Конспект уроку з англійської мови для 8 класу на тему "The USA"

Lesson 6

Theme.         The USA

Objectives:

•  Practical: to give pupils the opportunity to use their knowledge of English for communication with the native speaker, teach pupils to collect information and make the conclusions, check their skills of listening and understanding the English speech.
• Educational: to extend pupils’ knowledge of the USA and its people, teach pupils to work in pairs, groups,
• Developing: to develop pupils’ skills in speaking (prepared and unprepared), reading, listening, to develop pupils’ memory, their imagination in communication through interactive activities.
• Upbringing: to motivate pupils to study English.

Equipment: cards, the map of the USA, pictures of Washington DC sights, short texts about places of interest of Washington DC, text, computer presentation.

Type of the lesson: lesson meeting.

 

Procedure

    SO IT’S HOME AGAIN, AND HOME AGAIN, AMERICA FOR ME! MY HEART IS TURNING HOME AGAIN, AND I LONG TO BE IN THE LAND OF YOUTH AND FREEDOM BEYOND THE OCEAN BARS, WHERE THE AIR IS FULL OF SUNSHINE AND THE FLAG IS FULL OF STARS.

Henry Jackson van Dyke

 

I. The beginning of the lesson.

1. Greeting.

T: Good morning, pupils. I’m glad to see you. Please, take your seats.

 2. Introduction the theme and aims.

T: The topic of our lesson is “The USA”. Today we are going to have an unusual lesson because we have a guest from America. This is Kelsey Watters, she is a Peace Corps Volunteer in our district town. Kelsey has come to us today to take part in our lesson about the USA. But before we listen to our guest, let’s speak what we know about Kelsey’s native country, the USA.

3. Warming up.

T: Let’s revise the states of the country. Read the sentences and find a hidden name of a state in each and circle it.

1. “Alas” Karen said, I’m late for work”.

2. Who is bringing Ida home tonight?

3. They said to color a dog.

4. Let’s take a cruise on a barge or giant cruise ship.

5. Don’t miss our indoor pool!

6. My sister Mary landed the plain.

7. Washing tons of clothes made working in the laundry a hard job.

8. I was surprised when even Eva dared to go jumping.

9. What exasperates me doesn’t even upset you.

10. Cut a half of an orange for each person in the room.

Keys: 1. Alaska; 2.Idaho; 3.Colorado; 4.Georgia; 5.Missouri; 6. Maryland; 7.Washington; 8.Nevada; 9. Texas; 10.Utah.

II. The main part of the lesson.

1. Vocabulary Practice.

a) Arrange the words in pairs of antonyms. Write them down into your notebook.

South Lowlands Long Cold Immense West Old To separate Suitable To take a source Developed Mild climate

To flow into East North Continental climate Highlands Warm Unsuitable New Undeveloped To join Short Small

b) Arrange the words in pairs of synonyms.

Immense Region Prominent To compose To separate To flow into A range Unsuitable Highlands Main

To make up To divide To fall into A chain Uncomfortable Hills Outstanding Chief Huge Area

2. Listening.

1) Pre-Reading Activity.

a) Problem solving.

T: What do you think?

Look at the map of the USA and answer the question.

Is the geographical position of the USA suitable for the development of its relations with foreign countries?

b) Listen to the following geographical names.

The USA

The Atlantic Ocean

The Pacific Ocean

The Arctic Ocean

The Appalachian Mountains

The Rocky Mountains

The Mississippi….

Find them on the map of the USA.

2) While-Reading Activity.

T: Read and match its seven paragraphs to the topics from a) to g) noted after the text.

THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA

(1) The United States of America is a name of the country com­posed of 50 states joined in a federal republic, and its citizens are known as ‘Americans'.

In the north the US is bordered by Canada, and in the south it borders on Mexico. It is washed by the Atlantic Ocean in the East and by the Pacific Ocean in the West.

(2) Hawaii, which became the 50th state in 1959, is situated in the Pacific Ocean halfway between the west-coast states and the Far East.

Alaska is separated from Russia by only about 50 miles across the Bering Strait.

(3) The main part of the United States consists of several physical divisions, including highland and lowland regions. Major highlands are the Appalachian Mountains in the east and the Rocky Mountains in the west. The Rocky Mountains extend from Mexico to Canada. The mountains are crossed by streams which flow through deep canyons and fall into the Pacific Ocean. The largest among them are the Colorado and the Columbia rivers.

These rivers are unsuitable for navigation, but they serve as an immense source of electric power.

