MASSACHUSETTS
26 slides for an ESL class. Short lines, one idea each, miles and km.
At a glance
Statehood
6th · February 6, 1788
Capital
Boston
People
7,001,399 (est.)
Land
7,800 mi² (20,202 km²)
Motto
Ense petit placidam sub libertate quietem · “By the sword we seek peace, but peace only under liberty”
High point
Mount Greylock · 3,489 ft (1,063 m)
Time zone
Eastern Time
State bird
Black-capped chickadee
Demonym
Massachusettsans
Glance = vistazo. Motto = lema.
Where is Massachusetts?
Massachusetts is in the US Northeast. The borders below are the ones to memorize.
Border = frontera. River = río.
Where the name comes from
1 · The name
Algonquian “at the great hill,” the Blue Hills.
2 · How it stuck
English spelling froze later. Say the demonym out loud twice.
3 · Demonym
People here are Massachusettsans. The motto means “By the sword we seek peace, but peace only under liberty”.
Name = nombre. People = gente.
Statehood day
6th
Massachusetts became the 6th state on February 6, 1788.
1788
Statehood year. A smaller population, a different economy.
1900s
Rail, farms, and factories pulled people in.
Today
7,001,399 (est.)
Statehood = estado. To join = unirse.
Boston, the capital
Boston is the capital. Boston is the big-city name on most maps.
1 · The capital
Boston 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.
Boston, a big city
Boston pulls jobs and airports.
1 · Size
Say Boston and Worcester 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.
Worcester
Worcester is the other city the weather report names.
1 · Role
Worcester 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
Mount Greylock · 3,489 ft (1,063 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
Nor’easters wrap the coast. Inland hills ice the roads.
Fall
Maple color is a two-week industry on two-lane roads.
Storm = tormenta. Snow = nieve.
Three days Massachusetts remembers
February 6, 1788
Statehood day.
1900s
Machines, roads, and new jobs remade daily life.
today
A bay a college and a revolution.
History = historia. Flood = inundación.
Person 1 · John Adams
1 · The name
John Adams
2 · The deed
This is the person the class should be able to spell.
3 · Place
Tie the name back to Massachusetts.
Person = persona. Story = historia.
The flag
Look
Find the unique emblem, not only the blue field.
Say it
The nickname is The Bay State.
Color
Ask one student to describe the flag without pointing.
Flag = bandera. Star = estrella.
Four-moment timeline
Name
Algonquian “at the great hill,” the Blue Hills.
1788
Statehood.
1900s
Industry and cities.
now
A bay a college and a revolution
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
clam chowder
Dish 2
Boston cream pie
Dish 3
roast beef sandwich
Food = comida. Dish = plato.
Game day
Team
Celtics / Red Sox / Patriots
Friday
High school lights still matter.
Rival
Ask who the rival is. There is always one.
Game = partido. Team = equipo.
Three people
JOHN ADAMS
The episode’s first person for Massachusetts.
BOSTON
Capital: Boston.
THE BAY STATE
The Bay 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
Boston
Name the team
Celtics / Red Sox / Patriots
Name the food
clam chowder
Slang = jerga. To say = decir.
A Massachusetts detail
6th
1 · Order
6th state, February 6, 1788.
2 · People
7,001,399
3 · Hook
A bay a college and a revolution
Town = pueblo.
Mount Greylock
peak
1 · Height
Mount Greylock · 3,489 ft (1,063 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 Massachusetts?
2. What is the nickname?
3. Which number state?
4. Motto in English?
5. The capital of Massachusetts is?
Question = pregunta. Answer = respuesta.
Thanks · Next stop: Michigan
Massachusetts, episode 21: A bay a college and a revolution.
Answer key
1) a 2) a 3) a 4) a 5) b
Thanks = gracias. Next = siguiente.