KENTUCKY
26 slides for an ESL class. Short lines, one idea each, miles and km.
At a glance
Statehood
15th · June 1, 1792
Capital
Frankfort
People
4,526,154 (est.)
Land
39,486 mi² (102,269 km²)
Motto
United we stand, divided we fall · “United we stand, divided we fall”
High point
Black Mountain · 4,145 ft (1,263 m)
Time zone
Eastern Time
State bird
Cardinal
Demonym
Kentuckians
Glance = vistazo. Motto = lema.
Where is Kentucky?
Kentucky is in the US South. The borders below are the ones to memorize.
Border = frontera. River = río.
Where the name comes from
1 · The name
Wyandot or Iroquoian “meadow land,” debated.
2 · How it stuck
English spelling froze later. Say the demonym out loud twice.
3 · Demonym
People here are Kentuckians. The motto means “United we stand, divided we fall”.
Name = nombre. People = gente.
Statehood day
15th
Kentucky became the 15th state on June 1, 1792.
1792
Statehood year. A smaller population, a different economy.
1900s
Rail, farms, and factories pulled people in.
Today
4,526,154 (est.)
Statehood = estado. To join = unirse.
Frankfort, the capital
Frankfort is the capital. Louisville is the big-city name on most maps.
1 · The capital
Frankfort 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.
Louisville, a big city
Louisville pulls jobs and airports.
1 · Size
Say Louisville and Lexington 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.
Lexington
Lexington is the other city the weather report names.
1 · Role
Lexington 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
Black Mountain · 4,145 ft (1,263 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
Summer
Long, wet heat. Afternoon storms. Heat index over 100 °F (38 °C) is news only when it breaks records.
Hurricane / tornado
The Gulf and the plains both write disaster names on schools.
Storm = tormenta. Snow = nieve.
Three days Kentucky remembers
June 1, 1792
Statehood day.
1900s
Machines, roads, and new jobs remade daily life.
today
Horses bourbon and coal.
History = historia. Flood = inundación.
Person 1 · Abraham Lincoln (born here)
1 · The name
Abraham Lincoln (born here)
2 · The deed
This is the person the class should be able to spell.
3 · Place
Tie the name back to Kentucky.
Person = persona. Story = historia.
The flag
Look
Find the unique emblem, not only the blue field.
Say it
The nickname is The Bluegrass State.
Color
Ask one student to describe the flag without pointing.
Flag = bandera. Star = estrella.
Four-moment timeline
Name
Wyandot or Iroquoian “meadow land,” debated.
1792
Statehood.
1900s
Industry and cities.
now
Horses bourbon and coal
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
bourbon
Dish 2
hot brown
Dish 3
derby pie
Food = comida. Dish = plato.
Game day
Team
Wildcats / Derby
Friday
High school lights still matter.
Rival
Ask who the rival is. There is always one.
Game = partido. Team = equipo.
Three people
ABRAHAM LINCOLN (BORN HERE)
The episode’s first person for Kentucky.
FRANKFORT
Capital: Frankfort.
THE BLUEGRASS STAT
The Bluegrass 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
Frankfort
Name the team
Wildcats / Derby
Name the food
bourbon
Slang = jerga. To say = decir.
A Kentucky detail
15th
1 · Order
15th state, June 1, 1792.
2 · People
4,526,154
3 · Hook
Horses bourbon and coal
Town = pueblo.
Black Mountain
peak
1 · Height
Black Mountain · 4,145 ft (1,263 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 Kentucky?
2. What is the nickname?
3. Which number state?
4. Motto in English?
5. The Kentucky Derby is run in?
Question = pregunta. Answer = respuesta.
Thanks · Next stop: Louisiana
Kentucky, episode 17: Horses bourbon and coal.
Answer key
1) a 2) a 3) a 4) a 5) b
Thanks = gracias. Next = siguiente.