 The central lowland between the two main mountain ranges makes up the basin of the Mississippi River. Its main tributaries are the Missouri and the Ohio Rivers. The Mississippi together with the Missouri form the longest river in the world (7,300 km).

The northern part of the USA embraces the region of the five Great Lakes (Lake

Superior, Lake Huron, Lake Michigan, Lake Erie and Lake Ontario), which are connected by natural channels cut by rapids. The greatest of these rapids is the Niagara Falls.

(4)  Crossed by mountain ranges from north to south, the country unprotected from cold winds from the north and from warm wind from the south. This causes great temperature fluctuations. On the whole, USA has a continental climate.

(5) The country is rich in coal, oil, iron and minerals, which form a solid base for the development of American industry. The US economy is highly developed. In fact, the United States is leading countries in the world economy.

(6) The people of the United States are a mixture of many different nationalities. The United States is often called a big melting pot of countries. In a melting pot, different metals are melted together make a new metal. The United States is like a melting pot for people. In the past, people from many different European countries came to the US and made one country out of many. In one city you can find people whose parents or great-grandparents came from China, Africa, Southeast Asia and many European countries. These different people brought a wonderful mixture of customs and traditions to their new land. The German brought Christmas trees, the Irish - St. Patrick's Day celebrations, the Scots — Halloween.

(7) The red-white-and-blue flag of the United States is known as 'Old Glory' or the 'Stars and Stripes'. Red stands for courage, white for purity and blue for justice.13 stripes represent the first original American colonies, which were united into one country. The stars in the flag, white on the deep blue background, represent the number of states making up the United States. Today it has 50 each state, and 13 stripes, one for each of the original states.

Everyone can be greatly surprised by the fact how Americans honour and treat their flag. In American schools the day begins with the ceremony of raising the flag.

a) the landscape

b) the flag

c) the geographical

d) the mineral resources

e) the smallest and the biggest states

f) the climate

g) the people

Keys: a)-3; b)-7; c)-1; d)-5; e)-2; f)-4; g)-6.

3) Post-Reading Activity.

T: Say if the statements are true or false.

1. Hawaii is the smallest state of the USA.

2. The Colorado and the Columbia rivers flow through the Rocky Mountains.

3. The Missouri and the Ohio rivers are the tributaries of the Columbia river.

5. The people of the USA are known as Germans, Irish and Scots.  

6. “Stars and Stripes” is another name of American money.

7. There were 12 original states which gave birth to the USA.

8. The USA is composed of 50 states today.   

3. Chain work.

T: Let’s work in chain, asking and answering the questions.

1. What is the official name of the country?

2. How many states does the USA consist of?

3. Which state is the biggest?

4. Which state is the smallest?

5. Which state is the most populated?

6. Which state is the least populated?

7. What is the population of the USA?

8. What city is its capital?

9. What other big cities do you know?

10. Does the USA have an official language?

11. What is its unit of currency?

12. What do you know about its flag?

4. Whole class work.

T: So, what kind of country is the USA and where is it situated?

P₁: I know that the USA is the richest and one of the most developed countries of the world.

P₂: The territory of the USA consists of three separate parts. The USA proper and Alaska are situated in North America. The Hawaii is situated in the central part of the Pacific Ocean.

P₃: The USA borders on two countries – Canada in the North and Mexico in the South.

T: What do you know about its rivers, lakes and mountains?

P₄: This country has a lot of mountains, rivers and lakes. The largest rivers of the USA are the Mississippi, the Missouri, the Columbia, the Colorado and the Yukon. Some American rivers have very expressive names: the Snake River, the Milk River, the Green River, the Sweetwater River, the White River. The Great Lakes are situated in the north-east of the country.

T: And what about natural resources, industry and agriculture?

P₅: The USA gas rich deposits of coal, oil, iron, copper, silver, phosphate rock, natural gas, uranium and non-ferrous metal.

P₆: The USA is a country of highly developed industry and agriculture. The main industrial centres are Chicago and Detroit, with their greatest automobile company “General motors”.

P₇: In the country there are many farms with various agricultural products. Grain, fruit and vegetables are grown on numerous fields especially in the South.

T: Who can name the largest cities?

P₈: New York is the largest city of the USA, but the capital of the country is Washington DC. The other largest cities are San Francisco, Los-Angeles, Detroit, Chicago and Dallas. The main cities are located on the Pacific and Atlantic coasts.

T: And what interesting facts do you remember about Washington?

P₉: I know that it is a very green and peaceful city without much industry. Most of the people in Washington work for the government and there are a lot of government offices there.

