Welcome to our Ecuador study guide! We will read short, clear English sentences together. We will explore beaches, islands, snowy mountains, and green rainforests.
Read one step at a time! Every section teaches key words in English and Spanish (español). Click any ES button whenever you want Spanish help. You never need to type your name or age.
¡Bienvenido/a! Esta guía está pensada para estudiantes de 5.º de EGB que están aprendiendo inglés. Usa el botón ES arriba o en cada pregunta para ver ayuda en español.
Ecuador en América del Sur: Ecuador está en el noroeste de América del Sur (Northwestern South America). La línea del ecuador (Equator) pasa por el país. Su capital es Quito.
Las 4 regiones: 1. Coast (La Costa, junto al océano Pacífico al oeste), 2. Inter-Andean / Sierra (La Sierra o Región Interandina, en las montañas de los Andes al centro), 3. Amazon (La Amazonía, selva tropical al este) y 4. Galápagos / Insular (grupo de islas volcánicas en el océano Pacífico).
Read key English science and geography words with short meanings and Spanish translations (palabras clave en inglés y español). Click to open anytime!
Ecuador is in northwestern South America, next to the Pacific Ocean. Its capital city is Quito. Ecuador has four natural regions: Coast, Inter-Andean (Sierra), Amazon, and Galápagos.
Click Ecuador (ECU) in the upper-left (northwest) corner of South America.
Map note: Numbers 1–4 show helpful study points, not exact region borders. The Galápagos box is a zoom box for islands far out in the Pacific Ocean (~1,000 km west). Source: Natural Earth (Public Domain).
República del Ecuador — Cuatro Regiones Naturales y Capital Quito
Ecuador is in northwestern South America next to the Pacific Ocean. The Equator line crosses right through the country. Its capital city is Quito. Ecuador has four natural regions: Coast, Inter-Andean (Sierra), Amazon, and Galápagos.
The Coast is in the west, next to the Pacific Ocean. It has warm beaches, flat land for farming, and port cities like Guayaquil.
En español: Está al oeste junto al océano Pacífico. Tiene playas cálidas, tierras bajas y puertos.
The Inter-Andean region (also called La Sierra) runs down the middle of Ecuador. It has the tall Andes Mountains, green valleys, our capital city Quito, and snowy volcanoes like Chimborazo.
En español: Es una sola región central (Interandina o Sierra) con la Cordillera de los Andes, valles, volcanes y la capital, Quito.
The Amazon region is in the east, past the Andes Mountains. It has warm, wet rainforests, big rivers, and many kinds of plants and animals.
En español: Está al este de los Andes. Tiene selva tropical húmeda, grandes ríos y mucha vida silvestre.
The Galápagos region is a group of volcanic islands in the Pacific Ocean. It sits about 1,000 km west of mainland Ecuador. Giant tortoises and sea lions live here!
En español: Grupo de islas volcánicas (archipiélago) en el océano Pacífico, a unos 1.000 km al oeste del continente.
The Andes Mountains cross the middle of Ecuador. Let's learn four important English words for the land: Andes Mountains, volcanoes, valleys, and highlands.
Class Meaning: “Large mountain ranges.”
The Andes are a very long chain of mountains in South America. Many volcanoes stand in the Andes, but not every mountain is a volcano!
Cordillera de los Andes: Gran cadena de montañas que cruza el centro del Ecuador. Tiene muchos volcanes, pero no todas las montañas son volcanes.
Class Meaning: “Openings in the Earth's crust that can release lava.”
A volcano is an opening in Earth's outer rock layer (crust = corteza terrestre). Hot melted rock (lava), ash, rock pieces, and gases can come out and build a mountain.
Volcanes: Aberturas en la corteza de la Tierra por donde pueden salir lava, ceniza, rocas y gases, formando una montaña a su alrededor.
Class Meaning: “Low areas between mountains.”
A valley is low land between hills or mountains. Rivers often flow through valleys. Cities like Quito sit in mountain valleys.
Valles (Valleys): Terrenos bajos ubicados entre montañas o colinas, por donde suelen pasar ríos.
Class Meaning: “High areas between mountains.”
Highlands are wide areas of high land between mountains, like cool mountain grasslands (páramo). They are wide high areas, not just one sharp mountain top.
