Overview

              Preserving and promoting the best of New Jersey--                       starting with our kids!

A New Jersey Studies program for 4th Grade

Do you remember learning about New Jersey in 4th Grade? Was it fun? Was it an experience that stayed with you as became an adult and made choices about where to live, work, raise a family?

New Jersey history is a required study for all NJ students, however most teachers receive little training and only a basic text book for teaching this important subject. 

New Jersey is such an interesting place to live:  our rich history, diverse cultures, beautiful natural resources.  We think our children deserve a learning experience that not only teaches them the basics, but also connects them to the place they call home. 

We've designed a program that does all of this and gives students an opportunity to demonstrate what they've learned through a statewide writing contest.

PREVIEW THE WEBQUEST ASSIGNMENTS AND RESOURCES

Download the Program Brochure

Why Choose to be part of the Program

Addressing Academic Skills:  The Celebrate NJ! School Program engages students in the activities of research, reading, and writing as they learn about many aspects of New Jersey history, people, places and events. They also improve computer skills through online research, word processing and keyboarding. As an added benefit, students may demonstrate their oral presentation skills both in the classroom and at awards events by sharing what they learned about New Jersey with other students, parents and community members.

Creating Connections:The Celebrate NJ! School Program also fosters a connection to the rich, diverse place our kids call home. It helps develop self-esteem as they learn how people like them played important roles in the founding of our nation, invented life-changing products, and became global leaders. It inspires responsibility for their choices, as they take on the role of future stewards and leaders of our wonderful Garden State.

This program is independently funded and offered at no-fee to public and private schools alike. It was developed with and for New Jersey’s 4th grade teachers to meet the core curriculum standards. Launched in the spring of 2006, over 20,000 students have participated in the program in its first three years.

 

Here's How the Program Works

The basis of the Program is a WebQuest Challenge:

“Create a NJ Newspaper Written for and by NJ’s 4th Grade” featuring:

   * Step by Step Instructions for Students
   * Comprehensive Evaluation Section including a Self-Evaluation for Students
   * Resources and Links to helpful web sites for all aspects of the Challenge
   * A Parents page with a list of Activities to Reinforce Learning
   * Community Events to celebrate the students’ efforts
   * Publication in Online and Regional Newspapers showcasing the work of local students

Any fourth grade Teacher in a New Jersey School (public or private), may register his or
her class by clicking on the Teachers page and completing the registration information.

We will confirm your registration by email. Registration allows us to maintain contact with you to provide updates on community events and publication deadlines.

We will send you a class welcome kit including Celebrate NJ! pencils, a colorful poster to hang in your classroom and other resource information.

Each teacher determines how to best use the Webquest Challenge in his/her class. This can be done as an assignment to individual students, as teams, or as a class project.

The students have a deadline to complete their assignments.  An assigned period will be used for collecting and judging articles. Teachers will select a specified number of the best articles from each newspaper section to submit for consideration for publication.

Read the Program Overview for more details.

Community events will be scheduled for May and June honoring all students who participate in the Celebrate NJ! School Program, (more about this on the Events and Happenings page).