E7 G - The USA on the map
aiMOOCE7 G - The USA on the map
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Einleitung
Mini-Beschreibung: Get a first picture of the USA: Where is it? What are four useful regions? Where are some famous cities and places?
Level: English as a first foreign language · Class 7 · G-Niveau · Baden-Württemberg
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Look first. What can you see? Point to the USA before you read.
Learning path: notice → understand → try → use → communicate → feedback → improve → use again
I can ...
- I can locate the USA on a map of North America.
- I can name four regions: Northeast, Midwest, South and West.
- I can locate some cities and places and use simple location sentences.
- I can understand the main idea of a short map video.
- I can speak and write a few connected sentences about a place in the USA.
Before you start: What do you know?
Look at the map. Try first. Do not use a dictionary yet.
- Point to Canada.
- Point to Mexico.
- Find the Atlantic Ocean and the Pacific Ocean.
- Find one city you already know.
Hint: north = oben auf der Karte · south = unten · east = rechts · west = links
Notice and understand
The USA on the map
Read these short sentences:
The USA is in North America. Canada is north of the USA. Mexico is south of the USA. The Atlantic Ocean is in the east. The Pacific Ocean is in the west. The USA has 50 states. Washington, D.C. is the capital.
Try: Cover the sentences. Say two facts from memory.
German help if needed: capital = Hauptstadt · state = Bundesstaat · coast = Küste
Four useful regions
One common map model uses four big regions: Northeast, Midwest, South and West.
| Region | One example | Useful chunk |
|---|---|---|
| Northeast | New York City | New York City is in the Northeast. |
| Midwest | Chicago | Chicago is in the Midwest. |
| South | Miami | Miami is in the South. |
| West | Los Angeles | Los Angeles is in the West. |
Important: Regions are a way to organise a map. Different contexts can use different regional groupings.
Listening and viewing: Regions
First viewing: Watch without stopping. What is the topic?
Second viewing: Listen for these words: region · state · city · Northeast · Midwest · South · West.
- Which four region names do you hear?
- Which city or state name do you recognise?
- Point to the region on the map while you listen.
Transcript support – open only after your first listening try: You do not need every word. Listen for region names, state names and city names. The key idea is that the USA can be grouped into regions and that cities are located inside states.
Feedback: If you can catch the four region names, your first listening goal is complete.
Context and media: Places
Northeast: New York City
New York City is in New York State. It is in the Northeast. The city is on the Atlantic side of the USA.
Listen to the place name:
Say it: New York City. Speak clearly. You do not need to copy one perfect accent.
Chunk: New York City is in the Northeast.
The capital: Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C. is the capital of the USA. It is not the same place as Washington State.
Watch and listen. Try to catch capital, White House and Washington Monument.
Quick check: Is Washington, D.C. the capital? – Yes.
Midwest: Chicago
Chicago is in Illinois. It is in the Midwest. It is next to Lake Michigan.
Chunk: Chicago is in the Midwest.
Try: Change one word: Chicago is in the _____.
South: Miami
Miami is in Florida. It is in the South. It is near the Atlantic Ocean.
Chunk: Miami is in the South.
Try: Point to Florida on the map.
West: Los Angeles and San Francisco
Los Angeles is in California. It is in the West. It is near the Pacific Ocean.
San Francisco is also in California. The Golden Gate Bridge is a famous landmark there.
Chunk: Los Angeles and San Francisco are in California.
West: Grand Canyon
The Grand Canyon is in Arizona, in the West. It is a huge canyon.
Optional viewing challenge:
G-level task: Watch only a short part. Name two things you can see. You do not need to understand every sentence.
Vocabulary in context
Small word bank
| English | Simple meaning | Example |
|---|---|---|
| north | oben / nördlich | Canada is north of the USA. |
| south | unten / südlich | Mexico is south of the USA. |
| east | Osten | The Atlantic is in the east. |
| west | Westen | California is in the west. |
| coast | Küste | California is on the West Coast. |
| state | Bundesstaat | Arizona is a state. |
| capital | Hauptstadt | Washington, D.C. is the capital. |
| region | Region | Chicago is in the Midwest region. |
| landmark | bekannte Sehenswürdigkeit | The Golden Gate Bridge is a landmark. |
Use the chunks, not single words only. Say: in the West, on the coast, north of, south of.
Pronunciation: clear before perfect
Say these slowly, then at normal speed:
- New York City
- Washington, D.C.
- Chicago
- Los Angeles
- San Francisco
Tip: Keep the important word clear. Different English accents are normal. Verständlichkeit ist wichtiger als Akzentfreiheit.
Reading
A short map text
Read once for the main idea.