Tierras altas (Highlands): Zonas amplias de terreno elevado entre las montañas (como los páramos y mesetas andinas), no una sola cumbre aislada.
First, read the story about Ecuador's tallest mountain in English. Next, check the three science boxes to see how scientists measure and watch Chimborazo today!
Chimborazo is a giant volcano in Ecuador. In our class reading, it is 6,263 meters (20,548 feet) high! It is the highest mountain in all of Ecuador.
Earth is wider at the equator. Chimborazo is near the equator. Its top (peak = cima) is farthest from Earth's center. Everest is highest above sea level.
How did Chimborazo get its name? People are not 100% sure, so the exact meaning is uncertain. Our class reading shares one local story. “Chimbu” might mean “on the other side.” “Razor” or “ruco” might mean “ice” or “snow.” In that story, the name is like saying “the mountain of ice.”
Chimborazo is covered in white snow and ice. Cute, fluffy Andean animals called vicuñas live on its high slopes.
A quiet volcano can erupt again. Quiet does not mean safe.
El gigante Chimborazo: El Chimborazo es un volcán gigante en el Ecuador. Según la lectura de clase, mide 6.263 metros (20.548 pies) de altura. ¡Es la montaña más alta de todo el Ecuador!
Récord de la cima: La Tierra es más ancha en el ecuador. El Chimborazo está cerca del ecuador. Su cima es la más alejada del centro de la Tierra. El Everest es el más alto sobre el nivel del mar.
El origen de su nombre (incierto): La gente no está 100 % segura del origen de su nombre. La lectura cuenta una historia local donde «Chimbu» podría significar «del otro lado» y «razor» o «ruco» podría significar «hielo» o «nieve», como decir «la montaña de hielo».
Nieve y vicuñas: Está cubierto de nieve blanca y hielo. En sus laderas altas viven las vicuñas.
Seguridad volcánica: Un volcán tranquilo puede volver a erupcionar. Que esté tranquilo no significa que sea seguro.
Original classroom reading wording: The original classroom handout stated: “Today, the volcano is inactive, which means it is safe and will not erupt.”
Why this was adapted for science: In volcanology, dormant volcanoes are quiet but not extinct. The Instituto Geofísico (IG-EPN) monitors Chimborazo as potentially active. Inactive does not mean guaranteed safe. A quiet volcano can erupt again.
Elevation and name origin notes: The height 6,263 meters (20,548 feet) comes from the class reading. The etymology breakdown with “Chimbu” and “razor” / “ruco” is taught as a traditional local story from the passage, while noting that linguistic scholars consider the true name origin uncertain.
En español: El aviso escolar original decía: «Today, the volcano is inactive, which means it is safe and will not erupt.» En ciencias, el IG-EPN clasifica al Chimborazo como potencialmente activo; estar tranquilo hoy no garantiza seguridad futura. Mantenemos los 6.263 m del texto escolar y el relato del nombre como historia tradicional de origen incierto.
| How We Measure | Mount Chimborazo (Ecuador) | Mount Everest (Asia) |
|---|---|---|
| Height Above Sea Level (Sobre el nivel del mar) | 6,263 m (20,548 ft) Highest mountain in Ecuador (class reading) | Highest mountain World's highest above sea level |
| Distance from Earth's Center (Desde el centro de la Tierra) | Farthest peak World's farthest from Earth's center | Closer to center Closer to Earth's center than Chimborazo |
| Where It Sits | Right near the Equator (where Earth is wider) | Far north of the Equator |
First, learn the three volcano states: active, dormant, and extinct. Next, click the 6 volcano parts to explore inside a volcano!
Class Meaning: “When the volcano has activity, lava, ash, etc.”
What Scientists Look For: An active volcano is erupting right now, or it shows clear signs of activity inside, such as hot gases or small volcano earthquakes. Cotopaxi, Sangay, and Reventador are active volcanoes in Ecuador.
En español: Un volcán activo está en erupción o muestra señales de actividad (como gases, ceniza o sismos volcánicos).
Class Meaning: “When the volcano may erupt in the future.”
What Scientists Look For: A dormant volcano is quiet right now, but it still has heat and can erupt again in the future. Remember: being quiet does NOT guarantee safety! Scientists call Mount Chimborazo potentially active.
