Oklahoma

= Oklahoma Facts, Map and State Symbols

Oklahoma was the 46^th state in the USA; it became a state on November 16, 1907.

State Abbreviation - OK
State Capital - Oklahoma City
Largest City - Oklahoma City
Area - 69,903 square miles [Oklahoma is the 20th biggest state in the USA]
Population - 3,450,654 (as of 2000) [Oklahoma is the 27th most populous state in the USA]
Name for Residents - Oklahomans
Major Industries - farming (wheat, cattle), oil, natural gas

Major Rivers - Arkansas River, Canadian River, Red River
Major Lakes - Lake Texoma, Eufaula Lake, Lake Hudson, Lake O' the Cherokees, Gibson Lake, Oologah Lake, Keystone Lake
Highest Point - Black Mesa - 4,973 feet (1,516 m) above sea level
Number of Counties - 77
Bordering States - Arkansas, Colorado, Kansas, Missouri, New Mexico, Texas 

Origin of the Name Oklahoma - The name Oklahoma is from the Choctaw Indian words "okla" meaning people and "humma" meaning red.
State Nickname - Sooner State
State Motto - "Labor omnia vincit" - Labor Conquers All Things
State Song - "Oklahoma!" by Rodgers and Hammerstein

Dinosaur Fossils Found in Oklahoma - Acrocanthosaurus, Apatosaurus, Epanterias,Pleurocoelus, Sauroposeidon, Tenontosaurus 

Oklahoma State Symbols and Emblems:

State FlagThe official state flag of Oklahoma was adopted on April 2, 1925. The flag was chosen from entries in a Daughters of the American Revolution flag contest. The winning entry was designed by Mrs. Louise Funk Fluke, an artist from Oklahoma City. The flag features a sky blue field (this is the color of the flag that Choctaw soldiers carried during the Civil War). Oklahoma's flag pictures a Osage Indian battle shield made of buffalo skin. It is adorned with eagle feathers and white crosses (the crosses represent the stars in the sky, and symbolize higher purposes in Native American culture). A gray peace pipe (also called a calumet) and an olive branch (symbols of peace in European and Native American cultures) are on the shield. "OKLAHOMA" is written in white under the shield (this was added to the flag in 1941).

Animal Symbols:

State BirdScissor-Tailed Flycatcher (Muscivora forficata)

State Game Bird Wild Turkey (Meleagris gallopavo)

State Animal Buffalo (Bison bison)

State Game Mammal White-tail deer

State Furbearer Raccoon

State Insect Honey bee (Apis mallifera)

State ButterflyBlack swallowtail

State ReptileCollared Lizard (Mountain Boomer) (Crotaphytus collaris)

State DinosaurAcrocanthosaurus atokensis

State FossilSaurophaganax maximus

State FishWhite or Sand Bass (Morone chrysops)

Plant Symbols:

State Floral EmblemMistletoe (Phoradendron serotinum)

State FlowerOklahoma Rose

State WildflowerIndian Blanket (Gaillardia pulchella)

State TreeRedbud (Cercis canadensis)

State GrassIndiangrass (Sorghastrum nutans)

Earth Symbols:

State RockRose rock Barite rose

State SoilPort Silt Loam (cumulic haplustolls)

Miscellaneous Symbols:

State Beverage Milk

State Percussive Musical InstrumentDrum

State Waltz"Oklahoma Wind"

State ColorsGreen and white

State DanceSquare dance

Related Pages:

Oklahoma: Map/Quiz PrintoutAnswer geography questions about Oklahoma using the map on this quiz. Answers	Oklahoma: Outline Map PrintoutAn outline map of Oklahoma to print.	Oklahoma: US State Dot to Dot Mystery MapConnect the dots to draw the borders of a mystery state of the USA. Then use a globe or atlas to figure out which state you have drawn. You might want to give students clues, such as that it has a panhandle, that its capital is Oklahoma City, or that its name starts with "O." Answer: Oklahoma.	Oklahoma: Label Me! PrintoutLabel the major features of Oklahoma. Answers
Oklahoma's Flag Printout/QuizRead about and answer questions on the flag of Oklahoma.	Oklahoma's Flag: Large Coloring PrintableA large black-and-white printable of the flag of Oklahoma.	Tornado AlleyRead about Tornado Alley, an area in Mid-USA that is prone to dangerous tornadoes.	Tornado Quiz + Label Tornado Alley PrintoutAnswer five questions about tornadoes and label the states in the heart of Tornado Alley. Or go to the answers.
United States of America: Follow the Instructions #5Draw lines on the USA map according to simple directions, such as, "The path you have drawn looks like which US state?" Or go to the answers. Or go to a pdf of the worksheet and the answers.

Your State: Draw and WriteDraw a map of the state that you live in (in the USA) and write about it.	US State - Find Related WordsFor a US state, write eight words related to the state, then use each word in a sentence.	US State Graphic OrganizerFor one US state, write the name of the state, draw a map of the state, then write the state capital, postal abbreviation, date of statehood, state bird (draw and write), state flower (draw and write), a major body of water in the state, two bordering states, and state nickname.	US State Report Graphic Organizer Printout #1This printout helps the student do a short report on a US state, prompting the student to draw a map of the state, locate it on a US map, draw the state's flag, and write its capital city, state nickname, area, population, date of statehood, and state bird.
US State Report Graphic Organizer Printout #2This printout helps the student do a short report on a US state, prompting the student to draw a map of the state, locate it on a US map, draw the state's flag, and write its capital city, state nickname, area, population, date of statehood, state bird, state flower, climate, and major industries.	US State Printable BookA short, printable book on a US state. To complete the book, the student must research a US state, draw its map, draw its flag, and answer simple questions about the state.	USA Map: Find Your StateFind and label your state in the USA, and label other important geography. Answers	USA Map: Where I LiveWrite your country, state, and city, and then find and label your state (and a few other geographical features).
Write Ten Things About Your StateA one-page printable worksheet. Write ten things about your state (plus one thing you would like to change).	US State WheelThis 2-page print-out makes a wheel about a single US state; the student fills out the information on the wheel. It consists of a base page together with a rear wheel that spins around. After putting the wheel together, the student follows the instructions on the front wheel (coloring in the state on a US map and drawing a small map of the state) and fills out the 12 sections of the wheel with information about one state. When you spin the wheel, facts about the US State appear, including: Biggest Cities, Capital, Flag, Bodies of Water, Postal Abbreviation, State Bird, Population (rank), Area (rank), Residents Called, Bordered by, Major Industries, and Entered Union (order).	US State - Find a Related Word for Each LetterFor a US state, see if you can think of and write down a word or phrase that is related to that state for each letter of the alphabet. Think of cities, famous people from the state, bodies of water, mountains, landmarks, and other features. Find words for as many letters as you can.	The CensusA census is an official count of the number of people in a region. The survey is done by a government, usually periodically. This page explains how and why censuses are taken.
Census: Printable Read-and-Answer WorksheetA printable worksheet on the census, with a short text to read, a map to color, and questions to answer. Or go to the answers. Or go to a pdf file with the worksheet and the answers.