VIRGINIA
26 slides for an ESL class. Short lines, one idea each, miles and km.
At a glance
Statehood
10th · June 25, 1788
Capital
Richmond
People
8,715,698 (est.)
Land
39,490 mi² (102,279 km²)
Motto
Sic semper tyrannis · “Thus always to tyrants”
High point
Mount Rogers · 5,729 ft (1,746 m)
Time zone
Eastern Time
State bird
Cardinal
Demonym
Virginians
Glance = vistazo. Motto = lema.
Where is Virginia?
Virginia 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
The Virgin Queen, Elizabeth I.
2 · How it stuck
English spelling froze later. Say the demonym out loud twice.
3 · Demonym
People here are Virginians. The motto means “Thus always to tyrants”.
Name = nombre. People = gente.
Statehood day
10th
Virginia became the 10th state on June 25, 1788.
1788
Statehood year. A smaller population, a different economy.
1900s
Rail, farms, and factories pulled people in.
Today
8,715,698 (est.)
Statehood = estado. To join = unirse.
Richmond, the capital
Richmond is the capital. Virginia Beach is the big-city name on most maps.
1 · The capital
Richmond 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.
Virginia Beach, a big city
Virginia Beach pulls jobs and airports.
1 · Size
Say Virginia Beach and Chesapeake 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.
Chesapeake
Chesapeake is the other city the weather report names.
1 · Role
Chesapeake 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 Rogers · 5,729 ft (1,746 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 Virginia remembers
June 25, 1788
Statehood day.
1900s
Machines, roads, and new jobs remade daily life.
today
A colony and a lot of presidents.
History = historia. Flood = inundación.
Person 1 · Pocahontas
1 · The name
Pocahontas
2 · The deed
This is the person the class should be able to spell.
3 · Place
Tie the name back to Virginia.
Person = persona. Story = historia.
The flag
Look
Find the unique emblem, not only the blue field.
Say it
The nickname is The Old Dominion.
Color
Ask one student to describe the flag without pointing.
Flag = bandera. Star = estrella.
Four-moment timeline
Name
The Virgin Queen, Elizabeth I.
1788
Statehood.
1900s
Industry and cities.
now
A colony and a lot of presidents
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
ham
Dish 2
peanuts
Dish 3
Tidewater seafood
Food = comida. Dish = plato.
Game day
Team
Cavaliers / Commanders fans
Friday
High school lights still matter.
Rival
Ask who the rival is. There is always one.
Game = partido. Team = equipo.
Three people
POCAHONTAS
The episode’s first person for Virginia.
RICHMOND
Capital: Richmond.
THE OLD DOMINION
The Old Dominion
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
Richmond
Name the team
Cavaliers / Commanders fans
Name the food
ham
Slang = jerga. To say = decir.
A Virginia detail
10th
1 · Order
10th state, June 25, 1788.
2 · People
8,715,698
3 · Hook
A colony and a lot of presidents
Town = pueblo.
Mount Rogers
peak
1 · Height
Mount Rogers · 5,729 ft (1,746 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 Virginia?
2. What is the nickname?
3. Which number state?
4. Motto in English?
5. Virginia’s motto means?
Question = pregunta. Answer = respuesta.
Thanks · Next stop: Washington
Virginia, episode 46: A colony and a lot of presidents.
Answer key
1) a 2) a 3) a 4) a 5) a
Thanks = gracias. Next = siguiente.