NOV20
All country briefings

North America · Country briefing

United States

A child-friendly mission briefing for 20 November — capital, climate, school day, languages, fun facts, native animals, and five questions to ask the class on the other side of the world.

  • Capital
    Washington, D.C.
  • Population
    ~333 million
  • Time zone
    America/New York (UTC -5)
  • Currency
    US dollar (USD)
United States, with Washington, D.C. marked
loading map…

Climate in November: Hugely variable; snowy in parts of the north, mild in the south.

Washington, D.C., the capital of United States

The capital

Washington, D.C.

Photo · Unsplash

Fun facts

What makes United States a bit special.

  • States

    50 of them, plus territories

  • Highest peak

    Denali · 6,190m, Alaska

  • Moon landing

    Apollo 11 in 1969

  • National mammal

    American bison

  • Hollywood

    Started making films here in 1910

  • Corn

    Grows enough to feed half the world

Native animals

Wildlife your partner class might know best.

  • 🦅

    Bald eagle

    The national bird

  • 🦬

    American bison

    The largest land animal in North America

  • 🐻

    Grizzly bear

    Can run faster than an Olympic sprinter

  • 🦝

    Raccoon

    Famous for washing food before eating

  • 🐊

    American alligator

    Lives in the wetlands of the south-east

School life

In a United States classroom

US schools vary widely — public, private, charter, magnet. Most start the day with a pledge or a quiet moment.

Typical school day: Often 08:00–15:00, with one lunch break and recess in primary.

School year: August/September to May/June.

Greetings to learn

Say hello like a local

  • Hi!
    English
  • ¡Hola!
    Spanish · OH-la

Five questions to ask

Conversation starters

  1. 01What state are you in?
  2. 02What's your favourite school subject?
  3. 03What do you eat at lunch?
  4. 04What sports do you play?
  5. 05What's something your community is known for?

What not to assume

Friendly cautions

  • ℹThe US has 50 states with different climates, cultures, and school systems.
  • ℹThanksgiving is in late November; some classes will be on break.

Culture

Food, music, sport, festivals.

  • Food

    • Pizza
    • Burgers
    • Cornbread
    • Apple pie

  • Music

    • Jazz
    • Country
    • Hip-hop
    • Rock
    • Bluegrass

  • Sport

    • American football
    • Basketball
    • Baseball
    • Soccer

  • Festivals

    • Thanksgiving (Nov)
    • Christmas
    • Hanukkah
    • Diwali
    • Eid
Reflection prompts
  • “How would a 50-state country compare to your country?”
  • “What is the most surprising thing you learned about a class in another country?”

Could your class meet United States?

Choose United Stateswhen you register — we’ll show you the time-zone feasibility.

Register your classroom