School of berezanka

United States Country Studies Course

10th Form

Sarah McDonough

Summer 2012

Goal: Students will learn about the major components of American culture while also practicing and honing their English proficiency.

Overall Map:

Date/Day Theme Focus Vocabulary Engagement Activity

1—May 28 IntroductionsEducation

Vacation, break, classroom teacher, on-duty student, exercise book, daybook, test, exam

Favourites Flipbook

2—May 29 People/Family Adjectives: young, old, tall, short, big, little, happy, mad, sad, active, energetic, optimistic, pessimistic, serious

Verbs: to be, to have

Professions: banker, teacher, dancer, cook, baker, musician, businessman, doctor, nurse, athlete

Family Tree

3—May 30 American History Revolution, war, slavery, independence, freedom, liberty, friendship, Civil War, Civil Rights

Timeline

4—May 31 Places of Interest/Travel

Transportation: plane, taxi, metro, car, bus, airport, train, station, ticket, bicycle, driver

American Symbols book

5—June 1 Weather and Weather: Cold, hot, rainy, snowy, cloudy, windy, Maps of

Landforms sunny

Landforms: Swamp, forest, plains, desert, beach, mountain, lakes, river

USA/Ukraine

6—June 5 Sports and Hobbies

Baseball, basketball, football and soccer, origami, sewing, stamp collecting, video games

4-Corners Activity

7—June 6 Holidays Verbs: decorate, paint, sing, gather, cook, make, give and receiveFocus: Halloween, Thanksgiving, Easter, Christmas, Women’s Day, Victory Day

Sentences/Art projects

8—June 7 Community: People and Places

Library, school, bank, shop, police station, fire station, pizzeria, bakery, market, health club

Maps (“If I were Queen”)

9—June 8 Controllna Robota Review all materials Gallery Walk

Day #1: Introductions and American Education

Time Activities Materials needed:Hour #1:

0—15

15—30

30—45

Students make a salt sculpture that represents them

Students copy the Ukrainian tradition, filling in blanks about themselves.Students then translate and present an introduction in English

Salt dough

(1 part salt, 1 part

water, 2 parts flour)

Model introduction

(in Ukrainian)

Hour #2:

0—15

15—30

30—45

Brainstorm as many English words as possible for the following categories: food, colors, drink, seasons, animals and school subjects.Distribute materials for students to complete the “My Favorites” flipbook.Students finish and present the books to the class.

Paper

Markers

Chalk, chalkboard

Glue

Hour #3:

0—15

15—30

30—45

Introduce education vocabulary.

Practice with matching activity.

Discuss differences between American and Ukrainian

education; create chart on the board.

Education

vocabulary

Hour #4:

0—15

15—30

30—45

Compare and contrast education in America and Ukraine.

What are the strengths of Ukrainian education? American?

Practice dialogues, introductions, and favorites.

Translating Introduction Making salt dough sculptures

Day #2: American People: Character and Attitudes, Diversity

Time Activities Materials needed:Hour #1:

0—15

15—30

30—45

Review: introductions, favorites, education vocabulary

Present adjectives; conjugate ‘to be’

Practice adjectives using full sentences and flashcards

Adjective words

Adjective flashcards

Model sentence

“He/She is _____.”

Hour #2:

0—15

15—30

30—45

Review adjectives (character or appearance sorting activity)Adjectiveshttp://www.slideshare.net/jacobina142/adjectives-14449095Brainstorm common jobs in Ukraine? In USA? Introduce profession words.Practice profession words using flashcards (in full sentences).http://www.slideshare.net/jacobina142/profession-14684092

“Character or

Appearance?” game

Profession words

Profession flashcards

Hour #3:

0—15

15—30

30—45

Review new words; conjugate ‘to have’

Distribute paper and instruct students how to create a family tree diagram.Explain and present the example family tree.

Profession and location

matching game

Example family tree

Paper

Hour #4:

0—15

15—30

30—45

Students complete their family trees using model.

Presentations of family trees

Nationalities and diversity of population in the USA.

(Match the flags with their countries and nationalities)

Example summary: “I

have a ______. He/she is

___ years old. He/she is

a/an ______. He/she is

___________.”

Nationality flashcards

Creating Family Trees

Day #3: American History

Time Activities Materials needed:Hour #1:

0—15

15—30

30—45

Review and recite introductions

Review professions with matching game

Retell about families, friends, teachers, pets using adjectives and verbs ‘to be’ and ‘to have’

Previous days’

vocabulary and

flashcards/games

Hour #2:

0—15

15—30

30—45

Divide students into teams; use this time to play the board game “Let’s Talk” during which students will review their recent vocabulary, as well as other important English words and concepts.

