The continent of North America extends from just south of the North Pole to just north of the equator. North America is the third largest continent in the world and consists of three large countries and a cluster of smaller countries. The three largest countries here are Canada, the United States of America, and Mexico.

North America includes some of the world’s largest cities, but vast areas of the continent are uninhabited, especially the land in the far north.

North America is the fourth most populous continent in the world. Mexico City, the capital city of Mexico, New York City, Los Angeles and Toronto, are in that order, the four most populous cities in North America.

Young, fold mountains stretch along almost the entire length of the continent’s western side and contain a number of volcanoes. The Rocky Mountains are a major mountain range in Western North America. These mountains stretch from northern Canada to the southern United States, a distance of about 4, 800 kilometres. The Great Lakes form the largest group of freshwater lakes in the world.

North America is bounded on the north by the Arctic Ocean, on the east by the Atlantic Ocean, on the south by the Caribbean Sea, and on the west by the Pacific Ocean.

North America includes almost every kind of landscape, from ice caps to forests, mountains, deserts and jungles.

A) Vocabulary:

North Pole – the northernmost point on the earth
Equator – The imaginary great circle around the earth’s surface. It divides the earth into the Northern Hemisphere and the Southern Hemisphere.
Cluster – A group, a bunch
Vast – huge, a very great area
Uninhabited – a place without people
Populous – having a large population, crowded
Bound – form the boundary of
Landscape – countryside, environment

B) Discussion Points:

Please take a look at the map of North America on the Internet. You will also have to look up information on North America. Now try to answer the following questions:

1. Please look for the geographical features (the Rockies and the Great Lakes) mentioned in this lesson plan.
2. Discuss two features of the Rocky Mountains.
3. How many Great Lakes are there?
4. What are their names?
5. Which is the largest Great Lake?
6. Where on the North American continent are they?
7. Why are they important?
8. Name the capital city of the United States.
9. Name the capital city of Canada.
10. Name the capital city of Mexico.
11. Describe the flag of the U.S. A.
12. Count the stars on the flag. Why does it have this number of stars?
13. What are the colours of the Canadian flag? Do you recognise the leaf in its centre?
14. Describe the Mexican flag. What bird is on it?
15. Finally, how does America get its name?

Audio courtesy Tara Kriplani: