A New State in the Union???

Today I was watching an episode of Family Feud, a new past time I've developed since summer started. One of the questions Steve Harvey asked a family member was "Name an east coast state, except New York, that tourists love to visit." The family member answered "Washington D.C."

This is the reason why we need to teach Social Studies! I know the show is high pressure, quick thinking, and all of that jazz, but the mantra that I've formed for why I teach Social Studies comes from a little pre-assessment that I gave my 6th graders several years ago. In that pre-assessment, I was informed that Texas was a country and Paris is the capital of Pennsylvania.

So, why, do you ask, do I insist on teaching Social Studies? So they'll know that "Paris is not the capital of Pennsylvania and Texas is not a country!"

(Add to that, that Washington D.C. is not a state)