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
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