Procedures:

1. Read Virginia Lee Burton's, Choo Choo. Discuss why Choo Choo got into trouble. Ask: "How do trains make getting things (food, coal,lumber) and people to places easier?"
2. Present the problem-solving situation: Choo Choo needs your help. You need to make Choo Choo and a train track that is safe for it to travel on to places. This is a class project. Each participant will make a railroad car, engine, or caboose."
3. Put a slip in a can with car names, engine, or caboose on it (one slip per participant). Draw slips to randomly assign what train cars children will design and build. Have children draw their train designs in their folios (record-keeping logs). Check folio drawings to insure that children have a completed design.
4. As children finish their train designs, let them choose items from the material's table (e.g., carton and anything else needed) to construct their car.
5. When everyone has completed their car, have the class"join" their engine, cars, and caboose together to form Choo Choo.
6. Research a local goods (e.g., coal, fish, furniture, produce) that is shipped by rail. Have the class simulate its trip. Start by loading the train cars with the goods. Have Choo Choo carry the goods to their destination. Then unload the goods, and tell how consumers will get them to their homes.
7. Make a map of the train route that Choo Choo must travel to get the goods from its source to its destination. Share your class project with others.

Evaluation

1. Check student folios to be sure that sketches of train parts were drawn.
2. Assess student participation in train activities and contributions to the class project.
3. Evaluate student abilities to transfer the train theme to other means of transportation.

   ---

   Go Back: Choo Choo