An Unkempt Garden of

good word find generator - lets you enter words one per line, comma-separated, etc.

Their crossword generator is good, too.

talking about language

What are your two favorite words in your native language?

What are one or two words in your first language that don't translate directly into English?

What are your favorite English words or phrases?

What was most difficult about learning English?

What most surprised you about life here?

What did your English studies or American cultural studies at home prepare you for best?

What do you wish you had known more about before arriving here?

stories that underlie American culture

Aesop's fables and other fairy tales (see about.com)

iconic movies (make list of 5-7: the Godfather, Wizard of Oz, It's a Wonderful Life)

children's songs

Abraham Lincoln - born in log cabin, rags to riches story

What is the American dream? What stories reflect this?

Civil rights

Christopher Columbus (triumph over ignorance and Portugese beaurocracy, risk/reward)

George Washington / cherry tree, crossing the Delaware

first Thanksgiving

Salem witch trials