Цель урока:
1.Учить учащихся монологическим высказываниям по истории, географии, культуре страны изучаемого языка.
2.Познакомить учащихся с разнообразными сторонами жизни людей в Америке.
Оборудование урока: интерактивная доска, карта Америки, постер с Государственным флагом страны, открытки, картинки.
Ход урока
I.Оргмомент
Teacher: Dear friends! Our lesson is devoted to the USA. Today we are going to talk about this country and its people. I hope you'll find out many interesting things at our lesson.
At first, let’s check what do you know about America.
!. What is the capital of America? (Washington)
2. What is the NY underground called? ( the subway)
3. What is the most expensive part of NY? (Manhattan)
4.What is the most famous shopping centre in NY? (Fifth Avenue)
5. What street in NY is a financial centre of the USA? (Wall Street in Manhattan)
6. How often do American people choose a new President?
( every 4 years)
7. How do American people call their police officers? (cops)
8. What colour are the taxis in NY? (yellow )
Teacher: Well done! It’s the high time to start our conference.
II.Основная часть. Развитие навыков монологической речи.
S1: Geography. The Discovery of America.
The USA is one of the largest countries in the world. It is situated in the central part of the North American continent. America is washed by the Pacific Ocean in the west and the Atlantic Ocean in the east. The country borders on Canada in the north and Mexico in the south. It sea -borders on Russia as well.
The Vikings discovered North America in the 10th century of our era. America was unknown to Europe till the end of the 15th century. In 1492 Christopher Columbus an experienced sailor sailed with 3 small ships into the Atlantic Ocean to look for a new route to India. Columbus was sure that the lands he had discovered were part of India. It was understood that he discovered a new part of the world. It was called America after Amerigo Vespucci, a traveller who left a description of some places.
S2: First Settlers.The Indians.
The pilgrims sailed to America from Plymouth, England in September, 1620 .They were among the first European settlers in America and came there for religious freedom. There were people living in America before the pilgrims arrived: The Native American Indians. They fished, hunted and farmed to survive. Every tribe had its own customs and beliefs. In 1621 the pilgrims had a great harvest. They were very happy and celebrated it with a Thanksgiving feast: turkey, corn, beans and pumpkins. The 4th Thursday of November is Thanksgiving Day in the USA.
Indians and their culture play a big role in the life of American people. From Indians came new terms for exotic foods – tomatoes, avacado, barbecue. The Indians have also contributed to American music, theatre, medicine cookery modern, clothes and hair styles. There are Indian museums, Indian centres and monuments throughout the USA.
S3: The founding of American State.
Great Britai had 13 American colonies after the pilgrims had come to the American continent. In the war 1775 American Volunteers won their first battle against the British forces. On July 4th 1776 the Congress in Philadelphia adopted the Declaration of Independence drafted by T. Jefferson. The Bell of Liberty called the Americans to know about the birth of a new free state. The 4th of July is a big national holiday in the USA. The American flag is the most popular national symbol. The horizontal red and white stripes on the flag represent the original 13 states. The stars on the flag – white on the dark blue field represent the number of states making up the USA today.
S4: Famous American Presidents.
In South Dakota there is Mount Rushmore Memorial. You can see 4 granite faces of outstanding presidents of the USA.
The 1st is George Washington, the Commander - in- Chief of the American Army in the War of Independence. He was the first president of the USA. As a first president, Washington had to make a lot of important decisions for the first time. He set up a lot of political institutions, decided on where to have the American capital, which was given his name, and ordered the building of the White House, the home of all American presidents ever since. For all great things that he did Americans call him “the Father of our Country”.
The 2nd face is Thomas Jefferson's, the 3rd president who signed the Declaration of Independence.
The 3rd face s of Abraham Lincoln, the 16th president of the USA. His ideas about freedom for black slaves were popular and in the war of the North and South negroes got freedom.
The 4th faсe is of Theodore Roosevelt. The 26th president of the USA who was one of the progressists. His reforms were against war politics and for nature guarding.
John Kennedy, the 35th president was popular and very democratic, who was killed by the enemies. New York International Airport and Space Centre in Florida were named after his name.
S5: Climate. Mountains. Rivers. Agriculture.
As the USA is a large country, the climate is different in different regions. For example, the Pacific coast is a region of mild winters and warm, dry summers but the eastern continental region has a rainy climate.
There are many mountains in the USA. The highest peak in the Cordilliers in the USA is 4,418 metres.
The country’s main river is the Mississippi but there are many other great rivers in the USA: the Colorado in the south and the Columbia in the north – west.
There are five Great Lakes between the USA and Canada.
The USA produces more than 52 per cent of the world’s corn, wheat, cotton and tobacco
S6: Capital of the USA and other large cities.
There are many big cities in the country. They are Washington( the capital of the country), New York( the city of contrasts and the financial and business centre of the USA, Boston(which has three universities), Chicago(one of the biggest industrial cities in the USA), San Francisco, Los Angeles Philadelphia, Detroit( one of the biggest centres of the automobile industry) and Hollywood( the centre of the US film industry).
Washington, DC, is the capital city of the USA. It is located on the north bank of the Potomac River. Washington is one of the most beautiful cities in the USA. It has little industry and only 1 million people. There are many beautiful parks and gardens in Washington. There are no skyscrapers because they would hide the city’s monuments. The famous sights of Washington are the Lincoln Memorial and the Washington Monument. The heart of Washington is the Capitol. It is one of the greatest buildings in Washington. The Capitol is easy to recognize because of its large white dome, which is the fourth largest dome in the world. The Library of Congress contains millions of books and manuscripts.
The White House is the oldest public building in the District of Columbia. In the past 200 years, the White House has become the symbol of American Presidency all over the world.
S7: The Political System. Population.
The USA is a federal republic, consisting of fifty states. Each of these states has its own government. Congress is the American parliament which consists of two Chambers. The president is the head of the state and the government. He is elected for four years. There are two political parties in the USA. They are the Democratic Party and the Republican Party.
The population of the USA is mixed. There are white people, Afro- Americans, South Americans, the Chinese and the Japanese. There are also American Indians that are called “natives”.
S8: Education
About 85% of American students attend public schools. The other 15% attend private schools. The education in the USA begins at the age of six. After graduating from secondary schools the Americans go on to higher education: technical training schools, colleges and universities. After graduating from colleges and universities students can enter a graduate school to get a master’s degree.
S9: Holidays.
Christmas is a very big religious holiday in the USA. It is celebrated on the 25th of December by every family.
On this day Americans celebrate the birth of Jesus Christ and sing Christmas carols. There is Christmas tree in every American house. Another important tradition is sending Christmas cards. People start sending cards to their relatives and friends early in December. People exchange of the gifts for close friends and members of the families. Santa Claus often brings presents for small children and puts them into an old stocking near the kid’s beds. The Christmas table is very big. You can see turkey, ham, sweet potatoes, pies, and other food. The other holidays are: Halloween, Independence Day, Thanksgiving Day, Memorial Day, Veteran’s Day and some other ones.
III. Заключительная часть урока.
Teacher: Dear friends! Thank you for your active participation in our lesson. I think you’ve learned a lot of interesting and useful facts about the USA. That’s all for today. Thank you for your work. Good bye, children!
