Culture Share Saturday: Rhode Island

Explore Rhode Island, the smallest state in the United States — but one with some surprisingly big stories!

📍 Small but mighty: Rhode Island is the smallest U.S. state by area.

☕ Forget hot coffee! Rhode Island’s official state drink is coffee milk — a sweet, creamy drink made by mixing coffee syrup with milk. Think chocolate milk… but with coffee flavor!

🌊 Rhode Island’s official nickname is “The Ocean State,” a fitting name for a state with a long coastline and a strong connection to the sea. It is also famous for sailing and hosted the prestigious America’s Cup international sailing race from 1930 to 1983.

❄️ Snow days: In many parts of the United States, winter storms can sometimes lead to school closures, giving students an unexpected and much-anticipated day off known as a “snow day.”

👩‍🏫 Classroom Activity: “What’s Our Local Version?”

Ask students: “What would be the Rhode Island version of this in your region?”

Students discuss in pairs:
• A special local food or drink — What food or drink is your region known for?
• A popular local sport or activity — What sport is especially popular where you live?
• A nickname — Does your region or city have a nickname? What does it mean?

Then each pair shares their answers with the class.

Bonus: Students can create a short tourism slogan for their region using their ideas!