WASHINGTON
26 slides for an ESL class. Short lines, one idea each, miles and km.
At a glance
Statehood
42nd · November 11, 1889
Capital
Olympia
People
7,958,180 (est.)
Land
66,456 mi² (172,119 km²)
Motto
Al-ki · “By and by”
High point
Mount Rainier · 14,411 ft (4,392 m)
Time zone
Pacific Time
State bird
American goldfinch
Demonym
Washingtonians
Glance = vistazo. Motto = lema.
Where is Washington?
Washington is in the US West. The borders below are the ones to memorize.
Border = frontera. River = río.
Where the name comes from
1 · The name
George Washington. The only state named for a president.
2 · How it stuck
English spelling froze later. Say the demonym out loud twice.
3 · Demonym
People here are Washingtonians. The motto means “By and by”.
Name = nombre. People = gente.
Statehood day
42nd
Washington became the 42nd state on November 11, 1889.
1889
Statehood year. A smaller population, a different economy.
1900s
Rail, farms, and factories pulled people in.
Today
7,958,180 (est.)
Statehood = estado. To join = unirse.
Olympia, the capital
Olympia is the capital. Seattle is the big-city name on most maps.
1 · The capital
Olympia 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.
Seattle, a big city
Seattle pulls jobs and airports.
1 · Size
Say Seattle and Spokane 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.
Spokane
Spokane is the other city the weather report names.
1 · Role
Spokane 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 Rainier · 14,411 ft (4,392 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
Dry side / wet side
Mountains wring the clouds. One town is desert, the next is moss.
Fire and snow
August smoke, January powder. Both close roads.
Storm = tormenta. Snow = nieve.
Three days Washington remembers
November 11, 1889
Statehood day.
1900s
Machines, roads, and new jobs remade daily life.
today
Rain a volcano and coffee.
History = historia. Flood = inundación.
Person 1 · William Boeing
1 · The name
William Boeing
2 · The deed
This is the person the class should be able to spell.
3 · Place
Tie the name back to Washington.
Person = persona. Story = historia.
The flag
Look
Find the unique emblem, not only the blue field.
Say it
The nickname is The Evergreen State.
Color
Ask one student to describe the flag without pointing.
Flag = bandera. Star = estrella.
Four-moment timeline
Name
George Washington. The only state named for a president.
1889
Statehood.
1900s
Industry and cities.
now
Rain a volcano and coffee
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
salmon
Dish 2
teriyaki
Dish 3
coffee
Food = comida. Dish = plato.
Game day
Team
Seahawks / Mariners / Kraken
Friday
High school lights still matter.
Rival
Ask who the rival is. There is always one.
Game = partido. Team = equipo.
Three people
WILLIAM BOEING
The episode’s first person for Washington.
OLYMPIA
Capital: Olympia.
THE EVERGREEN STAT
The Evergreen 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
Olympia
Name the team
Seahawks / Mariners / Kraken
Name the food
salmon
Slang = jerga. To say = decir.
A Washington detail
42nd
1 · Order
42nd state, November 11, 1889.
2 · People
7,958,180
3 · Hook
Rain a volcano and coffee
Town = pueblo.
Mount Rainier
peak
1 · Height
Mount Rainier · 14,411 ft (4,392 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 Washington?
2. What is the nickname?
3. Which number state?
4. Motto in English?
5. Capital of Washington?
Question = pregunta. Answer = respuesta.
Thanks · Next stop: West Virginia
Washington, episode 47: Rain a volcano and coffee.
Answer key
1) a 2) a 3) a 4) a 5) c
Thanks = gracias. Next = siguiente.