Superhighway Trade Slides 7th Grade Geography
Superhighway Trade
How geography and infrastructure fuel the North American supply chain.
Warm-up: The Long Haul
5 Minutes
Imagine you are a logistics manager in Mexico City. You need to get a fleet of new cars to Toronto, Canada.
Task:
Find the easiest land route between the two cities.
What obstacles might you face?
Is there a single road that connects them?
Tracing the path on your handout map...
Meet the "Main Street of NAFTA"
Interstate 35
A 1,568-mile highway stretching from the Mexican border at Laredo, Texas to Duluth, Minnesota, just south of the Canadian border.
Why it matters:
Connects major manufacturing hubs.
Lowers shipping costs significantly.
Canada Border
I-35
Mexico Border
Watch & Wonder
Stop at 4:30
Embedded media
Look for:
Definitions of Economic Interdependence and the 4 factors causing it.
Listen for:
The Ford Case Study: How a single car is built across three countries.
Mapping the Corridor
Become a North American trade expert.
1
Trace & Label
Draw Interstate 35 from Laredo to Duluth. Label the border cities and 3 major trade stops in between.
2
Apply Icons
Place your product icons (Timber, Cars, etc.) on the countries where those primary and secondary activities happen.
3
Scale Work
Use your ruler and the map scale to calculate the straight-line distance of the I-35 corridor.
What Could Go Wrong?
Supply Chain Disruption
Interdependence makes us strong, but it also makes us vulnerable.
Gulf Hurricane
Midwest Blizzard
Discussion Question:
"If a blizzard shuts down I-35 in Iowa for three days, how does that affect a dealership in Mexico City waiting for SUVs?"
Turn and talk to your neighbor.
Mapping the Corridor Worksheet Mapping the Corridor
Economic Interdependence & Infrastructure
Name:
Date:
Mission Objectives
1
Trace I-35: Draw a thick line from Laredo (US-Mexico border) to Duluth (US-Canada border).
2
Label Cities: Laredo, Dallas, Kansas City, Des Moines, Minneapolis, Duluth.
3
Place Icons: Use the "Trade Icons" sheet to show where Ford's activities happen (Primary, Secondary, Tertiary).
4
Calculate: Use the scale bar to find the straight-line distance of the I-35 corridor.
CANADA UNITED STATES MEXICO
N
Map Workspace
Map Scale
1 inch = 500 miles
Distance Calculation
Measure the distance on your map between Laredo and Duluth.
Map Measure:
Inches
Real Distance:
Miles (Approx)
Connection Check
Why is a direct highway like I-35 essential for Economic Interdependence ?
Trade Icons Sheet Trade & Industry Icons
Cut these out and paste them onto your "Mapping the Corridor" worksheet.
Product
Timber
Canada's Primary Resource
Product
Automobiles
Mexico's Manufacturing
Infrastructure
I-35 Cargo
Interstate Transport
Primary
Steel Mine
(Resources - Canada)
Secondary
Assembly Plant
(Manufacturing - Mexico)
Tertiary
Dealership
(Sales - All Countries)
Quaternary
Design Center
(Intellectual - US)
Risk
Disruption
(Blizzard/Weather)
Agreement
USMCA Treaty
(Trade Rules)
Student Instructions
Carefully cut around the dashed boxes. Apply glue to the back of the icons and place them in the correct geographic locations on your map based on the Ford supply chain video.
Superhighway Trade Teacher Guide Teacher Resource
Superhighway Trade
Economic Interdependence & Infrastructure Lesson Guide
7th Grade Geography
Unit: Global Connections
Lesson Summary
Students explore the concept of Economic Interdependence by focusing on the I-35 trade corridor. Using a video case study of the Ford Motor Company, students map the flow of resources, manufacturing, and services across Mexico, the U.S., and Canada.
Learning Objectives
Define economic interdependence in the context of North America.
Identify the four sectors of economic activity (Primary, Secondary, Tertiary, Quaternary).
Explain how physical geography (proximity) and infrastructure (I-35) influence trade costs.
Analyze the vulnerability of supply chains to geographic disruptions.
Materials Checklist
Superhighway Trade Slides
Mapping Worksheet (1 per student)
Trade Icons Sheet & Scissors
Physical Rulers & Glue
Instructional Sequence
05
mins
Warm-up: The Long Haul
Display the warm-up slide. Ask students to trace a route from Mexico City to Toronto on their worksheet map.
Key Point: Most students will notice a straight vertical path. Introduce I-35 as the "Main Street of NAFTA."
10
mins
Video Analysis (0:00 - 4:30)
Play the video provided in the slides. Pause at 2:47 to discuss the four economic sectors using the Ford case study.
Primary: Steel/Aluminum (Canada)Secondary: Car Manufacturing (Mexico)Tertiary: Dealerships/Sales (All)Quaternary: Design/R&D (USA)
20
mins
Activity: Mapping the Corridor
Students work on their maps. They must draw I-35 and place icons in the appropriate countries.
Map Scale Key:
Distance between Laredo and Duluth is approx. 1,568 miles. On the provided map scale, this should measure roughly 3.1 - 3.2 inches .
Labeling Key:
Ensure students label Duluth, MN at the top and Laredo, TX at the bottom of the I-35 line.
10
mins
Extension: Supply Chain Disruption