Board Game: Let’s

Talk

Game pieces

Die

Hour #3:

0—15

15—30

30—45

Distribute paper; have students copy model timeline and new vocabulary from the board.Present PowerPoint entitled “American History, a brief introduction.”American Historyhttp://www.slideshare.net/jacobina142/american-historya-brief-overview-14684032

American History

Presentation

Timeline model

Paper

Hour #4:

0—15

15—30

30—45

Collect completed timelines for portfolio; review by having students put the events in order.Distribute quotes to pairs of students; have them translate.Present quotes and their translations.

Event cards

Quotes

Let's Talk Board Game Reviewing vocabulary

Day #4: Transportation and Places of Interest in the USA

Time Activities Materials needed:Hour #1:

0—15

15—30

30—45

Review vocabulary using matching game

Introduce transportation words; practice

Watch 10—15 minutes of video about Los Angeles

Russian language videos

on San Francisco, Los

Angeles, and Florida

Transportation words

Hour #2:

0—15

15—30

30—45

In pairs, have the students translate the pamphlet on the USA and places of interestLocate the places of interest on the US map

Watch 10—15 minutes of video about Florida

Pamphlet

USA Map

Hour #3:

0—15

15—30

30—45

Presentation about places of interest in USAPlaces of Interest in USAhttp://www.slideshare.net/jacobina142/places-of-interest-in-the-usa-14684306Using the cards, locate the places on the mapWatch 10—15 minutes of video on San Francisco

PowerPoint

presentation on places

of interest

Cards

Hour #4:

0—15

15—30

30—45

Distribute materials for foldable book; demonstrate assemblyReview “Symbols of America” (Day 3 Presentation)Have students draw and translate symbols of America into their foldable books.

Paper

Glue

Markers

Day #3 Presentation

Students watch a video about Florida Transportation Vocabulary

Day #5: Nature and Weather Regions in the USA

Time Activities Materials needed:Hour #1:

0—15

15—30

30—45

Review vocabulary and introductionsReview transportation and symbolsFinish symbols flipbook

Review US Map

Previous day’s

flashcards, maps,

presentations

Hour #2:

0—15

15—30

30—45

Introduce weather vocabulary; have students practice first on a map of Ukraine.http://www.slideshare.net/jacobina142/weather-in-ukrainePresentation on weather in Ukraine.Students write full sentences = “In _______(city), the weather is _________(weather word).”

Weather in Ukraine

PPT

Weather vocabulary

Papers with map

outlines

Hour #3:

0—15

15—30

30—45

Introduce landform vocabulary; have students practice on a map of the United States.Review weather, now in the United States.Students write full sentences = “In the _______(direction),

there are ________ (landforms) and the weather is

_________(weather word).”

Students respond—Where would you live? Why?

Landform

vocabulary

Papers with map

outlines

Hour #4:

0—15

15—30

30—45

Finally, use the large US map to present places of interest. Students will write sentences where they are located.Students must finish all maps, with landforms and weather sentences.Students will present their maps to the whole group.

Places of interest

presentation PPT

Places of interest

cards for map.

Making maps Landforms and Weather

Day #6: Sports and Hobbies in America

Time Activities Materials needed:Hour #1:

0—15

15—30

30—45

Use the “Let’s Talk” board game to review all concepts discussed to this point and refresh the students’ memories from the weekend.(Add weather, landform, and places of interest vocabulary)

Board game

Hour #2:

0—15

15—30

30—45

Students each receive a paper, fold into 4 boxes. Write name in center.In box #1, students write “Sports I Like” and in #2 “Sports I don’t like”. Fill in during presentation.Sports presentation; practice full sentences “I like ____, but I don’t like_____.”http://www.slideshare.net/jacobina142/sports-and-leisure-activities

Paper and markers

Sports Presentation

Hour #3:

0—15

15—30

30—45

Students retrieve paper they folded into 4 boxes.In box #3, students write “Hobbies I Like” and in #4 “Hobbies I don’t like”. Fill in during presentation.Sports presentation; practice full sentences “I like ____,

but I don’t like_____.”

http://www.slideshare.net/jacobina142/hobbies-14527937

Paper

Hobbies

Presentation

Hour #4:

0—15

15—30

30—45

Application: begin by saying “My hobby is origami.”Instruct the students on how to make a box and a bird. Quiz them; have them make the box again without any assistance.

Colored Paper

Student Work: Origami

Day #7: American Celebrations and Holidays

Time Activities Materials needed:Hour #1:

0—15

15—30

30—45

Review landform words; have students locate on US map.

Review weather words; have students locate on US map.

Review sports and hobbies presentations; have students give introductions.

