Transportation Unit

PLC: Jessica Walsh, Jordan Stahlecker, Krystal Cudworth,

Coco Boothby, Anna Suminski
Grade 4

Task #1:History
Title: Trainsportation
NCSS Content Standards:
Time, Continuity and Change: This strand is being met because the students
are going to have a high emphasis on change in society and what role the trains played
during this time.

Common Core: SS.35.H.1

Essential Concept and/or Skill: Understand historical patterns,

periods of time and the relationships among these elements.

1.

Provide objectives:
After hearing about the history of the first transcontinental railroad, fourth grade
students will be able to correctly state at least three primary uses of the railroad and the
year it was established.
2.

Procedures:
Check for prior knowledge: ask What do you know about trains?, How many of
you have ever ridden on a train before? (Allow students to share with their shoulder
partners and then come together as a group to share a few ideas).
Read the book Locomotive by Brian Floca.
Discussion: Teacher says It used to take 2 and years to complete the journey
from the east to the west; however, now it takes them just 9 days. How does that change
the transportation of food, supplies and livestock?
How does this change society? People used to have to eat and use supplies
that were locally grown and made. What can be different now?
After reading to book, the students will complete a journal entry from the
standpoint of either the conductor of the train, or a person waiting in the West to receive
supplies. They will express their feelings, what they see and what they expect to happen
in the future now that the railroad is up and running.
3.
Check for Understanding and provide student feedback: Student Journal
Students will write from the standpoint of either the conductor of the train or a person waiting in
the West to receive supplies. They will express their feelings, what they see and what they
expect to happen in the future now that the railroad is up and running. Students should include
three primary uses of the railroad and date their journal in the year the railroad began. Students
will turn in their journal entries at the end of the lesson to be assessed.

4.Assessment/Closure: Checklist for Journal Entry

The student correctly stated one primary use of the railroad.

The student correctly stated one primary use of the railroad.

The student correctly stated one primary use of the railroad.

The student correctly stated the year that the railroad was established.

5.

6.

Differentiation of Content, Process or Product:

a. Adaptation for students who need extra help, time, or
attention
Students will have access to a plethora of graphic
organizers that will help them organize their thoughts and record their
primary ideas about railroads
Students will have access to key sentence frames
to help them with the writing process
Students will receive a brief description of a
character and will write the journal entry based off the characters needs,
wants, and age.
Students will be able to create detailed drawings to
accompany their writing to help illustrate what the student is trying to say.
b. Extension for students of high ability
Students will be able to expand on each of the of
the primary uses of the first transcontinental railroad
Students will have a chance to write journal entries
for multiple perspectives of the people involved with the railroad
Students will come up with their own prompt to
write about in their journal
Students will be asked to think critically about how
society was affected by the railroads, both pros and cons, and include
these ideas in their writing journals
References:
Locomotive by Brian Floca
https://iowacore.gov/iowa-core/subject/social-studies/4/geography
Student journals

Task #2: Geography

Title: Connecting a Nation
NCSS Content Standards:
Common Core: SS.35.G.3

Essential Concept and/or Skill: Understand how human factors

and the distribution of resources affect the development of society and the
movement of populations.
Understand causes and effects of human migration
Understand the relation between economic activities and natural
resources in areas.
Science, Technology, and Society: This stand is met because the railroad allowed
for supplies to be more readily available.
Provide objectives:
Given a map of the United States, small groups of fourth grade students will be
able to mark at least 12 cities where the intercontinental railroad traveled, using pins and
a ribbon, referring to approved Internet and book resources.
Procedures:
The teacher will list three places they stopped on their way to school today and
then mark them all on a map. The teacher will model this and then connect them with
string.
Students will view the four minute History Channel clip on the Transcontinental
railroad.
The teacher will pass US maps, pins, and a ribbon / yarn to each student group
(based on the students abilities).
In groups, students will decide and map out their trip on the railroad. They will
discuss the supplies and connect 12 cities on the map. Students will discuss why stops
were necessary and how they affected the trip..
Check for Understanding and provide student feedback
Students will complete an exit slip on how well the group worked together:
Name: __________________
Please read the following statements and circle whether you disagrees (D), somewhat agree
(SA) or agree (A). Provide your reasoning on the lines below.
Everyone effectively worked together to complete

SA

__________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________
Students respected one another and listened to ideas of group members

SA

__________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________

I contributed to the group by:

__________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________
Next time I will be a better group member by:
__________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________

Assessment/Closure
Students marked 12 stations on their map and connected them with string to show the Y N
railroad lines.
Students worked well as a group by each contributing and listening to their group
members.

Y N

Differentiation of Content, Process or Product:

c. Adaptation for students who need extra help, time, or
attention
The teacher will stop and check in with these
students and provide extra scaffolding.
The students will have maps with the train stations
highlighted.
d. Extension for students of high ability
Students will have the opportunity to plan a trip to a
destination of their choice using the railroad system in the United States.
These students will be placed in a group with other
high ability students.
Students will compare the railroad system cost and
convenience of travel to other forms of transportation.

7.

References:
United States map
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/First_Transcontinental_Railroad#mediaviewer/File:Tra
nscontinental_railroad_route.png
Transcontinental Railroad video. Retrieved from
http://www.history.com/topics/inventions/transcontinental-railroad/videos