2

DIRECTIONS & PREPOSITIONSClearing up confusion creates communicative competency.

INTRODUCTIONThis is an information gap activity, and has a version for 3 and 4 persons. This activity is a little easier to understand and do than the street directions, so I do this activity first. This can be used at any time, and fits in well with the Vacations unit in Jazz 1. There are 48 states here. 48 divided by 3 = 16, 48 divided by 4 = 12. Thus, will ask and receive directions at least 12 times.

INSTRUCTIONSStudents sit in a group of 3 or 4.I go over the directions 1 - 4, and pronounce the prepositions and directions, they repeat. When I am going over 4, I tell them that this is a chance to practice their bad-pad-fad, light, right, night, might pronunciation. They can emphasize the difference between B and D, M and N. A goes first, and asks: What state is above, below, on the right, on the left of Kansas?After the answer is given and spelled, everyone writes the name down in the proper place. Then, B goes. There will be confusion and sometimes students will write the state name in the wrong place and this will start a chain reaction of mistakes. That’s OK. Clearing up confusion creates communicative competency.

POST ACTIVITY ACTIVITYSome groups will finish before others, therefore, as groups finish I tell them to talk about places in America they have been to, why, where, for how long. It’s a conversation class.

After every group finishes, they open their Jazz book to the USA map and I pronounce the states for them, starting with Washington, and going down and then up toward the east.

If time allows: -I tell them that most states are Indian names: Ohio, Arkansas, Idaho, etc.

I explain that the state capitols are not the biggest city in the state, but rather the biggest city near the center of the state. This was to help voting in the old days of horses.

I explain the US highway system. Highways that go basically north and south have odd numbers, and begin on the west coast (highway 1) and end on the east coast (Interstate-95).

Highways that go east and west are even numbered, and start in the south, Interstate 10, and go north, to Interstate 90.

Also, there are interstate loops around major cities, and the loops have 3-digit numbers. For example the 610 loop around Houston.

JAZZ PRONUNCIATIONTo help students pronounce states such as Wyoming and Iowa correctly, I have included Jazz spelling in smaller letters underneath each states. The most common states, such as California and New York need no such help.

Every student knows certain basics of English pronunciation, such as:\

This is not formal phonetics, merely help to pronounce states for the first time.

A = ai = pay, pain, main MainE = ee = beet, feet, meet Tehn-neh-seeI = eye = why, my Eye-duh-hoO = Oh = no, go, so Oh-kluh-ho-muhU = oo = you, flew, blue Mae-suh-choo-suhtsY = eye = why Y-oh-ming

aw = saw Flaw-ree-duheh = wet, get, bet Aw-reh-gahnae = hat, cat, bat Ae-ree-zoh-nuh ah = how, hot, pot You-tah, uh = but, hut, mutt Ae-luh-baem-uhun = gun, fun Aw-reh-gun

3

3

pers

on

A

Nev

ada

Alaba

ma

Wyo

min

g

Ari

zona

Kan

sas

Texa

s

Wis

cons

in

Ken

tuck

y

FloridaNew Y

ork

Sout

hC

arol

ina

Iow

a

KANS

AS

Ore

gon

Rho

de I

slan

d.

Arkansas

New

H

amps

hire

Mar

ylan

d

The

Gre

atLa

kes

Abo

veO

n to

p of

Nor

th o

fB

elow

Und

erS

outh

of

To th

e rig

ht o

f

Eas

t of

To th

e le

ft of

Wes

t of

Nex

t to

In b

etw

een

Sou

thea

st o

fN

orth

wes

t of

On

the

right

sid

e of

On

the

left

side

of

Wha

t sta

te is

abo

ve K

ansa

s?

How

do

you

spel

l tha

t?

Wha

t sta

te is

wes

t of K

ansa

s?

How

do

you

spel

l tha

t?

Neb

rask

a is

abo

ve K

ansa

s.

N. E

. B. R

. A. S

. K. A

.

That

's C

olor

ado.

C. O

. L.

O. R

. A. D

. O.

Star

t with

Kan

sas.

Take

turn

s an

d as

k qu

estio

ns

until

you

hav

e w

ritte

n th

e na

mes

of a

ll th

e st

ates

.

