WEST VIRGINIA
26 slides for an ESL class. Short lines, one idea each, miles and km.
At a glance
Statehood
35th · June 20, 1863
Capital
Charleston
People
1,769,979 (est.)
Land
24,038 mi² (62,259 km²)
Motto
Montani semper liberi · “Mountaineers are always free”
High point
Spruce Knob · 4,863 ft (1,482 m)
Time zone
Eastern Time
State bird
Cardinal
Demonym
West Virginians
Glance = vistazo. Motto = lema.
Where is West Virginia?
West 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
West of Virginia. The name is the history.
2 · How it stuck
English spelling froze later. Say the demonym out loud twice.
3 · Demonym
People here are West Virginians. The motto means “Mountaineers are always free”.
Name = nombre. People = gente.
Statehood day
35th
West Virginia became the 35th state on June 20, 1863.
1863
Statehood year. A smaller population, a different economy.
1900s
Rail, farms, and factories pulled people in.
Today
1,769,979 (est.)
Statehood = estado. To join = unirse.
Charleston, the capital
Charleston is the capital. Charleston is the big-city name on most maps.
1 · The capital
Charleston 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.
Charleston, a big city
Charleston pulls jobs and airports.
1 · Size
Say Charleston and Huntington 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.
Huntington
Huntington is the other city the weather report names.
1 · Role
Huntington 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
Spruce Knob · 4,863 ft (1,482 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 West Virginia remembers
June 20, 1863
Statehood day.
1900s
Machines, roads, and new jobs remade daily life.
today
A state born in the Civil War.
History = historia. Flood = inundación.
Person 1 · Booker T. Washington (Malden years)
1 · The name
Booker T. Washington (Malden years)
2 · The deed
This is the person the class should be able to spell.
3 · Place
Tie the name back to West Virginia.
Person = persona. Story = historia.
The flag
Look
Find the unique emblem, not only the blue field.
Say it
The nickname is The Mountain State.
Color
Ask one student to describe the flag without pointing.
Flag = bandera. Star = estrella.
Four-moment timeline
Name
West of Virginia. The name is the history.
1863
Statehood.
1900s
Industry and cities.
now
A state born in the Civil War
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
pepperoni rolls
Dish 2
ramps
Dish 3
buckwheat cakes
Food = comida. Dish = plato.
Game day
Team
Mountaineers
Friday
High school lights still matter.
Rival
Ask who the rival is. There is always one.
Game = partido. Team = equipo.
Three people
BOOKER T. WASHINGTON (MALDEN YEARS)
The episode’s first person for West Virginia.
CHARLESTON
Capital: Charleston.
THE MOUNTAIN STATE
The 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
Charleston
Name the team
Mountaineers
Name the food
pepperoni rolls
Slang = jerga. To say = decir.
A West Virginia detail
35th
1 · Order
35th state, June 20, 1863.
2 · People
1,769,979
3 · Hook
A state born in the Civil War
Town = pueblo.
Spruce Knob
peak
1 · Height
Spruce Knob · 4,863 ft (1,482 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 West Virginia?
2. What is the nickname?
3. Which number state?
4. Motto in English?
5. West Virginia became a state in?
Question = pregunta. Answer = respuesta.
Thanks · Next stop: Wisconsin
West Virginia, episode 48: A state born in the Civil War.
Answer key
1) a 2) a 3) a 4) a 5) a
Thanks = gracias. Next = siguiente.