Resources from

the previous

days

Hour #2:

0—15

15—30

30—45

Introduce Holiday vocabulary—have students translate

Have students organize holidays into those celebrated by Americans, Ukrainians, or both.Review dates when these holidays are celebrated (on/in)

Holiday

vocabulary

Americans,

both,

Ukrainians…

Dates of

holidays

Hour #3:

0—15

15—30

30—45

Introduce verbs (how do we celebrate); practice by having

students match and translate.

Students must write 5 sentences for portfolio: “Who, how, for

what, in/on when.” For example: Ukrainians have parades for

Victory Day on May 9 th .

Celebration

words

Paper for

sentences

Cards: Who,

how, what,

when

Hour #4:

0—15

15—30

30—45

Students write and then discuss: “My favorite holiday is

_____________ because ____________.”

Students will make a traditional Thanksgiving children’s craft:

Candy Turkey (if time allows: origami Easter rabbit)

Cups (plastic)

Paper, markers,

scissors and

glue

Some candy

Holidays in Ukraine and in America

Writing comparison sentences

Day #8: American Community: Places, People, Food and Traditions

Time Activities Materials needed:Hour

#1:

0—15

15—30

30—45

Review: All students will give their introductions; then, using the questions from the board game “Let’s Talk,” students will be called upon to answer questions and have discussion.Review about holidays; organize into American and Ukrainian; match celebration words; quiz—origami rabbit.

Questions from

board game

Holiday

vocabularies

Paper for rabbits

Hour

#2:

0—15

15—30

30—45

What is community? Show “Community: Part 1 Places” presentation.Display map for students; instruct them to create their own towns using the new focus vocabulary.Students must present their towns to the class—“My town has….”http://www.slideshare.net/jacobina142/community-part-1places

Community

presentation

(part 1)

Paper and

markers

Hour

#3:

0—15

15—30

30—45

What is community? Show “Community: Part 2 People” presentation.On small sheets of paper, write “Ukrainian Food,” “Ukrainian Celebrities,” and “Ukrainian Cities.” Pass them in a circle and have students brainstorm; discuss.Now do the same for American cities, food, singers and actors. Discuss. Compare how much students know about American culture.http://www.slideshare.net/jacobina142/community-part-2-people

Community

presentation

(part 2)

Paper and

markers

Hour

#4:

0—15

15—30

30—45

Teach students how to make an origami booklet.http://www.activityvillage.co.uk/origami_booklet_instructions.pdfTitle the book “American Culture.” Students will write the following sentences:

1. My favourite American actor is ______.2. My favourite American actress is _________.3. My favourite American food is ___________.4. My favourite American city is ____________.5. My favourite American singer (male) is ________.6. My favourite American (female) is ________.

Paper and

markers

American Community and Culture Day

Day #9: Controllna Robota and Recognition Ceremony

Time Activities Materials needed:Hour #1:

0—15

15—30

30—45

Set up 8 stations and label them; use the previous day’s materials for a controllna robota gallery walk:

1. Education2. Adjectives3. Professions4. Places of Interest5. Weather and Landforms6. Transportation7. Holidays8. Nationalities

Students will copy the preceding list on a sheet of paper and receive a sticker for each station completed. When all are completed, they have finished their tests!

All of the previous

days’ materials

Station markers

Hour #2:

0—15

15—30

30—45

Each student will take a question and answer it in a complete sentence. Repeat process until the period is over.

Pre-prepared

questions

Hour #3:

0—15

15—30

30—45

Distribute to each student his/her bookmark and personally, individually, describe their unique characteristics and thank them for their work.

Recognition

certificates or

bookmarks

Party supplies (juice,

cookies, candy)

Recognition and Appreciation Party

Student Portfolios contain:

1. “Favourites” flipbook—Day 12. Family Tree—Day 23. American History timeline and vocabulary—Day 34. American Symbols flipbook—Day 45. USA map of nature and landforms—Day 56. Sport and Hobbies 4-Corners activity7. Origami projects—Day 68. Holidays in Ukraine and America sentences—Day 79. Easter Rabbit (origami)—Day 710. Community map—Day 811. “American Culture” booklet—Day 812. Controllna Robota Results—Day 9

Student Portfoli

os

Resources and Focus Vocabulary

Day 7: Holidays

Resources and Focus Vocabulary

Day 5: Weather and Landforms

Weather

Landforms

Other Resource Examples

Let's Talk Board Game

Professions Matching Review Game

Our English Library

Resources for

America’s Places of Interest

More Student

Examples

Day 6: Sports and Hobbies 4-Corners

Day 1: Favourites Flipbook

Day 1: Self Sculptures

More Student

Examples

Day 5: Maps and Places of Interest

Thanksgiving Turkeys

Day 8 Community Map

Day 8 American Culture Booklet

Controllna Robota

Day 9

Weather and Landforms Station

Transportation Station

Holidays Station

Adjectives Station

Education Station

Places of Interest Station