Crossing Borders: Texas
Crossing Borders: Texas
Lesduur is: 60 minOnderdelen in deze les
Crossing Borders: Texas
Opening slide for a lesson that combines Texas topic knowledge with English language work. Keep the introduction brief and set up that students will learn about Texas and use English structures to describe it.
Learning goal
I can describe Texas in English and use the past simple passive in sentences about it.
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What words come to mind when you think of Texas?
Use this to activate prior knowledge. Expect words such as cowboy, oil, barbecue, big, music or America, but accept any relevant associations.
Texas: basic facts
Texas is a state in the south of the USA.
It is known for its large size.
Important cities include Houston, Dallas and Austin.
Austin is the state capital.
Keep this as a simple orientation slide. Students at A2/B1 level need a clear geographical and cultural starting point before more specific examples.
Geography of Texas
Texas has plains, rivers and a long coastline.
The landscape changes from dry areas to greener regions.
The state borders Mexico.
Geography influences life and work in Texas.
Highlight that geography is not only about nature; it also affects transport, jobs and culture.
Industries in Texas
Texas is famous for oil and gas.
Farming and cattle are also important.
Technology and space travel play a role too.
Different industries help the Texas economy.
Connect this slide to familiar images students may already have of Texas, such as cowboys and oil, but add that the economy is broader than that.
Culture in Texas
Texas culture is a mix of American and Mexican influences.
Country music and rodeos are well known.
Food such as barbecue and Tex-Mex is popular.
Cultural identity is an important part of the state.
If useful, explain Tex-Mex as a blend of Texan and Mexican food traditions.
Which city is the capital of Texas?
Houston
Austin
Dallas
Mexico City
Checks basic facts from the first Texas content block. Mexico City is a plausible distractor because Texas borders Mexico.
Texas facts
Texas is a state in the south of the USA. It has plains, rivers and a long coastline. Important industries include oil, gas and farming. Texas culture also includes Tex-Mex food and rodeos.
All blanks echo key words from slides 2 to 5. Distractors come from the same topic area to keep the task meaningful.
Passive voice: form
Use the past simple passive when the action is more important than the person who did it.
Form: was / were + past participle
Example: Oil was discovered in Texas in 1901.
This is the main grammar focus. Emphasise that the passive is useful when the doer is unknown, unimportant or less important than the result.
Active and passive
Compare the two sentence types:
Active: Someone discovered oil in Texas in 1901.
Passive: Oil was discovered in Texas in 1901.
The passive puts focus on oil, not on the person.
Students often confuse tense and voice. Point out that both sentences are in the past, but the focus changes.
How to change the sentence
To make an active sentence passive:
move the object to the front
use was or were
add the past participle
add by ... only if it is important
Example: The director shot the movie in Texas. → The movie was shot in Texas.
Keep the transformation process clear and mechanical. Students at this level benefit from a step-by-step pattern they can reuse.
Past simple passive example
The director shot the movie in Texas.
Passive: The movie was shot in Texas (by the director).
The phrase by the director is possible, but it is not always necessary.
This slide preserves the example and answer from the original plan without turning it into an exercise slide. Stress that 'shot' is both the past simple form and the past participle here.
When do we use the past simple passive?
The action matters most
The sentence is future
The subject is plural
The place is unknown
Tests the main idea from slide 6: the passive focuses on the action or result, not the doer.
Passive voice
In the past simple passive, we use was or were with a past participle. In the sentence 'The movie was shot in Texas', the word movie comes first, and shot is the past participle.
Reinforces the form and the sentence transformation shown on slides 6 to 9.
Change it: The director shot the movie in Texas.
Expected answer elements: The passive version should start with 'The movie' and include 'was shot in Texas'. 'By the director' is optional.
What is one thing you will remember from this lesson?
Reflection prompt. Students can mention one fact, one grammar point, or one example sentence they will remember.
What helped you understand the lesson best today?
Reflection prompt. Encourage students to name a specific support, such as the example sentence, the steps, or the Texas topic.
What part of today's lesson felt hardest?
Reflection prompt. Answers may mention passive voice form, past participles, or Texas facts and vocabulary.
Glossary
state - one of the main political parts of the USA
capital - the main city where a government is based
coastline - the land along the sea
industry - a type of business activity
culture - the ideas, customs and arts of a group
passive voice - a form where the action is more important than the doer
past participle - the verb form used in perfect and passive structures
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Glossary
discover - to find something for the first time
build - to make a building or structure
shot - past participle of shoot in the meaning of making a film
oil - a natural liquid from the ground used for fuel
barbecue - meat cooked over fire, also a style of food
rodeo - an event with horse riding and cattle skills
Tex-Mex - a style of food mixing Texan and Mexican traditions
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