P₁₀: It’s interesting that in Washington the streets which go from east to west are named after the letters of the alphabet. And the streets that go from north and south are numbered. The longest and the biggest streets are named after Americans states.

P₁₁: One of the most beautiful places in Washington is the White House, where the President lives and works. There are 132 rooms there. Visitors can see the library, the Red Room, The Blue Room and the Green Room there. The old furniture is fantastic!

P₁₂: There are a lot of other beautiful places where you can relax and enjoy yourself, or learn about history.

5. Listening.

1) Pre-Listening Activity.

T: So, as you see, Kelsey, we know quite a lot about America. We know that it is one of the most beautiful and interesting countries in the world, with its unique nature, history and culture, hard-working and friendly people. And we would like to learn more about it, so we hope that our today’s lesson will bring us much interesting information and new impressions. Now we are ready to listen to you.

2) While-Listening Activity.

Kelsey: My name is Kelsey Watters and I work as a Peace Corps Volunteer in your town.

I am from the state of Oregon, which is located in the northwest part of the United States of America. I have a mother and a father and a younger brother, Sean. My mother’s name is Peggy and my father’s name is Michael, but Mike for short. My brother still studies in university – he wants to become a doctor and therefore has many years at school!

I am 25 years old and graduated from University of San Diego with a degree in biology. When I was in university, I was also an athlete on the rowing team. It was very hard work, but I loved being a part of the team. In San Diego, the weather is almost always sunny and quite pleasant. I studied there for four years and worked in a laboratory after I finished my degree.

My native state Oregon is quite beautiful. There are many mountains, rivers, lakes and forests. One of my favourite things to do is to go hiking and camping with my family and friends. Many people in Oregon also enjoy being in the “Great Outdoors”, as we call it and play many outdoor sports. The environment in Oregon is quite beautiful, but we also have a lot of rain. Oregon is known for its rainy weather. It may rain a lot, but we still love it. The thing I love most about my native town is that I can drive for one hour and breathe the fresh air of the mountains or the salt air of the Pacific Ocean.

In my free time, I love to listen to music, run in the forest, talk with my friends and watch interesting movies. My favourite movie is Braveheart. My favourite type of music is soft rock or independent music. My favourite food in the United States is not really “American” – I love Mexican food… its very tasty! However, now that I’m in Ukraine, I have tried new foods and like them very much. My favourite Ukrainian meal is green borsch (zeleny borsch).

3) Post-Listening Activity.

Kelsey: And now I want to suggest you a guessing game. I’ll tell you three sentences, two of which are true and one is wrong. Try to guess the false sentences about me.

• I played football when I was young.
• I have a cat named Kasy.
• My favourite colour is orange.
• I am from the state of Oregon.
• I studied music in university.
• I like to be in nature.
• I like to watch TV.
• I have visited 16 countries – Mexico, Germany, Canada, England, France, Switzerland, Austria, Czech Republic, Slovakia, Poland, Hungary, Italy, Bulgaria, Romania, Turkey and Ukraine.
• I studied Spanish and German.
• I have a brother named Joe.
• I live near the Pacific coast.
• I started driving a car when I was 15 years old.

(Underlined answers are false)

6. Group work.

a) Kelsey: I know that at your English lessons you’ve learned much about the capital of the USA. Let’s work in groups. I’ve brought with me some pictures of the most famous sights of Washington DC. They are:

    a)                 b)

 

c)                d)

e)

• The US Capitol
• Lincoln Memorial
• Washington Monument
• Jefferson Memorial
• The Smithsonian Institution

Here are some texts about these places of interest. Look through the texts and match them with the pictures on the blackboard. Each group has a text.

Texts

1. This is a very tall monument that looks like a pencil; it is located at the end of a reflecting pool and reminds Americans of their States. The design of the monument is simple, just like a man it was made for.

(Washington Monument)

2. This large complex has a tall dome and is the place where the US Congress meets, discusses different issues in American politics and works to change laws for the better. Over the years, many people have protested for or against their political views in front of this building.

(The US Capitol)

3. This is the largest group of museums, art galleries, cathedrals, concert halls, and universities in the world. All the museums are free and have exhibits about many different topics – science and space, natural and American history, Native Americans, American art, and a zoo.

(The Smithsonian Institution)

4. A large statue of the United States’ 16^th President sits at this monument. It reminds Americans of his beliefs, his work, and his fight to stop slavery. Many people have protested at this monument because it is a symbol of equality.

