound irrational
But, you gotta start somewhere

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Description

This song teaches memorization of all 50 states and capitals in alphabetical order! After memorizing this song and using the worksheets, you'll be able to name the 50 state capitals and their abbreviations.

Learn all fifty states and capitals of the United States easily. In addition to the Original Track, Downtempo Track (slowed down), and Instrumental Track, this song features two Recall Tracks™ (one missing names of states, the other missing names of capitals). This entertaining feature allows students an opportunity to recite the missing information while reinforcing associations between specific capitals and their states. Carefully selected teaching resources online, included on this song page, offer useful supplements and activities to round out lesson plans. Worksheets, quizzes, and crossword puzzles accompany this "50 States, 50 Capitals" song and assist students in spelling and pronunciation with clever devices that aid memorization.

A popular way to teach "50 States, 50 capitals" is to pair it with another RRR social studies song, "Geography in the USA". Used together, these songs create an entertaining and informative unit of study for students as they learn about important mountains, rivers, oceans, and other geographical data the help identify locations and topography of various parts of the United States.

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Related Reading and Activities

Activities & Games

Sheppard Software
These state and capital review games are divided into beginner, intermediate and expert levels, meeting the needs of students who have varying levels of knowledge about the 50 states and capitals. Highly interactive and fun.

Beginner and intermediate levels are probably the most helpful and engaging.

I Like 2 Learn
This online game helps students to match states and capitals. Provides the capitals and prompts students to click on the correct corresponding state. A very straightforward activity that will help students solidify their knowledge of state/capital pairs.

Excellent for 4th grade and above

Fact Monster
This is an interactive US map: click on each state to learn fast facts, state landmarks and flags and other “Americana.” Each profile also includes the state capital, postal code information, and features links to other useful, smart sites pertaining to the state. Great for extra credit projects.

Great for 5th grade and above

KidsGeo.com
A multiple choice game that prompts students to identify the capital of a highlighted state on a map.

Good for younger students

Quiz Hub
Prompts students with state names and their capitals, and asks them to click on the corresponding state on the interactive map. A good way to learn states, capitals and the statesʼ locations in the US.

Great for beginners and younger learners There are many excellent sources for this topic available. Here is a representative group that we have selected as having particularly interesting content.

Quiz Hub
The equivalent of electronic flashcards, students match the state with the capital by clicking on pairs. Excellent for students who have learned their states and capitals, but who still need a reinforcing activity.

Good for review

Quiz Hub
The equivalent of electronic flashcards, students match the state with the capital by clicking on pairs. Excellent for students who have learned their states and capitals, but who still need a reinforcing activity.

Good for review

Sporcle
See if you can name all 50 states! This timed activity allows students to demonstrate mastery of the 50 states by naming them all on an interactive map. This timed activity is particularly good for middle school students.

Best for 5th grade and above.

America's Library
This online exploration site is a great way to help students learn about the 50 states. You can “go” to any state on the map for fast facts and state information, but the site also includes thoughtful links to stories and articles about each state.

Excellent for all ages

Wikipedia
An incredible resource. Lists the dates of statehood for each state, and includes an interactive map that shows the progression of inclusion into the US. As each state is highlighted, a sophisticated timeline shows the date statehood was achieved.

Good introduction for 5th grade and above into Wikipedia resources.

Mapsorama.com
A well-done topographical map of the US. States are not labeled, but will provide solid understanding of regional landscapes.

4th grade and above.

Edutopia

This site is a generally excellent resource. This particular lesson can be used as is or adapted to teach directionals and navigation, including longitude and latitude.

Best for 5th grade and above

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State Standards

State standards listed here are representative of school standards across the United States.

California

History - Social Science Standards
5.9 - Students know the location of the current 50 states and the names of their capitals.

Florida

5th grade | Geography standards
5th grade
SS.5.G.1.6 - Locate and identify states, capitals and United States territories on a map.
SS.5.G.1. PA.F - Recognize that the United States is made up of different states.
SS.5.G.1.SU.F - Recognize selected states and their capitals on a map.

7th grade
SS.7.G.1.1 - Locate fifty states and their capitals in addition to the nation's capital on a map.

Illinois

State Goal
The “State Goal” is an umbrella standard, so to speak. The standards that flow from it are for “early and middle elementary, junior high, middle school, and early/late high school." Specific grade levels arenʼt indicated.

STATE GOAL 17: Understand world geography and the effects of geography on society, with an emphasis on the United States

17.A. - Locate, describe and explain places, regions and features on the Earth.

Late elementary: 17.A.2b - Use maps and other geographic representations and instruments to gather information about people, places and environments.

Middle/Junior High School: 17.A.3a - Explain how people use geographic markers and boundaries to analyze and navigate the Earth (e.g., hemispheres, meridians, continents, bodies of water).

Massachusetts

Frameworks
4th grade: 4.10 - Identify the states, state capitals, and major cities in each region. (G)

5th grade: 6 - Distinguish between political and topographical maps and identify specialized

New York

S.3.I.1. (Standard 3, Key Idea 1)
Elementary - Locate places within the local community, State, and nation; locate the Earthʼs continents in relation to each other and to principal parallels and meridians.

Intermediate - Map information about people, places and environments.

Texas

5th Grade | Social Studies/Geography
113.7 b.7.C. Locate the fifty states on a map and identify regions such as New England and the Great Plains made up of various groups of states.

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