Unit 4 - Peanut Butter. Americans love to eat peanut butter. But what is peanut butter? lt is a thick, creamy paste. You buy it in a jar at the grocery store. Manufacturers roast peanuts and take off the skin. Then they grind them into a thick paste that's peanut butter! The peanut is not really a nut, but a pea. lt is a strange pea because it grows underground. But peanut plants also have green vines with yellow flowers. These vines or stems grow above the ground and are quite long. Peanuts are very healthy for you. They have more protein than a steak and they have many vitamins, too. The peanut comes from South America, but peanut butter is a food that is truly "American." Peanut butter started in 1890 in St. Louis. A doctor made some peanut butter. He gave it to patients who could not eat regular food. Later, peanut butter was popular as a health food. Peanut butter is very popular with children in the United States. Perhaps their favorite way to eat it is in a sandwich. Many children add jelly to their peanut butter sandwiches. This makes a favorite snack or lunchtime meal.

Unit 3 - Texas (Audio) A long time ago Texas was part of Mexico. The Mexican government did not want any Americans to move to Texas. But a man named Stephen Austin brought a lot of people to Texas. They built towns. The Mexican government was not happy and a war began. The Americans did not want to be part of Mexico. Many years passed. Finally, Texas was free. lt became a state in 1836. Texans are proud of their history. Many people _from Mexico live in Texas today. They are an important part of the state's history. A popular kind of food in Texás is called "Tex-Mex." This means that it is a mixture of American and Mexican food. Texas is also famous for its cowboys. These cowboys rode horses and took care of the cattle. They wore big hats and high-heeled boots. When people think of Texas, they often think of cowboys. One way to describe Texas is "big." In fact, Texas is the second-biggest state. Only Alaska is bigger. Texas has more cattle and sheep than any other state. lt has the most farms or ranches in the United States. lt has the biggest ranch in the country, too. Texas also produces the most fruit and vegetables. And it gives the United States one-third of American oil! That's why Texans "think big."

Unit 2 - The Buffalo. The buffalo is the largest North American animal. lt weighs as much as 2,000 pounds. lt lives with other buffalo in groups or herds. Two hundred years ago, there were 60 million buffalo. They lived all over the center of North America. There were thousands of herds. One herd was twenty miles long and twenty miles wide. The buffalo followed the grass and the Indians followed the buffalo. The Indians used the buffalo for many things. They used it for meat. Sometimes they ate fresh meat. Sometimes they dried the meat in the sun. Then they ate it later. The Indians also used the skin, or hide, of the buffalo. From the hide, they made tents, clothes, shoes, hats, and rope. They wasted nothing. But times changed. People from other lands came to America. These immigrants crossed the country in wagon trains. They killed the buffalo for food and hides. More and more people came. And everyone wanted leather. Hunters with guns killed the buffalo only for their hides. They wasted everything else. These hunters were very good at their job. By 1900, there were fewer than thirty buffalo alive. Today, there are about 30,000 buffalo in America. But herds are very small. You can see them in states like Wyoming. Sometimes you can buy buffalo meat at a restaurant. But you will never see a herd of buffalo as big as a city.

Unit 1 - The Fifty States. How many states can you name? Can you find them on the map? The fifty states of the United States, or the USA, join to make one nation. The United States did not always have fifty states. At first, there were thirteen. As the United States grew, more states joined the union. The last two states to join were Alaska and Hawaii. They both joined in 1959. The area of the United States covers every type of land. There are forests, deserts, mountains, and flat land. The area of the United States also covers every type of climate. The size of each state is different too. Alaska is the biggest state. Rhode island ·is the smallest state. Alaska is 500 times bigger than Rhode island

Unit 12 - Labor Day (Cultural Reading)

Unit 11 - St. Patrick's Day.

NEW YEAR'S DAY Cultural Reading Podcast.

Potato Chips - Unit 9 Do you eat potatoes? What is your favorite way to eat them? What is your favorite snack food? What things make cooking easier today?

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Unit 7 - McDonald's Why is fast food so popular? What is your favorite fast food? How many fast-food restaurants can you name?