The USA is a large country in North America. Canada is to the north and Mexico is to the south. New York City is in the Northeast. Chicago is in the Midwest. Miami is in the South. Los Angeles and San Francisco are in the West. Washington, D.C. is the capital.
Now find: one country · two neighbours · four cities · one capital.
Hint: You do not need to translate the whole text.
Reading check
| Statement | Your answer |
|---|---|
| Canada is north of the USA. | true / false |
| Chicago is in the Midwest. | true / false |
| Miami is in the West. | true / false |
| Washington, D.C. is the capital. | true / false |
Feedback: true · true · false · true
Grammar for the task
Location chunks
Use only the grammar you need for the map.
| Pattern | Model |
|---|---|
| X is in ... | Chicago is in the Midwest. |
| X is north of ... | Canada is north of the USA. |
| X is south of ... | Mexico is south of the USA. |
| X is near ... | Miami is near the Atlantic Ocean. |
| There is ... | There is a famous bridge in San Francisco. |
| There are ... | There are 50 states. |
Notice: Use is with one place. Use are with more than one.
Try: Make three new sentences with the map.
Use and communicate
Speaking: Map partner task
Work with a partner.
Student A asks: Where is Chicago? Student B answers: Chicago is in the Midwest.
Use these starters:
Where is ...? It is in ... It is near ... It is north/south/east/west of ...
Level-up: Add one more sentence: It is in Illinois.
Feedback check: Did you use a full sentence? Did your partner understand you?
Writing: My mini map guide
Choose one place: New York City, Washington, D.C., Chicago, Miami, Los Angeles, San Francisco or the Grand Canyon.
Write 4–6 short sentences.
Writing frame:
My place is ... It is in ... It is in the ... region. It is near ... You can see ... I think it looks ...
Word bank: city · state · region · coast · ocean · bridge · canyon · capital · north · south · east · west
Feedback: Check only three things first: place + region + clear sentence.
AI note: If you use AI feedback, ask it to check only your level and one or two language points. Keep your own text. Do not let AI replace it.
Mediation: Explain one map idea
Your partner does not understand West Coast.
- First, explain the idea in one short German sentence.
- Then return to English: California is on the West Coast.
Do not translate the whole course. Help only with the key idea.
Mini-transfer: New place, same chunks
Look again at the state map.
Choose a city or state that was not your writing topic.
Say two sentences:
_____ is in _____. It is in the _____ region.
If you are unsure, use the map first, then ask for help.
Feedback and improve
Improve one sentence
Start: Los Angeles is West.
Better: Los Angeles is in the West.
Now improve:
- Miami is South.
- Chicago is Midwest.
- New York City is Northeast.
Feedback: Use in the before a region.
Self-check: Can do
| I can ... | Yes | Almost | Not yet |
|---|---|---|---|
| find the USA on a map | ☐ | ☐ | ☐ |
| name the four regions | ☐ | ☐ | ☐ |
| locate at least four cities | ☐ | ☐ | ☐ |
| use is in correctly | ☐ | ☐ | ☐ |
| understand the main idea of a short video | ☐ | ☐ | ☐ |
| write 4–6 simple sentences about one place | ☐ | ☐ | ☐ |
Improve: Pick one Almost or Not yet item. Do one small task again.
Next course: E7 G - A trip across the USA
Interaktive Aufgaben
Quiz: Teste Dein Wissen
Where is the USA? (In North America) (!In South America) (!In Africa) (!In Australia)
Which country is north of the USA? (Canada) (!Mexico) (!Brazil) (!Spain)
Which country is south of the USA? (Mexico) (!Canada) (!France) (!Japan)
Which ocean is on the west side of the USA? (The Pacific Ocean) (!The Atlantic Ocean) (!The Indian Ocean) (!The Arctic Ocean)
Which city is in the Northeast? (New York City) (!Chicago) (!Miami) (!Los Angeles)
Which city is in the Midwest? (Chicago) (!Miami) (!San Francisco) (!New York City)
Which city is in the South? (Miami) (!Chicago) (!Los Angeles) (!San Francisco)
Which city is in California? (Los Angeles) (!Chicago) (!Miami) (!Washington D.C.)
