Activity Overview
Each state in our country has its own unique fun facts that kids will love to discover. For this activity, students will create a 3 cell storyboard that depicts some interesting facts they have learned about Illinois. Here are some examples of fun facts:
- The Willis Tower (formerly the Sears Tower) is one of the tallest buildings in the United States.
- On Saint Patrick’s Day the Chicago River is dyed green.
- Illinois was the first state to abolish slavery by ratifying the thirteenth amendment.
- The favored dance in Illinois is Square Dancing.
- The world’s largest library is the Chicago Public Library. It has over 2 million books!
- McDonald’s headquarters is located in Chicago, Illinois.
Template and Class Instructions
(These instructions are completely customizable. After clicking "Copy Activity", update the instructions on the Edit Tab of the assignment.)
Due Date:
Objective: Create a storyboard that describes and illustrates 3 interesting facts about Illinois.
Student Instructions:
- Click “Start Assignment”.
- Write a fun fact in each heading.
- In the description box, write a short summary of each heading.
- Create an illustration that represents each heading using appropriate scenes, characters, and items.
Lesson Plan Reference
Rubric
(You can also create your own on Quick Rubric.)
| Proficient 5 Points | Emerging 3 Points | Beginning 1 Points | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Explanation | Three fun facts about the state are included. The descriptions are clear and at least two sentences. | Two fun facts about the state are included. The descriptions can be understood but it are somewhat unclear. | One or no fun facts are included. The descriptions are unclear and are not at least two sentences. |
| Illustrations | The illustrations represent the descriptions using appropriate scenes, characters and items. | The illustrations relate to the descriptions, but are difficult to understand. | The illustrations do not clearly relate to the descriptions. |
| Evidence of Effort | Work is well written and carefully thought out. | Work shows some evidence of effort. | Work shows little evidence of any effort. |
| Conventions | Spelling, grammar, and punctuation are mostly correct. | Spelling, grammar, and punctuation are somewhat correct. | Spelling, grammar, and punctuation are mostly incorrect. |
Activity Overview
Each state in our country has its own unique fun facts that kids will love to discover. For this activity, students will create a 3 cell storyboard that depicts some interesting facts they have learned about Illinois. Here are some examples of fun facts:
- The Willis Tower (formerly the Sears Tower) is one of the tallest buildings in the United States.
- On Saint Patrick’s Day the Chicago River is dyed green.
- Illinois was the first state to abolish slavery by ratifying the thirteenth amendment.
- The favored dance in Illinois is Square Dancing.
- The world’s largest library is the Chicago Public Library. It has over 2 million books!
- McDonald’s headquarters is located in Chicago, Illinois.
Template and Class Instructions
(These instructions are completely customizable. After clicking "Copy Activity", update the instructions on the Edit Tab of the assignment.)
Due Date:
Objective: Create a storyboard that describes and illustrates 3 interesting facts about Illinois.
Student Instructions:
- Click “Start Assignment”.
- Write a fun fact in each heading.
- In the description box, write a short summary of each heading.
- Create an illustration that represents each heading using appropriate scenes, characters, and items.
Lesson Plan Reference
Rubric
(You can also create your own on Quick Rubric.)
| Proficient 5 Points | Emerging 3 Points | Beginning 1 Points | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Explanation | Three fun facts about the state are included. The descriptions are clear and at least two sentences. | Two fun facts about the state are included. The descriptions can be understood but it are somewhat unclear. | One or no fun facts are included. The descriptions are unclear and are not at least two sentences. |
| Illustrations | The illustrations represent the descriptions using appropriate scenes, characters and items. | The illustrations relate to the descriptions, but are difficult to understand. | The illustrations do not clearly relate to the descriptions. |
| Evidence of Effort | Work is well written and carefully thought out. | Work shows some evidence of effort. | Work shows little evidence of any effort. |
| Conventions | Spelling, grammar, and punctuation are mostly correct. | Spelling, grammar, and punctuation are somewhat correct. | Spelling, grammar, and punctuation are mostly incorrect. |
How Tos about Fun Facts About Illinois
How to help students research fun facts about Illinois for their storyboard
Guide students to use kid-friendly resources like library books, trusted websites (such as state government or museum pages), and educational videos. Show them how to look for interesting, reliable facts about Illinois that aren't already in your examples.
Demonstrate how to organize research findings in a graphic organizer
Model creating a simple chart or graphic organizer with columns for 'Fact,' 'Summary,' and 'Illustration Idea.' This helps students sort their ideas and plan their storyboard scenes efficiently.
Encourage students to put facts in their own words
Remind students to read and rephrase each fact in a way they understand. This deepens comprehension and helps avoid copy-pasting from sources.
Check for accuracy and relevance before creating illustrations
Review each student's facts and summaries together to ensure they're correct and interesting. This helps prevent misinformation and keeps the project meaningful.
Support students in brainstorming creative illustration ideas
Lead a quick class brainstorm for each fact, inviting students to share ways to visually represent it. Encourage use of symbols, characters, or settings unique to Illinois for more engaging storyboards.
Frequently Asked Questions about Fun Facts About Illinois
What are some fun facts about Illinois for kids?
Illinois has many fun facts for kids, such as the Willis Tower being one of the tallest buildings in the U.S., the Chicago River turning green on St. Patrick’s Day, and Illinois being the first state to abolish slavery by ratifying the 13th Amendment.
How can I create a storyboard of Illinois fun facts for my class?
To create a storyboard, have students pick three interesting Illinois facts, write each as a heading, summarize them in the description boxes, and draw illustrations for each using scenes or characters that match the facts.
What is a simple lesson plan for teaching Illinois state facts to grades 3–6?
A simple lesson plan is to introduce Illinois fun facts, then assign students to make a three-cell storyboard where they write, summarize, and illustrate their favorite facts about the state.
Why is the Chicago River dyed green on St. Patrick’s Day?
The Chicago River is dyed green each St. Patrick’s Day as a festive tradition to celebrate Irish heritage and the holiday, making it a famous and unique event in Illinois.
What are examples of unique Illinois traditions or landmarks for students?
Examples include the Willis Tower, the green Chicago River on St. Patrick’s Day, Square Dancing as the state dance, and the Chicago Public Library as the world’s largest library.
More Storyboard That Activities
Illinois State Guide
- • grafikacesky • License Free for Commercial Use / No Attribution Required (https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/zero/1.0)
- 1411263 • sam99929 • License Free for Most Commercial Use / No Attribution Required / See https://pixabay.com/service/license/ for what is not allowed
- 2400583 • Trace Hudson • License Free To Use / No Attribution Required / See https://www.pexels.com/license/ for what is not allowed
Testimonials
“By using the product, they were so excited and they learned so much...”–K-5 Librarian and Instructinal Technology Teacher
“I'm doing a Napoleon timeline and I'm having [students] determine whether or not Napoleon was a good guy or a bad guy or somewhere in between.”–History and Special Ed Teacher
“Students get to be creative with Storyboard That and there's so many visuals for them to pick from... It makes it really accessible for all students in the class.”–Third Grade Teacher
© 2025 - Clever Prototypes, LLC - All rights reserved.
StoryboardThat is a trademark of Clever Prototypes, LLC, and Registered in U.S. Patent and Trademark Office