(Lincoln Memorial)

5. This monument looks like architecture in Rome and was built in memory of the 3^rd US President, who wrote the Declaration of Independence in 1776 and said, “We hold these truths to be self-evident that all men are created equal”.

(Jefferson Memorial)

b) Buzz group.

T: Speak about the USA in groups on the following items.

• the US geographical outlook
• the US scenery and its beauty
• the US as a melting pot
• the respect the Americans show for their flag

7. Dialogical speaking. Role-playing.

T: The USA is really a wonderful country and there are a lot of places worth seeing. Would you like to visit it someday? Imagine that you’ve decided to make a tour there. Where can you get information about the cost of the tour, accommodations and other important things?

P: I’ll call the tourist agency and find out about it.

T: So, let’s role-play now. One of you will be a tourist who wants to visit the USA and Kelsey will play the role of a tourist agent.

(Example)

Customer: Good afternoon.

Travel Agent: Good afternoon.

Customer: Is this the travel agency “Roger’s Happy Holiday”?

Travel Agent: Yes, it is. How can I help you?

Customer: I’d like to buy a package tour to the USA. Can you offer me anything for July?

Travel Agent: Yes, there are several package tours available in July – one to Florida and one to Chicago. The tour to Florida will leave on July 15^th and the tour to Chicago will leave on July 23^rd.

Customer: And how much will that be?

  Travel Agent: The Florida tour will cost $2900 and the Chicago tour will cost $2700.

Customer: How many days are those tours?

Travel Agent: The Florida tour is one week and the Chicago tour is a week and a half.

Customer: Have you got anything chipper?

Travel Agent: Yes, actually we have. There is a tour to New York that will leave on July 2^nd and will last two weeks. It will cost $2000.

Customer: Are there any student discounts?

Travel Agent: Yes, there are student discounts. The New York tour will cost $1800 with student discount.

Customer: Does the price include transportation?

Travel Agent: No, the price does not include transportation to New York.

Customer: What class hotel shall we stay at?

Travel Agent: We will stay at only high class hotels.

Customer: Are single-room accommodations much more expensive than double-room accommodations?

Travel Agent: The difference is only $100.

Customer: Is there a swimming pool at the hotel?

Travel Agent: Yes, there is a swimming pool and a hot tub.

Customer: And what about a tennis court?

Travel Agent: Yes, there is a tennis court and you can use our tennis equipment.

Customer: Could you repeat the dates of departure for all the three tours, please?

Travel Agent: Yes, of course. New York will leave on July 2^nd. Florida will leave on July 15^th and Chicago will leave on July 23^rd.

Customer: Do the tours include any excursions?

Travel Agent: Yes, in fact they do! The New York package has three very interesting tours. One excursion will travel to Washington DC and visit the different monuments. A second excursion will travel to Boston and the third excursion will visit Philadelphia.

Customer: Will there be a courier from your agency to help us find our way around during the first few days?

Travel Customer: Good afternoon.

Travel Agent: Agent: Most definitely. All of our tours have experienced tour guides to help our customers.

Customer: Is the Statue of Liberty far from the hotel in New York?

Travel Agent: No, it is not. You can easily take the subway and then walk to the Statue.

Customer: In New York, is the public transportation reliable?

Travel Agent: The subway is very reliable, however the city buses are often stopped in traffic and taxicabs are rather expensive. It is best to take the subway or walk.

Customer: The New York tour is the most interesting to me.

Travel Agent: Okay, wonderful!

Customer: Can I make a reservation over the telephone?

Travel Agent: Of course. You can pay with credit card. Would you like to make the reservation now?

Customer: I will talk with my friends and call back tomorrow. Thank you for your help.

Travel Agent: Thank you! I will be waiting for your call tomorrow.

T: And now a new situation. Imagine that you’ve come to the USA, but nobody meets you at the railway station. You’ve got an address of the place of destination but you don’t know how to get there. What would you do?

P: We shall ask somebody at the railway station. For example, a station officer on duty.

T: How will you do it? Let’s see. Imagine that Kelsey is a helpful conductor.

(Example)

Lost Traveller: Excuse me, could you help us?

Helpful Conductor: Sure of course. What can I do?

Lost Traveller: Could you please tell us how to get to this address?

Helpful Conductor: Well, I’ll try. What happened? Are you visiting Chicago?

Lost Traveller: You see, we have come from Ukraine to study at the language courses at University of Chicago and nobody met us here at the railway station.

Helpful Conductor: Oh, that is not good.

Lost Traveller: There must be some misunderstanding.

Helpful Conductor: I’d say so. Well, let me see if I can help.

