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1、 Lecture one The United States and Its Natural Conditions The focus of teaching: the United States and its natural conditions Teaching aim: let the students know the general knowledge of American geography and natural resources. Teaching style: instruction and group discussion.Teaching procedure:A.
2、warming-up exercisesB. General introduction to the United States and its natural conditions by PowerPoint;C. Discussion on the assignment;D. Assignment on information- gathering A. warming-up exercisesa. Great Seal of the United States The seal was developed by Benjamin Franklin, John Adams and Thom
3、as Jefferson at the direction of the delegates to the Constitutional Convention in 1776. A final design was approved in 1782, and today (both sides) are found on the back of the U.S. one-dollar bill, and often stamped onto specific documents, including foreign treaties and presidential proclamations
4、. b. National Emblem The Bald Eagle was officially declared the National Emblem of the United States by the Second Continental Congress in 1782. It was selected by the USAs founding fathers because it is a species unique to North America. It has become the living symbol of the USAs freedoms, spirit
5、and pursuit of excellence. Its image and symbolism have played a significant role in American art, folklore, music and architecture. The United States of America is a federal republic consisting of 50 states and the District of Columbia. Lecture oneThe United States and Its Natural Conditions Part o
6、ne Geographical Features I. Location, Size and Geographical Divisions1. LocationThe United States lies in the central part of North America with its two youngest states - Alaska on the northwest tip of the continent and Hawaii in the central Pacific. The continental United States, stretches 4,500 ki
7、lometers from the Atlantic Ocean on the east to the Pacific Ocean on the west. It covers the width of the North American continent between Canada and Mexico. It borders Canada on the north, and reaches south to Mexico and the Gulf of Mexico.2. Size The tota1 area of the country is a little over 9,36
8、0,000 square kilometers, which makes it the fourth largest country in the world. Within this vast landscape, people of many different races, religions, political beliefs, national origins consider themselves Americans. The United States is a land of great differences- differences in climate, in land
9、scape, and altitude.3. Geographical DivisionsSo far as the geographical features are concerned, the large territory of the continental United States can be divided into three or four basic areas: the Atlantic Seacoast west to the Appalachian Mountains (the eastern part)；the great Mississippi River B
10、asin between the Appalachian and the Rocky Mountains; the Rockies west to the Pacific Ocean.(1) The Atlantic Seacoast West to the Appalachians Along the Atlantic Seacoast is a narrow plain which begins far up the coast and becomes wider as it goes south. In the Northeast, the land extending to the A
11、tlantic coastline is hilly, rocky and most1y infertile. Much of it is covered by heavy forests, The coastline, however, is broken by many excellent harbors which were once important centers of commerce and trade in the early days of the country.a. The Mid-Atlantic RegionThe Middle Atlantic Seacoast,
12、 the most densely populated region in the U. S., is a flat and fertile region. Many heavily wooded mountains and deep valley cut by wide and beautiful rivers can be found. Three important rivers, the Hudson, the Delaware and the Susquehanna, flow through this part of the country. Despite the fact th
13、at some of the largest cities in the world are situated here, there are miles and miles beautiful, open country all through this section.b. The Mid-Atlantic RegionThe Mid-Atlantic Region is the heartbeat （中心）of the East Coast. Some of the countrys most important decisions are made in the nations cap
14、ital; New York City stands as the economic giant of the world; and Philadelphia is steeped in history, setting the backdrop(背景） for some of the most important steps toward freedom. c. South Atlantic RegionIn the deep south, the coast plain is very low and wide. The soil of this region varies greatly
15、. Some parts along the coast are almost pure sand. Other sections contain some of the richest soil in the whole country. However, the weather, the land and the rivers that run through the south have made it, for most of its history, a great agricultural region. The coastal plain appears to be fenced
16、 in by the Appalachian Mountains that begin in Canada and reach all the way to Georgia and Alabama. These are old mountains with rounded tops and wooded hills, usually not exceeding 800 meters in height. Most of the mountain ridges are low enough to be easily crossed by modern roads, In parts of the Appalachians the land is not good for farming.
