Objective

By the end of this lesson, you will be able to read and comprehend a short story about trains, identify key words related to trains, and answer questions about the story.

Materials and Prep

• Train-related picture book or short story
• Paper and pencil
• Marker or crayon
• Knowledge of basic sight words (e.g. the, and, is, in, etc.)

Activities

1. Read a train-related story together and discuss the pictures and words in the book.

2. Identify and write down key words related to trains from the story (e.g. train, track, conductor, station).

3. Draw a picture of a train and label the different parts (e.g. engine, cars, wheels).

First Grade Talking Points

• Trains are a type of transportation that run on tracks. You can say, "Trains are like big, long cars that run on special tracks."
• A conductor is a person who drives the train. You can say, "The conductor is like the captain of the train, making sure it goes in the right direction."
• Train stations are where people get on and off the train. You can say, "Train stations are like big stops where people can get on and off the train."
• Trains can have different cars for carrying people or cargo. You can say, "Some trains have cars for carrying people, while others have cars for carrying things like food or toys."