TENNESSEE
26 slides for an ESL class. Short lines, one idea each, miles and km.
At a glance
Statehood
16th · June 1, 1796
Capital
Nashville
People
7,126,489 (est.)
Land
41,235 mi² (106,798 km²)
Motto
Agriculture and commerce · “Agriculture and commerce”
High point
Clingmans Dome · 6,643 ft (2,025 m)
Time zone
Central (east Eastern) Time
State bird
Mockingbird
Demonym
Tennesseans
Glance = vistazo. Motto = lema.
Where is Tennessee?
Tennessee 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
Cherokee village name via Tanasi.
2 · How it stuck
English spelling froze later. Say the demonym out loud twice.
3 · Demonym
People here are Tennesseans. The motto means “Agriculture and commerce”.
Name = nombre. People = gente.
Statehood day
16th
Tennessee became the 16th state on June 1, 1796.
1796
Statehood year. A smaller population, a different economy.
1900s
Rail, farms, and factories pulled people in.
Today
7,126,489 (est.)
Statehood = estado. To join = unirse.
Nashville, the capital
Nashville is the capital. Nashville is the big-city name on most maps.
1 · The capital
Nashville 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.
Nashville, a big city
Nashville pulls jobs and airports.
1 · Size
Say Nashville and Memphis 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.
Memphis
Memphis is the other city the weather report names.
1 · Role
Memphis 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
Clingmans Dome · 6,643 ft (2,025 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 Tennessee remembers
June 1, 1796
Statehood day.
1900s
Machines, roads, and new jobs remade daily life.
today
Music and a long map.
History = historia. Flood = inundación.
Person 1 · Dolly Parton
1 · The name
Dolly Parton
2 · The deed
This is the person the class should be able to spell.
3 · Place
Tie the name back to Tennessee.
Person = persona. Story = historia.
The flag
Look
Find the unique emblem, not only the blue field.
Say it
The nickname is The Volunteer State.
Color
Ask one student to describe the flag without pointing.
Flag = bandera. Star = estrella.
Four-moment timeline
Name
Cherokee village name via Tanasi.
1796
Statehood.
1900s
Industry and cities.
now
Music and a long map
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
hot chicken
Dish 2
BBQ (Memphis)
Dish 3
stacked tomato
Food = comida. Dish = plato.
Game day
Team
Titans / Volunteers
Friday
High school lights still matter.
Rival
Ask who the rival is. There is always one.
Game = partido. Team = equipo.
Three people
DOLLY PARTON
The episode’s first person for Tennessee.
NASHVILLE
Capital: Nashville.
THE VOLUNTEER STAT
The Volunteer 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
Nashville
Name the team
Titans / Volunteers
Name the food
hot chicken
Slang = jerga. To say = decir.
A Tennessee detail
16th
1 · Order
16th state, June 1, 1796.
2 · People
7,126,489
3 · Hook
Music and a long map
Town = pueblo.
Clingmans Dome
peak
1 · Height
Clingmans Dome · 6,643 ft (2,025 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 Tennessee?
2. What is the nickname?
3. Which number state?
4. Motto in English?
5. Music City is?
Question = pregunta. Answer = respuesta.
Thanks · Next stop: Texas
Tennessee, episode 42: Music and a long map.
Answer key
1) a 2) a 3) a 4) a 5) b
Thanks = gracias. Next = siguiente.