Lost Traveller: Would you please look at this address?

Helpful Conductor: Hmmm… I think this is in the west part of Chicago.

Lost Traveller: Yes, I was told it is somewhere in the suburbs, 10Westside Street.

Helpful Conductor: Right you are.

Lost Traveller: As far as I know, we can either take a bus or go there by subway. Which do you think is more convenient?

Helpful Conductor: Well, the subway in Chicago is a bit confusing. I would suggest taking the bus. Plus you will get to see the city! It is a beautiful this time of the year.

Lost Traveller: I see, so you think we should go by bus.

Helpful Conductor: Yes, in fact, I think bus №82 goes directly from the train station to Westside Street. From there, it shouldn’t be a far walk to 10 Westside.

Lost Traveller: So we won’t have to change the lines and we can enjoy the sights while travelling.

Helpful Conductor: Yes, of course.

Lost Traveller: Where is the bus stop?

Helpful Conductor: The bus stops are just to the right of the station. Go out the main entrance and take a right and two blocks. There you will see the main bus depot. Follow the signs to bus№82. Bus №82 leaves every 30 minutes. Does that make sense?

Lost Traveller: Yes, we understand. So first, we turn right at the corner, go straight for two blocks and then we will see the sign-board for the bus depot and bus №82.

Helpful Conductor: Yes, anything else?

Lost Traveller: Yes actually, how much is the ticket and where do we pay?

Helpful Conductor: Well, the tickets are round 5 dollars, but it depends on where you go. You can simply get on the bus, tell the driver where you want to go, and he will print you a ticket. 

Lost Traveller: Oh, so the fare is about 5 dollars and we can buy our ticket from the driver.

Helpful Conductor: Yes, just as I said.

Lost Traveller: And can we ask the driver where to get off?

Helpful Conductor: Yes, I’m sure they will be happy to help you. Our drivers are quite friendly in Chicago.

Lost Traveller: How long will it take us to get there?

Helpful Conductor: I’d say around 40-50 minutes. It all depends on the traffic.

Lost Traveller: You say no more than 50 minutes?

Helpful Conductor: No, not more than 50 minutes.

Lost Traveller: It is not rush hour and we’re not likely to get caught in a traffic jam.

Helpful Conductor: I don’t think so. Rush hour usually starts after 3 pm and it is only 11 am now.

Lost Traveller: Thank you very much. You’ve been most helpful!

Helpful Conductor: Not at all. If you need anything else, don’t hesitate to ask!

Lost Traveller: I hope we’ll have a pleasant time in Chicago.

Helpful Conductor: I’m sure you will. Chicago is a beautiful city!

T: Thanks a lot. I’m sure, boys and girls that from now then you will have no difficulties in finding your way out of any unexpected situation if you happen to travel to some foreign country.

8. Quiz.

T: You are suggested the quiz “What do you know about the USA”?

(The quiz is a computer presentation)

1. Who discovered America?

A) Christopher Columbus

B) George Washington

C) The pilgrims

2. Who was the first president of the USA?

A) Abraham Lincoln

B) George Washington

C) Franklin D. Roosevelt

3. What is the national symbol of America?

A) The rose

B) The bald eagle

C) The shamrock

4. Which is the United States capital?

A) New York City

B) Los Angeles

C) Washington, D.C.

5. Where is the Statue of Liberty?

A) New York

B) Massachusetts

C) California

6. The American flag has:

A) thirteen stripes

B) thirty stripes

C) fifty stripes

7. Where is the tallest building (skyscraper) in the world?

A) New York City

B) Chicago

C) San Francisco

 8. When do Americans celebrate Independence Day?

A) July 4

B) December 25

C) February 14

9. What is the national sport in America?

A) football

B) soccer

C) baseball

10. Who was the first man on the moon?

A) Yury Gagarin

B) John Glenn

C) Neil Armstrong

III. Finishing of the lesson.

1. Summing – up.

T: Our lesson is coming to the end. But we have some minutes left before the bell, so you can ask Kelsey some questions about her life, her country and about her staying in Ukraine.

T: Thank you very much for your work. You’ve done well today! I hope that our today’s lesson was both useful and interesting. Did you like it? Was it interesting for you to meet a guest from America? Was it difficult for you to understand Kelsey? I hope that after our today’s lesson you’ll like English more and you’ll do your best to improve your knowledge of a foreign language.

T: Your home task will be to write not less than 10 most interesting facts about Kelsey and her country, which you have heard today at the lesson.

3. Analysis of pupils’ answers. Assessments.