VERMONT
26 slides for an ESL class. Short lines, one idea each, miles and km.
At a glance
Statehood
14th · March 4, 1791
Capital
Montpelier
People
647,464 (est.)
Land
9,217 mi² (23,871 km²)
Motto
Freedom and unity · “Freedom and unity”
High point
Mount Mansfield · 4,395 ft (1,340 m)
Time zone
Eastern Time
State bird
Hermit thrush
Demonym
Vermonters
Glance = vistazo. Motto = lema.
Where is Vermont?
Vermont 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
French vert mont, green mountain.
2 · How it stuck
English spelling froze later. Say the demonym out loud twice.
3 · Demonym
People here are Vermonters. The motto means “Freedom and unity”.
Name = nombre. People = gente.
Statehood day
14th
Vermont became the 14th state on March 4, 1791.
1791
Statehood year. A smaller population, a different economy.
1900s
Rail, farms, and factories pulled people in.
Today
647,464 (est.)
Statehood = estado. To join = unirse.
Montpelier, the capital
Montpelier is the capital. Burlington is the big-city name on most maps.
1 · The capital
Montpelier 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.
Burlington, a big city
Burlington pulls jobs and airports.
1 · Size
Say Burlington and South Burlington 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.
South Burlington
South Burlington is the other city the weather report names.
1 · Role
South Burlington 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 Mansfield · 4,395 ft (1,340 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 Vermont remembers
March 4, 1791
Statehood day.
1900s
Machines, roads, and new jobs remade daily life.
today
Maple and a small capital.
History = historia. Flood = inundación.
Person 1 · Ethan Allen
1 · The name
Ethan Allen
2 · The deed
This is the person the class should be able to spell.
3 · Place
Tie the name back to Vermont.
Person = persona. Story = historia.
The flag
Look
Find the unique emblem, not only the blue field.
Say it
The nickname is The Green Mountain State.
Color
Ask one student to describe the flag without pointing.
Flag = bandera. Star = estrella.
Four-moment timeline
Name
French vert mont, green mountain.
1791
Statehood.
1900s
Industry and cities.
now
Maple and a small capital
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
maple syrup
Dish 2
cheddar
Dish 3
apple pie
Food = comida. Dish = plato.
Game day
Team
Catamounts
Friday
High school lights still matter.
Rival
Ask who the rival is. There is always one.
Game = partido. Team = equipo.
Three people
ETHAN ALLEN
The episode’s first person for Vermont.
MONTPELIER
Capital: Montpelier.
THE GREEN MOUNTAIN
The Green Mountain 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
Montpelier
Name the team
Catamounts
Name the food
maple syrup
Slang = jerga. To say = decir.
A Vermont detail
14th
1 · Order
14th state, March 4, 1791.
2 · People
647,464
3 · Hook
Maple and a small capital
Town = pueblo.
Mount Mansfield
peak
1 · Height
Mount Mansfield · 4,395 ft (1,340 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 Vermont?
2. What is the nickname?
3. Which number state?
4. Motto in English?
5. Smallest-population capital?
Question = pregunta. Answer = respuesta.
Thanks · Next stop: Virginia
Vermont, episode 45: Maple and a small capital.
Answer key
1) a 2) a 3) a 4) a 5) b
Thanks = gracias. Next = siguiente.