1

23

aw-r

eh-g

unaw

-reh

-gah

n

neh-

vae-

duh

eye-

oh-u

h

tehx

-sus

kehn

-tuck

-ee

flaw-ree-duh

kae-

uh-li

ne-u

h

wiss-ka

hn-su

n

mae

r-ee

-lund

ae-r

eh-z

ohn-

uh

kan-

zus

R-kaen-sa

w

ael-u

h-bae

m-uh

Y-oh

-min

g

road

eye-

lund

haem

p-su

re

PR

EP

OSI

TIO

NS

& U

.S.

GE

OG

RA

PH

YTo

day

you

will

lear

n pr

epos

ition

s an

d U

S ge

ogra

phy.

I ki

d yo

u no

t. C

larif

ying

con

fusi

on c

reat

es c

ompe

tenc

y!

3

Do

NO

T le

t yo

ur p

artn

ers

see

your

map

!4

4

Con

nect

icut

MaineCalifo

rnia

Idah

o

Uta

h

Mis

sour

i

New

Mex

ico

Loui

siana

Neb

rask

a

Maine

Indiana

Wes

t V

irgi

nia

Geo

rgia

Penn

sylv

ania

KANS

AS

Nor

thD

akot

a

Nor

th C

arol

ina

The

Gre

atLa

kes

Abo

veO

n to

p of

Nor

th o

fB

elow

Und

erS

outh

of

To th

e rig

ht o

f

Eas

t of

To th

e le

ft of

Wes

t of

Nex

t to

In b

etw

een

Sou

thea

st o

fN

orth

wes

t of

On

the

right

sid

e of

On

the

left

side

of

Wha

t sta

te is

abo

ve K

ansa

s?

How

do

you

spel

l tha

t?

Wha

t sta

te is

wes

t of K

ansa

s?

How

do

you

spel

l tha

t?

Neb

rask

a is

abo

ve K

ansa

s.

N. E

. B. R

. A. S

. K. A

.

That

's C

olor

ado.

C. O

. L.

O. R

. A. D

. O.

Star

t with

Kan

sas.

Take

turn

s an

d as

k qu

estio

ns

until

you

hav

e w

ritte

n th

e na

mes

of a

ll th

e st

ates

.

1

2

MO

REBO

FFO

MA

TE

RI

AL

S

3 pe

rson

B

eye-

duh-

ho

nuh-

brae

s-ku

h

Meh

x-ee

-kok

in-dee-aen-nuh

ver-

gin-

yuh

pen-

suhl

-van

e-yu

h

kae-

ruh-

line-

uh

kun-

ett-i

h-ku

t

geor

g-uh

lew-ee

-zee-a

en-uh

main

U-ta

w

miz

-zoo

-ree

kean

-zuh

s

PR

EP

OSI

TIO

NS

& U

.S.

GE

OG

RA

PH

YTo

day

you

will

lear

n pr

epos

ition

s an

d U

S ge

ogra

phy.

I ki

d yo

u no

t. C

larif

ying

con

fusi

on c

reat

es c

ompe

tenc

y!

3

Do

NO

T le

t yo

ur p

artn

ers

see

your

map

!4

duh-

ko-tu

h

5

3 pe

rson

C

Was

hing

ton

Mon

tana

Ohi

o

New

Jer

sey

Mississippi

Sou

th D

akot

a

ILLINOIS

Vir

gini

a

Tenn

esse

e

Ver

mon

t

Del

awar

e

Minnesota

Massachusetts

MichiganC

olor

ado

Okl

ahom

a

KANS

AS

The

Gre

atLa

kes

Abo

veO

n to

p of

Nor

th o

fB

elow

Und

erS

outh

of

To th

e rig

ht o

f

Eas

t of

To th

e le

ft of

Wes

t of

Nex

t to

In b

etw

een

Sou

thea

st o

fN

orth

wes

t of

On

the

right

sid

e of

On

the

left

side

of

Wha

t sta

te is

abo

ve K

ansa

s?

How

do

you

spel

l tha

t?

Wha

t sta

te is

wes

t of K

ansa

s?

How

do

you

spel

l tha

t?

Neb

rask

a is

abo

ve K

ansa

s.

N. E

. B. R

. A. S

. K. A

.

That

's C

olor

ado.

C. O

. L.

O. R

. A. D

. O.

Star

t with

Kan

sas.

Take

turn

s an

d as

k qu

estio

nsun

til y

ou h

ave

writ

ten

the

nam

es o

f all

the

stat

es.

