TEXAS
26 slides for an ESL class. Short lines, one idea each, miles and km.
At a glance
Statehood
28th · December 29, 1845
Capital
Austin
People
30,503,301 (est.)
Land
261,232 mi² (676,587 km²)
Motto
Friendship · “Friendship”
High point
Guadalupe Peak · 8,751 ft (2,667 m)
Time zone
Central (west Mountain) Time
State bird
Mockingbird
Demonym
Texans
Glance = vistazo. Motto = lema.
Where is Texas?
Texas 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
Caddo taysha, “friend.”
2 · How it stuck
English spelling froze later. Say the demonym out loud twice.
3 · Demonym
People here are Texans. The motto means “Friendship”.
Name = nombre. People = gente.
Statehood day
28th
Texas became the 28th state on December 29, 1845.
1845
Statehood year. A smaller population, a different economy.
1900s
Rail, farms, and factories pulled people in.
Today
30,503,301 (est.)
Statehood = estado. To join = unirse.
Austin, the capital
Austin is the capital. Houston is the big-city name on most maps.
1 · The capital
Austin 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.
Houston, a big city
Houston pulls jobs and airports.
1 · Size
Say Houston and San Antonio 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.
San Antonio
San Antonio is the other city the weather report names.
1 · Role
San Antonio 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
Guadalupe Peak · 8,751 ft (2,667 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 Texas remembers
December 29, 1845
Statehood day.
1900s
Machines, roads, and new jobs remade daily life.
today
A republic then a star.
History = historia. Flood = inundación.
Person 1 · Barbara Jordan
1 · The name
Barbara Jordan
2 · The deed
This is the person the class should be able to spell.
3 · Place
Tie the name back to Texas.
Person = persona. Story = historia.
The flag
Look
Find the unique emblem, not only the blue field.
Say it
The nickname is The Lone Star State.
Color
Ask one student to describe the flag without pointing.
Flag = bandera. Star = estrella.
Four-moment timeline
Name
Caddo taysha, “friend.”
1845
Statehood.
1900s
Industry and cities.
now
A republic then a star
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
brisket
Dish 2
breakfast taco
Dish 3
Tex-Mex
Food = comida. Dish = plato.
Game day
Team
Longhorns / Cowboys / Astros
Friday
High school lights still matter.
Rival
Ask who the rival is. There is always one.
Game = partido. Team = equipo.
Three people
BARBARA JORDAN
The episode’s first person for Texas.
AUSTIN
Capital: Austin.
THE LONE STAR STAT
The Lone Star 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
Austin
Name the team
Longhorns / Cowboys / Astros
Name the food
brisket
Slang = jerga. To say = decir.
A Texas detail
28th
1 · Order
28th state, December 29, 1845.
2 · People
30,503,301
3 · Hook
A republic then a star
Town = pueblo.
Guadalupe Peak
peak
1 · Height
Guadalupe Peak · 8,751 ft (2,667 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 Texas?
2. What is the nickname?
3. Which number state?
4. Motto in English?
5. Texas was an independent republic. True?
Question = pregunta. Answer = respuesta.
Thanks · Next stop: Utah
Texas, episode 43: A republic then a star.
Answer key
1) a 2) a 3) a 4) a 5) a
Thanks = gracias. Next = siguiente.