Lesson Plan
Canada: Our Northern Neighbor Lesson Plan
Students will be able to identify Canada as a country north of the U.S. and recognize its large size on a map.
Understanding Canada helps students build foundational knowledge of North American geography and appreciate neighboring cultures.
Audience
1st Grade Students
Time
30 minutes
Approach
Through interactive slides, mapping, and a quick drawing activity, students will grasp Canada's location and scale.
Materials
Whiteboard or projector, Canada Geography Slides, Physical map of North America (optional), Canada Map Activity Worksheet, and Crayons or colored pencils
Prep
Teacher Preparation
15 minutes
- Review the Canada Geography Slides and practice the script.
- Print enough copies of the Canada Map Activity Worksheet for each student.
- Gather crayons or colored pencils.
- Have a large physical map of North America ready, if using.
- Review all generated materials to ensure familiarity.
Step 1
Introduction: Where is Canada?
5 minutes
- Begin with a Warm Up: North Neighbors activity to gauge prior knowledge.
- Introduce Canada as a very large country located directly north of the United States using the Canada Geography Slides (Slide 1-2).
- Point out Canada on a map, emphasizing its position relative to where students live.
Step 2
Exploring Canada's Size
10 minutes
- Use Canada Geography Slides (Slide 3-4) to illustrate Canada's vast size and its long border with the U.S.
- Discuss how big it is compared to their state or even the entire U.S. (simply, not with exact measurements).
- Show pictures of different Canadian landscapes from the slides to give a sense of its diverse geography.
Step 3
Canada Map Activity
10 minutes
- Distribute the Canada Map Activity Worksheet.
- Guide students to identify and lightly color Canada on their map.
- Ask them to draw one simple thing they remember about Canada (e.g., a maple leaf, a mountain, a beaver) on their worksheet.
Step 4
Wrap Up and Review
5 minutes
- Briefly review what they learned about Canada using the Canada Geography Slides (Slide 5).
- Ask students to share one new thing they learned about Canada.
- Conclude with a Cool Down: Canada's Snapshot to check for understanding.
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Slide Deck
Hello, Neighbors!
Today we're going to learn about a country right next to us!
Welcome students and introduce the topic of North American neighbors.
North of the USA
Look north!
That big country is Canada!
It's our neighbor to the north.
Point to Canada on a large map (if available) and then on the slide. Emphasize it's directly above the U.S.
How Big is Canada?
Canada is VAST!
It's the second-biggest country in the whole world!
It shares a very long border with the U.S.
Explain that Canada is HUGE. Use simple comparisons, like "bigger than many states put together."
Land of Mountains and Lakes
Canada has tall mountains, thick forests, and so many lakes!
It's a beautiful place with lots of different nature.
Show diverse images to illustrate Canada's varied landscapes without getting into too much detail. Focus on the idea of mountains, forests, water.
Our Northern Friend!
Canada is our amazing neighbor to the north.
It's a giant country with incredible nature and friendly people!
Quickly recap the main points: Canada is north, it's big, and it has lots of natural beauty.
Script
Canada Geography Script
Introduction: Where is Canada? (5 minutes)
Teacher: "Good morning, everyone! Today, we're going on an adventure, right from our classroom! We're going to learn about one of our very important neighbors. Can anyone tell me what a 'neighbor' is?"
Teacher: "That's right! A neighbor is someone who lives near us. And countries can have neighbors too! We live in the United States, and we have some amazing country-neighbors."
(Display Canada Geography Slides - Slide 1: Hello, Neighbors!)
Teacher: "Today we're going to learn about a country right next to us! Our northern neighbor. When I say northern, which way am I pointing? (Point upwards or north on a compass/map)."
(Display Canada Geography Slides - Slide 2: North of the USA)
Teacher: "Look up! That big country right above us on the map is Canada! Everyone say 'Canada!'"
Students: "Canada!"
Teacher: "Excellent! Canada is our friend to the north. It shares a very, very long border with our country. Imagine walking along that border – it would take you a very long time!"
Exploring Canada's Size (10 minutes)
(Display Canada Geography Slides - Slide 3: How Big is Canada?)
Teacher: "Now, let's talk about how big Canada is. Look at this map again. Does Canada look small or big?"
Teacher: "It looks big, right? Well, guess what? Canada is VAST! That means it's super, super big! In fact, it's the second-biggest country in the entire world! Can you believe it? So much land!"
Teacher: "Imagine if we took all the states in the United States and put many of them together, that still wouldn't be as big as Canada! It's enormous!"
(Display Canada Geography Slides - Slide 4: Land of Mountains and Lakes)
Teacher: "Because Canada is so big, it has all sorts of amazing places to see! It has tall mountains, like giant pointy hats on the land. It has thick, green forests where animals like bears and moose live. And it has so, so many beautiful lakes – more lakes than almost any other country!"
Teacher: "Look at these pictures on the slide. What do you notice? What kind of nature do you see?"
Canada Map Activity (10 minutes)
Teacher: "Now it's your turn to explore Canada a little! I'm going to give each of you a Canada Map Activity Worksheet."
"On this map, you'll see the United States and, right above it, Canada. I want you to carefully find Canada and, with your crayons or colored pencils, lightly color it in any color you like. Make sure you stay inside the lines!"
"After you've colored Canada, I want you to draw one simple thing you remember about Canada in the space provided. Maybe it's a mountain, a tree from a forest, a lake, or even a maple leaf, which is a famous symbol of Canada! Take your time and do your best work."
(Circulate, providing assistance and encouragement. Ask questions like, "What color did you choose for Canada? Why did you pick that?" or "What are you drawing and why?")
Wrap Up and Review (5 minutes)
(After students have had time to complete their activity and you've gathered their attention again.)
Teacher: "Alright, artists and geographers! Let's bring our attention back up here. You've done a wonderful job exploring Canada on your maps!"
(Display Canada Geography Slides - Slide 5: Our Northern Friend!)
Teacher: "So, what's one new thing you learned about Canada today? Raise your hand and share!"
Teacher: "Fantastic! We learned that Canada is our amazing neighbor to the north, it's a giant country, and it has incredible nature like mountains, forests, and lakes!"
Teacher: "To finish up our lesson, let's do a quick Cool Down: Canada's Snapshot. This will help me know what you remember!"
Warm Up
North Neighbors Warm Up
Think about the United States. Do you know any other countries that are right next to us? What do you know about them?
Worksheet
Canada Map Activity
Instructions:
- Look at the map below. Find Canada, our northern neighbor.
- Lightly color Canada with your favorite color.
- In the box provided, draw one thing you remember about Canada!
Map of North America
(Imagine a simple outline map of North America here, clearly showing Canada and the United States as separate, labeled countries.)
My Canada Drawing:
Cool Down
Canada's Snapshot Cool Down
- Name one important thing you learned about Canada today.
- What direction is Canada from the United States?