1

2

min-ess-soh-tuh

maes-suh-choo-suts

jer-

zee

mish-eh-gun

mah

n-ta

n-uh

duh-

ko-tu

h

ten-

neh-

see

ver-g

in-y

uh

miss-sis-sip-ee

oh-h

igh-

oh

ill-in-oy

del-u

h-w

are

ver-

mah

nt

waw

-shi

ng-tu

n

kahl

-uh-

rae-

doh

Oh-

kluh

-hom

e-uh

PR

EP

OSI

TIO

NS

& U

.S.

GE

OG

RA

PH

YTo

day

you

will

lear

n pr

epos

ition

s an

d U

S ge

ogra

phy.

I ki

d yo

u no

t. C

larif

ying

con

fusi

on c

reat

es c

ompe

tenc

y!

3

Do

NO

T le

t yo

ur p

artn

ers

see

your

map

!4

6

Was

hing

ton

Mon

tana

Uta

h O

hio

Mississippi

Sou

th D

akot

a

ILLINOIS

Vir

gini

a

Ten

ness

ee

Ver

mon

t

Del

awar

e

KANS

ASMich

iganTh

eG

reat

Lake

s

Abo

veO

n to

p of

Nor

th o

fB

elow

Und

erS

outh

of

To th

e rig

ht o

f

Eas

t of

To th

e le

ft of

Wes

t of

Nex

t to

In b

etw

een

Sou

thea

st o

fN

orth

wes

t of

On

the

right

sid

e of

On

the

left

side

of

Wha

t sta

te is

abo

ve K

ansa

s?

How

do

you

spel

l tha

t?

Wha

t sta

te is

wes

t of K

ansa

s?

How

do

you

spel

l tha

t?

Neb

rask

a is

abo

ve K

ansa

s.

N. E

. B. R

. A. S

. K. A

.

That

's C

olor

ado.

C. O

. L.

O. R

. A. D

. O.

Star

t with

Kan

sas.

Take

turn

s an

d as

k qu

estio

ns

until

you

hav

e w

ritte

n th

e na

mes

of a

ll th

e st

ates

.

1

2

3

Do

NO

T le

t yo

ur p

artn

ers

see

your

map

!4

mish-i-g

un

kan-

zus

yoo-

taw

mah

n-ta

n-uh

duh-

ko-tu

h

ten-

neh-

see

ver-g

in-y

uh

miss-sis-sip-ee

oh-h

igh-

oh

ill-in-oy

del-u

h-wa

re

ver-

mah

ntw

aw-s

hing

-tunP

RE

PO

SIT

ION

S &

U.S

. G

EO

GR

AP

HY

A

4 pe

rson

Toda

y yo

u w

ill le

arn

prep

ositi

ons

and

US

geog

raph

y. I

kid

you

not.

Cla

rifyi

ng c

onfu

sion

cre

ates

com

pete

ncy!

7

MO

RE B

OFF

O

MA

TE

RI

AL

S

Nev

ada

Wyo

min

g

Ari

zona

Kan

sas

Tex

as

Wis

cons

in

Ken

tuck

y

FloridaNew Y

ork

Rho

de

Isla

nd.

Sout

hC

arol

ina

Iow

a

KANS

AS

The

Gre

atLa

kes

Abo

veO

n to

p of

Nor

th o

fB

elow

Und

erS

outh

of

To th

e rig

ht o

f

Eas

t of

To th

e le

ft of

Wes

t of

Nex

t to

In b

etw

een

Sou

thea

st o

fN

orth

wes

t of

On

the

right

sid

e of

On

the

left

side

of

Wha

t sta

te is

abo

ve K

ansa

s?

How

do

you

spel

l tha

t?

Wha

t sta

te is

wes

t of K

ansa

s?

How

do

you

spel

l tha

t?

Neb

rask

a is

abo

ve K

ansa

s.

N. E

. B. R

. A. S

. K. A

.

That

's C

olor

ado.

C. O

. L.

O. R

. A. D

. O.

Star

t with

Kan

sas.

Take

turn

s an

d as

k qu

estio

ns

until

you

hav

e w

ritte

n th

e na

mes

of a

ll th

e st

ates

.

1

2

3

Do

NO

T le

t yo

ur p

artn

ers

see

your

map

!4

neh-

vae-

duh

why

-oh-

min

g

tehx

-sus

kehn

-tuck

-ee

flaw-ree-duh

kae-

uh-li

ne-u

h

wiss-ko

n-su

n

rohd

eye

-lund

ae-r

eh-z

ohn-

uh

kan-

zus

B

4 pe

rson

Toda

y yo

u w

ill le

arn

prep

ositi

ons

and

US

geog

raph

y. I

kid

you

not.