En español: Está tranquilo ahora, pero puede volver a erupcionar en el futuro. ¡Estar tranquilo no significa que sea 100 % seguro! El Chimborazo está en este grupo.
Class Meaning: “When the volcano won't erupt in the future.”
What Scientists Look For: Based on rock evidence, an extinct volcano has no more supply of hot melted rock (magma) below it. Scientists do not expect it to erupt again based on evidence.
En español: Según las pruebas científicas, ya no tiene suministro de magma y no se espera que vuelva a erupcionar.
Both magma and lava are super-hot melted rock! Click one guess below to see the difference. Your guess does not change your score.
Guess A is right! Where the melted rock is tells us its name. Melted rock stored underground is called magma. Once it comes out onto the outside surface, it is called lava!
En español: La roca derretida bajo tierra se llama magma. Cuando sale a la superficie exterior se llama lava.
Interactive model ready
Meaning: Hot melted rock that comes out of a volcano onto Earth's outside surface. It flows down the side and cools into solid rock.
Remember: Underground it is called magma. Once it comes outside onto the ground, it is called lava!
En español: Roca derretida muy caliente que ya salió a la superficie exterior y baja por la ladera del volcán.
Where it is: Outside the volcano, flowing on the ground.
What it is: Hot melted rock that came out of a volcano opening. When it cools, it turns into hard rock.
Where it is: At the very top of the volcano.
What it is: A bowl-shaped opening at the top of the volcano around the main central vent (not a giant collapsed basin, and not the underground pipe).
Where it is: Deep underground, below Earth's surface.
What it is: Super-hot melted rock and gas stored in underground rock spaces before an eruption.
Where it is: Up the middle of the volcano.
What it is: The main pipe going up and the top opening where magma, ash, and gas come out.
Where it is: Blasted high into the sky during an eruption.
What it is: Tiny sharp pieces of crushed rock and volcanic glass. It is not soft smoke from burning wood!
Where it is: Opening on the side slope (flank) of the volcano.
What it is: A side branch pipe that breaks through the side of the volcano so lava or gas can exit from the side, not only from the top.
Learn the five natural disasters from your study list: earthquake, wildfire, drought, tsunami, and tornado.
Meaning: A sudden shaking of the ground. It happens when underground rocks slip along a crack (called a fault = falla).
Remember: Earthquakes happen underground in rock, not from rain clouds!
En español: Sacudida repentina del suelo cuando se mueven las rocas bajo tierra. Bajo techo: Agacharse, Cubrirse y Sujetarse lejos de ventanas.
Meaning: An unplanned fire that spreads fast through dry grass, bushes, or forest trees.
Remember: Hot, dry, and windy weather helps wildfires spread quickly.
En español: Fuego sin control que se extiende por bosques, matorrales o pasto seco.
Meaning: A very long time (weeks, months, or years) with too little water and much less rain than normal. It dries the soil and hurts plants, animals, and people.
Remember: One sunny afternoon without rain is normal weather, not a drought!
En español: Largo período con muy poca lluvia y falta de agua que afecta a plantas, animales y personas. ¡Una sola tarde soleada no es sequía!
Meaning: A series of large ocean waves caused when a huge amount of ocean water is pushed suddenly, often by an underwater earthquake.
Remember: A tsunami is many waves arriving over time, not just one wave or normal daily tides.
En español: Serie de grandes olas en el océano causadas por un movimiento brusco del agua (como un sismo submarino). En la costa, sube rápido a zonas altas.
Meaning: A fast, violently spinning column of wind that reaches from a thunderstorm cloud all the way down to the ground.
Remember: A small dust swirl on a sunny day is not a tornado. A tornado connects to a thunderstorm cloud.
En español: Columna de viento que gira con mucha fuerza desde una nube de tormenta hasta tocar el suelo.
Press play when you are ready. Nothing plays automatically! Choose 0.75x for slower speech, 1x for normal speed, or 1.25x for faster speech.
Answer one question at a time! Need help with English words? Review our Word help / Palabras vocabulary guide, or click Help in Spanish / Ayuda en español on any question to read questions, choices, and key words in Spanish without losing points.