Week 2: Freight Train

PRIMARY STORY

Begin each day by reading the story Freight Train by Donald Crews.

DISCUSSION PROMPTS

 Ask your student the following questions to jump-start a discussion.

Did you like the story, Freight Train?

Which part of the story did you like best?

Do you have a favorite color from Freight Train?

ADDITIONAL READING: Read the book Inside Freight Train for more discovery.

ENRICHMENT ACTIVITY: Alphabet Matching Train

SUPPLIES

Construction paper
Scissors

1.5” Circle Hole Punch
Sticky dots or double stick tape (velcro if laminating)

Tape-safe surface or poster/foam board
Black sharpie

Step 1: Cut out a train engine from 1/4 black sheet of paper.

Step 2:  Cut 8 sheets of construction paper in quarters to make boxcars.

Step 3: Punch 26 circles of various colors of construction paper for each type of matching you want to do (uppercase/lowercase, uppercase cursive, lowercase cursive).

Step 4: Write alphabet letters on boxcars (3 per car) and attach a sticky dot or piece of double stick tape beneath each letter for the wheels. (I used felt/velcro because I laminated my letters. I know that Atlas will flip his shit if I try to take letters away from him after one use.)

Step 5: Attach train to wall or surface.

Step 6: Write alphabet letters on circles (wheels).

Step 7: Mix up wheels and have your student match and attach wheels to corresponding boxcar. You could also match uppercase and lowercase or manuscript and cursive.

ENRICHMENT ACTIVITY: Name Writing Train

Step 1: Download Alphabet Train file.

Step 2:  Print enough copies to have all of the letters in your child's name.

Step 3: Cut out the engine and the boxcars to spell your child's name.

Step 4: Have your child trace the letters of their name with a marker. Let your child color the boxcars.
Step 5: Help your child to practice ordering the boxcars to spell their name.

ENRICHMENT ACTIVITY: Egg Carton Steam Train

SUPPLIES

Bottom half of a cardboard egg carton
Scissors

Toilet paper tube
Cotton balls

Tempera paint and sponges

Step 1: Cut egg carton in half lengthwise.

Step 2:  Paint the first section of the upside-down egg carton black for the engine car.

Step 3: Paint each section of the carton a different color, red last for the caboose.

Step 4: Cut off 1/3 of the toilet paper tube and paint the remaining section black for the smoke stack.

Step 4: Attach the smoke stack to the black section of the train.

Step 5: Spread and squish cotton balls to create smoke and attach to smoke stack. 

EXPLORATIONS

Snack Idea: eat fruits/veggies to match the train car colors. Monday: red apples (caboose), Tuesday: oranges/carrots (orange tank car), etc.

Visit a train station or museum.

Watch this video about how trains work: