NEBRASKA
26 slides for an ESL class. Short lines, one idea each, miles and km.
At a glance
Statehood
37th · March 1, 1867
Capital
Lincoln
People
1,978,379 (est.)
Land
76,824 mi² (198,974 km²)
Motto
Equality before the law · “Equality before the law”
High point
Panorama Point · 5,429 ft (1,655 m)
Time zone
Central Time
State bird
Western meadowlark
Demonym
Nebraskans
Glance = vistazo. Motto = lema.
Where is Nebraska?
Nebraska is in the US Great Plains. The borders below are the ones to memorize.
Border = frontera. River = río.
Where the name comes from
1 · The name
Omaha “flat water,” the Platte.
2 · How it stuck
English spelling froze later. Say the demonym out loud twice.
3 · Demonym
People here are Nebraskans. The motto means “Equality before the law”.
Name = nombre. People = gente.
Statehood day
37th
Nebraska became the 37th state on March 1, 1867.
1867
Statehood year. A smaller population, a different economy.
1900s
Rail, farms, and factories pulled people in.
Today
1,978,379 (est.)
Statehood = estado. To join = unirse.
Lincoln, the capital
Lincoln is the capital. Omaha is the big-city name on most maps.
1 · The capital
Lincoln 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.
Omaha, a big city
Omaha pulls jobs and airports.
1 · Size
Say Omaha and Lincoln 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.
Lincoln
Lincoln is the other city the weather report names.
1 · Role
Lincoln 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
Panorama Point · 5,429 ft (1,655 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
Wind
Nothing stops it for 400 miles (644 km).
Blizzard and hail
A whiteout, then a green summer hailstorm that flattens wheat.
Storm = tormenta. Snow = nieve.
Three days Nebraska remembers
March 1, 1867
Statehood day.
1900s
Machines, roads, and new jobs remade daily life.
today
A unicameral and corn.
History = historia. Flood = inundación.
Person 1 · Willa Cather
1 · The name
Willa Cather
2 · The deed
This is the person the class should be able to spell.
3 · Place
Tie the name back to Nebraska.
Person = persona. Story = historia.
The flag
Look
Find the unique emblem, not only the blue field.
Say it
The nickname is The Cornhusker State.
Color
Ask one student to describe the flag without pointing.
Flag = bandera. Star = estrella.
Four-moment timeline
Name
Omaha “flat water,” the Platte.
1867
Statehood.
1900s
Industry and cities.
now
A unicameral and corn
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
Runza
Dish 2
corn
Dish 3
steak
Food = comida. Dish = plato.
Game day
Team
Cornhuskers
Friday
High school lights still matter.
Rival
Ask who the rival is. There is always one.
Game = partido. Team = equipo.
Three people
WILLA CATHER
The episode’s first person for Nebraska.
LINCOLN
Capital: Lincoln.
THE CORNHUSKER STA
The Cornhusker 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
Lincoln
Name the team
Cornhuskers
Name the food
Runza
Slang = jerga. To say = decir.
A Nebraska detail
37th
1 · Order
37th state, March 1, 1867.
2 · People
1,978,379
3 · Hook
A unicameral and corn
Town = pueblo.
Panorama Point
peak
1 · Height
Panorama Point · 5,429 ft (1,655 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 Nebraska?
2. What is the nickname?
3. Which number state?
4. Motto in English?
5. Nebraska’s legislature is famous because it is?
Question = pregunta. Answer = respuesta.
Thanks · Next stop: Nevada
Nebraska, episode 27: A unicameral and corn.
Answer key
1) a 2) a 3) a 4) a 5) a
Thanks = gracias. Next = siguiente.