ILLINOIS
26 slides for an ESL class. Short lines, one idea each, miles and km.
At a glance
Statehood
21st · December 3, 1818
Capital
Springfield
People
12,549,689 (est.)
Land
55,584 mi² (143,864 km²)
Motto
State sovereignty, national union · “State sovereignty, national union”
High point
Charles Mound · 1,235 ft (376 m)
Time zone
Central Time
State bird
Cardinal
Demonym
Illinoisans
Glance = vistazo. Motto = lema.
Where is Illinois?
Illinois is in the US Midwest. The borders below are the ones to memorize.
Border = frontera. River = río.
Where the name comes from
1 · The name
French spelling of an Illiniwek name.
2 · How it stuck
English spelling froze later. Say the demonym out loud twice.
3 · Demonym
People here are Illinoisans. The motto means “State sovereignty, national union”.
Name = nombre. People = gente.
Statehood day
21st
Illinois became the 21st state on December 3, 1818.
1818
Statehood year. A smaller population, a different economy.
1900s
Rail, farms, and factories pulled people in.
Today
12,549,689 (est.)
Statehood = estado. To join = unirse.
Springfield, the capital
Springfield is the capital. Chicago is the big-city name on most maps.
1 · The capital
Springfield is the seat of government.
2 · Why here
Lawmakers picked a city they could reach.
3 · A civic fact
The capitol is the postcard of state power.
Capital = capital. City = ciudad.
Chicago, a big city
Chicago pulls jobs and airports.
1 · Size
Say Chicago and Aurora in one breath.
2 · Work
Work follows the river, the rail, or the interstate.
3 · Character
Students should say this name out loud twice.
City = ciudad. Port = puerto.
Aurora
Aurora is the other city the weather report names.
1 · Role
Aurora is not the capital, but it matters.
2 · A hook
A campus, a mill, or a river made it.
3 · Remember
Ask the class which city they would visit first.
Second = segundo. Nickname = apodo.
A very small place
small tiny incorporated places
Incorporation can outlive the boom. A sign, a hall, a few houses.
Count them
Census numbers bounce. Seasonal work changes a town.
Why stay
A post office, a church, a family name.
The lesson
Not every American lives in a skyline.
Town = pueblo. Tiny = minúsculo.
Land
High point
Charles Mound · 1,235 ft (376 m)
The working land
Farms, forests, mines, or a coast, depending on the county.
Water
A river, a lake, or an ocean wrote the old trade.
Mountain = montaña. River = río.
Weather
Winter
Arctic air can drop −20 °F (−29 °C). Wind on the lakes is a second climate.
Summer
Humid, green, thunderstorms. Tornado watches in spring.
Storm = tormenta. Snow = nieve.
Three days Illinois remembers
December 3, 1818
Statehood day.
1900s
Machines, roads, and new jobs remade daily life.
today
Lincoln and Chicago.
History = historia. Flood = inundación.
Person 1 · Abraham Lincoln
1 · The name
Abraham Lincoln
2 · The deed
This is the person the class should be able to spell.
3 · Place
Tie the name back to Illinois.
Person = persona. Story = historia.
The flag
Look
Find the unique emblem, not only the blue field.
Say it
The nickname is The Prairie State.
Color
Ask one student to describe the flag without pointing.
Flag = bandera. Star = estrella.
Four-moment timeline
Name
French spelling of an Illiniwek name.
1818
Statehood.
1900s
Industry and cities.
now
Lincoln and Chicago
Timeline = línea de tiempo.
Industry
Jobs
Government, services, and the old specialty trade.
Make
Factories, mills, or code, depending on the metro.
Move
A port, a rail yard, or an interstate hub.
Factory = fábrica. Job = trabajo.
Farm
Field
The postcard crop is in the foods list.
Animal
Cattle, hogs, or dairy show up in most interiors.
Market
A co-op, a grain elevator, or a dock.
Farm = granja. Crop = cultivo.
Food: three dishes
Dish 1
deep dish
Dish 2
Italian beef
Dish 3
corn dog
Food = comida. Dish = plato.
Game day
Team
Bears / Cubs / Bulls
Friday
High school lights still matter.
Rival
Ask who the rival is. There is always one.
Game = partido. Team = equipo.
Three people
ABRAHAM LINCOLN
The episode’s first person for Illinois.
SPRINGFIELD
Capital: Springfield.
THE PRAIRIE STATE
The Prairie State
Famous = famoso. Born = nacido.
Real rules, and one fake one
1 · Real · Seat belts
Wear them.
2 · Real · School zones
Lights flash. Speed drops.
3 · Real · Local alcohol rules
Counties can be dry or damp.
4 · Myth · A viral weird law
If it sounds like a joke, check the code.
Law = ley. Myth = mito.
Slang you will hear
Name the capital
Springfield
Name the team
Bears / Cubs / Bulls
Name the food
deep dish
Slang = jerga. To say = decir.
A Illinois detail
21st
1 · Order
21st state, December 3, 1818.
2 · People
12,549,689
3 · Hook
Lincoln and Chicago
Town = pueblo.
Charles Mound
peak
1 · Height
Charles Mound · 1,235 ft (376 m)
2 · Metric
Feet and meters both appear. Use both.
3 · Climb?
Ask the class: walk, drive, or skip?
Story = historia.
Five questions
1. What is the capital of Illinois?
2. What is the nickname?
3. Which number state?
4. Motto in English?
5. Capital of Illinois?
Question = pregunta. Answer = respuesta.
Thanks · Next stop: Indiana
Illinois, episode 13: Lincoln and Chicago.
Answer key
1) a 2) a 3) a 4) a 5) b
Thanks = gracias. Next = siguiente.