Transportation UnitPLC: Jessica Walsh, Jordan Stahlecker, Krystal Cudworth, Coco Boothby, Anna SuminskiGrade 4

Task #1:History

Title: TrainsportationNCSS 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.3–5.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 ½ 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. Y N

The student correctly stated one primary use of the railroad. Y N

The student correctly stated one primary use of the railroad. Y N

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

5. 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

6. References: ● Locomotive by Brian Floca● https://iowacore.gov/iowa-core/subject/social-studies/4/geography ● Student journals

Task #2: Geography Title: Connecting a NationNCSS Content Standards:

● Common Core: SS.3–5.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 D SA A

___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Students respected one another and listened to ideas of group members D SA A

___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

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 railroad lines.

Y N

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:Transcontinental_railroad_route.png● Transcontinental Railroad video. Retrieved from

http://www.history.com/topics/inventions/transcontinental-railroad/videos