Use books to study the states. Younger students will enjoy "Kids' Map of the United States: Fun Things to See and Do" by Rand McNally. The colorful book is full of maps, but also details sites that make each state special and unique. Read the book in a systematic way by dividing the states by regions and then studying the states within each region. Use the Internet to study the states, too. Visit the official websites for the state's visitors bureaus and visit the official sites for the state's major cities to learn more about each state.
Implement crafts into a study of the states. Study each state one by one and complete a craft that highlights what is unique about each state. For instance, study New York by making a model of the Empire State Building out of craft sticks or by making a model of the Statue of Liberty. Make a map of each state and draw pictures of the area's main industries or landmarks. For example, a map of Minnesota could include a drawing of the Mall of America and the state's many lakes.
Study each state by looking at their license plates. Look up each state's license plate design on the Internet, then discuss why each license plate looks the way it does. For instance, discuss why Washington's plate has a picture of Mt. Rainier on it. Have students draw a picture of each plate or have them design their own license plate for each state based on what they know about each individual state.
Assign one state to each student. For smaller classes, assign two states per child. Have the children create a poster with information about each state and highlight the important landmarks and attractions in each area.
Create a bulletin board with the map of the United States. Highlight a new state every day and allow one student to add a star and write the name of the capital of each state on the bulletin board map.