What is the capital of the USA? (Washington D.C.) (!New York City) (!Los Angeles) (!Chicago)
Where is the Grand Canyon? (In Arizona) (!In Florida) (!In Illinois) (!In New York)
Memory
| Northeast | New York City |
| Midwest | Chicago |
| South | Miami |
| West | Los Angeles |
| Atlantic Ocean | east side |
| Pacific Ocean | west side |
Drag and Drop
| Ordne die richtigen Begriffe zu. | Thema |
|---|---|
| New York City | Northeast |
| Chicago | Midwest |
| Miami | South |
| Los Angeles | West |
| Washington D.C. | capital |
Kreuzworträtsel
| Northeast | Which region is New York City in? |
| Chicago | Which city is in Illinois and the Midwest? |
| Arizona | Which state is home to the Grand Canyon? |
| Pacific | Which ocean is west of California? |
| Florida | Which state is Miami in? |
| California | Which state has Los Angeles and San Francisco? |
LearningApps
Lückentext
Offene Aufgaben
Leicht
- Map labels: Nimm eine stumme USA-Karte und beschrifte Canada, Mexico, Atlantic Ocean und Pacific Ocean.
- Four regions: Schreibe die vier Regionsnamen auf vier Karten und ordne je eine Beispielstadt zu.
- One clear sentence: Wähle eine Stadt und schreibe zwei richtige Ortsangaben mit is in und near.
- Say the place: Sprich drei Ortsnamen langsam und dann normal. Eine Aufnahme ist freiwillig und bleibt privat.
Standard
- Mini map guide: Erstelle einen kleinen Kartenführer zu drei Orten mit je zwei kurzen englischen Sätzen.
- Picture talk: Wähle eines der Kursbilder. Beschreibe es in vier einfachen Sätzen mit I can see ..., There is ... oder There are ....
- Map dialogue: Führt einen kurzen Dialog mit mindestens vier Fragen wie Where is ...? und passenden Antworten.
- Map help: Erkläre einer Person auf Deutsch kurz den Unterschied zwischen Washington, D.C. und Washington State und formuliere danach einen englischen Merksatz.
Schwer
- Three-stop route: Plane eine fiktive Route durch drei Regionen. Begründe jede Station mit einem kurzen englischen Satz.
- Map and photo: Vergleiche eine Karte mit einem Stadtfoto. Welche Information liefert welches Medium besser? Schreibe sechs kurze Sätze.
- Listening strategy: Sieh einen Kursclip noch einmal. Notiere fünf Wörter, die dir beim Verstehen helfen, und erkläre deine Strategie.
- Mini presentation: Präsentiere einen Ort in 45–60 Sekunden mit Karte und Bild. Nutze nur fiktive oder öffentliche Informationen. Keine privaten Social-Media-Daten und keine ungefragten Uploads.
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Lernkontrolle
- Neue Karte lesen: Du erhältst eine neue USA-Karte ohne Farbcodierung. Erkläre, wie du mithilfe von Küsten, Nachbarstaaten und bekannten Städten drei Orte findest.
- Region begründen: Ordne New York City, Chicago, Miami und Los Angeles den vier Regionen zu und begründe jede Zuordnung mit einem vollständigen englischen Satz.
- Location language: Verbessere fehlerhafte Sätze wie Miami is South oder Canada is in north of USA und erkläre kurz die Regel.
- Viewing transfer: Sieh einen kurzen USA-Kartenclip. Notiere nur Hauptidee, zwei Ortsnamen und einen Regionsnamen. Erkläre, warum du nicht jedes Wort verstehen musst.
- Orientierung vermitteln: Eine deutschsprachige Person fragt, wo der Grand Canyon liegt. Gib zuerst eine knappe deutsche Orientierung und danach zwei einfache englische Sätze.
- Eigener Text: Schreibe einen Mini-Guide zu einem neuen Ort in den USA und nutze mindestens drei der Chunks is in, near, north of, south of, on the coast.
Lernnachweis
Für einen Lernnachweis ist wichtig, dass Du:
- die USA auf einer Nordamerika-Karte findest und Canada, Mexico, Atlantic Ocean und Pacific Ocean orientierend benennst,
- die vier verwendeten Regionen Northeast, Midwest, South und West erkennst,
- mindestens vier ausgewählte Städte oder Orte sinnvoll auf der Karte zuordnest,
- einfache Ortsangaben mit is in, near, north of oder south of bildest,
- aus einem kurzen Hör-/Videoclip die Hauptidee und einige Schlüsselwörter entnimmst,
- einen eigenen kurzen Text mit 4–6 verbundenen Sätzen schreibst,
- verständlich über einen Ort sprichst und nach Feedback mindestens einen Satz verbesserst.
OERs zum Thema
Weitere freie Medien: Wikimedia Commons bietet Karten, Fotos und Audiodateien. Prüfe bei jeder Datei die Lizenzangaben auf der Dateiseite.
Fachliche Orientierung zu Regionen: Die vier Regionsnamen in diesem Kurs folgen der Einteilung des U.S. Census Bureau.
Verknüpfte Lernbereiche