WISCONSIN
26 slides for an ESL class. Short lines, one idea each, miles and km.
At a glance
Statehood
30th · May 29, 1848
Capital
Madison
People
5,910,955 (est.)
Land
54,158 mi² (140,268 km²)
Motto
Forward · “Forward”
High point
Timms Hill · 1,951 ft (595 m)
Time zone
Central Time
State bird
American robin
Demonym
Wisconsinites
Glance = vistazo. Motto = lema.
Where is Wisconsin?
Wisconsin is in the US Midwest. The borders below are the ones to memorize.
Border = frontera. River = río.
Where the name comes from
1 · The name
Algonquian via French, a river name.
2 · How it stuck
English spelling froze later. Say the demonym out loud twice.
3 · Demonym
People here are Wisconsinites. The motto means “Forward”.
Name = nombre. People = gente.
Statehood day
30th
Wisconsin became the 30th state on May 29, 1848.
1848
Statehood year. A smaller population, a different economy.
1900s
Rail, farms, and factories pulled people in.
Today
5,910,955 (est.)
Statehood = estado. To join = unirse.
Madison, the capital
Madison is the capital. Milwaukee is the big-city name on most maps.
1 · The capital
Madison 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.
Milwaukee, a big city
Milwaukee pulls jobs and airports.
1 · Size
Say Milwaukee and Madison 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.
Madison
Madison is the other city the weather report names.
1 · Role
Madison 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
Timms Hill · 1,951 ft (595 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
Arctic air can drop −20 °F (−29 °C). Wind on the lakes is a second climate.
Summer
Humid, green, thunderstorms. Tornado watches in spring.
Storm = tormenta. Snow = nieve.
Three days Wisconsin remembers
May 29, 1848
Statehood day.
1900s
Machines, roads, and new jobs remade daily life.
today
Cheese lakes and a badger.
History = historia. Flood = inundación.
Person 1 · Fighting Bob La Follette
1 · The name
Fighting Bob La Follette
2 · The deed
This is the person the class should be able to spell.
3 · Place
Tie the name back to Wisconsin.
Person = persona. Story = historia.
The flag
Look
Find the unique emblem, not only the blue field.
Say it
The nickname is The Badger State.
Color
Ask one student to describe the flag without pointing.
Flag = bandera. Star = estrella.
Four-moment timeline
Name
Algonquian via French, a river name.
1848
Statehood.
1900s
Industry and cities.
now
Cheese lakes and a badger
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
cheese curds
Dish 2
brats
Dish 3
butter burger
Food = comida. Dish = plato.
Game day
Team
Packers / Badgers / Brewers
Friday
High school lights still matter.
Rival
Ask who the rival is. There is always one.
Game = partido. Team = equipo.
Three people
FIGHTING BOB LA FOLLETTE
The episode’s first person for Wisconsin.
MADISON
Capital: Madison.
THE BADGER STATE
The Badger 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
Madison
Name the team
Packers / Badgers / Brewers
Name the food
cheese curds
Slang = jerga. To say = decir.
A Wisconsin detail
30th
1 · Order
30th state, May 29, 1848.
2 · People
5,910,955
3 · Hook
Cheese lakes and a badger
Town = pueblo.
Timms Hill
peak
1 · Height
Timms Hill · 1,951 ft (595 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 Wisconsin?
2. What is the nickname?
3. Which number state?
4. Motto in English?
5. The NFL team in Green Bay is the?
Question = pregunta. Answer = respuesta.
Thanks · Next stop: Wyoming
Wisconsin, episode 49: Cheese lakes and a badger.
Answer key
1) a 2) a 3) a 4) a 5) b
Thanks = gracias. Next = siguiente.