Cla

rifyi

ng c

onfu

sion

cre

ates

com

pete

ncy!

PR

EP

OSI

TIO

NS

& U

.S.

GE

OG

RA

PH

Y

8

MO

RE

BO

FFO

MA

TE

RI

AL

S

California

Idah

o

Okl

ahom

a

Loui

siana

Neb

rask

a

Indiana

Wes

tV

irgi

nia

Geo

rgia

Penn

sylv

ania

Con

nect

icut

Maine

Nor

th C

arol

ina

KANS

AS

The

Gre

atLa

kes

Abo

veO

n to

p of

Nor

th o

fB

elow

Und

erS

outh

of

To th

e rig

ht o

f

Eas

t of

To th

e le

ft of

Wes

t of

Nex

t to

In b

etw

een

Sou

thea

st o

fN

orth

wes

t of

On

the

right

sid

e of

On

the

left

side

of

Wha

t sta

te is

abo

ve K

ansa

s?

How

do

you

spel

l tha

t?

Wha

t sta

te is

wes

t of K

ansa

s?

How

do

you

spel

l tha

t?

Neb

rask

a is

abo

ve K

ansa

s.

N. E

. B. R

. A. S

. K. A

.

That

's C

olor

ado.

C. O

. L.

O. R

. A. D

. O.

Star

t with

Kan

sas.

Take

turn

s an

d as

k qu

estio

ns

until

you

hav

e w

ritte

n th

e na

mes

of a

ll th

e st

ates

.

1

2

kan-

zus

eye-

duh-

ho

nuh-

brae

s-ku

h

oh-k

luh-

ho-m

uh

in-dee-aen-nuh

ver-

gin-

yuh

pen-

suhl

-van

e-yu

h

kae-

ruh-

line-

uh

kun-

eh-ti

h-ku

t

geor

g-uh

lew-ee

-zee-a

en-uh

main

3

Do

NO

T le

t yo

ur p

artn

ers

see

your

map

!4

C

4 pe

rson

Toda

y yo

u w

ill le

arn

prep

ositi

ons

and

US

geog

raph

y. I

kid

you

not.

Cla

rifyi

ng c

onfu

sion

cre

ates

com

pete

ncy!

PR

EP

OSI

TIO

NS

& U

.S.

GE

OG

RA

PH

Y

9

Ohi

o

Ore

gon

Col

orad

o

New

Mex

ico

Arkansas

Mis

sour

i

Minnesota

Alabama

New

H

amps

hire

Mar

ylan

d

Nor

th

Dak

ota

Massachusetts

KANS

AS

New

Jer

sey

The

Gre

atLa

kes

Abo

veO

n to

p of

Nor

th o

fB

elow

Und

erS

outh

of

To th

e rig

ht o

f

Eas

t of

To th

e le

ft of

Wes

t of

Nex

t to

In b

etw

een

Sou

thea

st o

fN

orth

wes

t of

On

the

right

sid

e of

On

the

left

side

of

Wha

t sta

te is

abo

ve K

ansa

s?

How

do

you

spel

l tha

t?

Wha

t sta

te is

wes

t of K

ansa

s?

How

do

you

spel

l tha

t?

Neb

rask

a is

abo

ve K

ansa

s.

N. E

. B. R

. A. S

. K. A

.

That

's C

olor

ado.

C. O

. L.

O. R

. A. D

. O.

Star

t with

Kan

sas.

Take

turn

s an

d as

k qu

estio

ns

until

you

hav

e w

ritte

n th

e na

mes

of a

ll th

e st

ates

.

1

2

3

aw-r

eh-g

unaw

-reh

-gah

n

duh-

koh-

tuh

kahl

-uh-

raed

-oh

min-ess-soh-tuh

kaen

-zus

mex

-ih-k

oR-ka

en-saw

miz

zoo

-ree

ael-luh-baem-uh

maes-suh-choo-suts

haem

-sur

e

mae

-ree

-lund

jer-

zee

Do

NO

T le

t yo

ur p

artn

ers

see

your

map

!4

D

4 pe

rson

Toda

y yo

u w

ill le

arn

prep

ositi

ons

and

US

geog

raph

y. I

kid

you

not.

Cla

rifyi

ng c

onfu

sion

cre

ates

com

pete

ncy!

PR

EP

OSI

TIO

NS

& U

.S.

GE

OG

RA

PH

Y