Trains in Winona (Lesson 4)

1. Grade Level: 4th grade

2. Theme/Title of the day’s lesson with a brief description:
All Aboard
Have you ever wanted to take a train trip to another city? What would you do when you got there? Students are going to take a “train trip” to the city of their choice. They will create a display board about their trip and city visited. They will then present their display to the class.

3. Material/Resources needed:
- Map of Winona from Google Earth (zoom in on railroads)
- 2 Pictures from the Winona Historical Society
- Computer Access
- Poster Board for each group
- Markers/colored pencils (materials for poster)

4. Goal(s) for today’s lesson: (This tells people how your lesson fits into the MN Standards.
U. S. History: Understands how the rise of big business, heavy industry, and mechanized farming transformed American society.
Arts and Literature: Demonstrates competence in the general skills and strategies of the writing process.
Math: Students use strategies, skills and concepts in finding solutions.

5. Objectives for today’s lesson: (This tells people what kids will know or be able to do at the end of the lesson.)
- Students will understand that railroads function to various degrees in different parts of the country as a means of travel.
- Students will create a display showing a “train trip” to the destination of their choice.

6. Lesson Preparation
a. Use Google Earth, zoom in on Winona. Have this ready for class.
b. Have transparencies made of some examples of early made trains. Use the pictures from the Historical Society.
c. Reserve the Computer Lab.

7. Procedures
a. Introductory Experience
i. After discussing the use trains as transportation for the past few days, tell the students you are going to focus on trains right here in Winona. ( 2 min)
ii. Using Google Earth, show the students the different railroads in Winona, and where they are located. (4 min)
iii. Discuss the history of railroads in Winona. (8 min)
1. The Chicago and Rock Island Railroad was finished to the Mississippi River in the spring of 1854.
2. In Fall of 1857, the Milwaukee and Prairie du Chein railroad was completed.
3. In the spring of 1858, the La Crosse and Milwaukee railroad reached La Cross.
4. On March 3, 1857 congress granted to the territory of Minnesota, lands amounting to 4,500,000 acres for the construction of a system of railways.
5. An act approved May 22, 1857, granting to 4 railroad corporations alternate sections designated by odd numbers, six miles in width on each side of the roads and their branches.
6. 4 Railroads were established in Winona: The Minnesota Pacific, The Transit, The Root River and Southern Minnesota, and the Minneapolis and Ceder Valley.
iv. Use the transparencies and show the different types of trains that were used during these times. (2 min)































b. Developmental Experience
i. Tell the students that they are going to plan a “train trip” to the destination of their choice. (1 min)
ii. Have the students divide into groups of two or three. Take the students down to the computer lab. (5 min)
iii. Once in the computer lab have the students complete the following. (30 min)
1. Choose a city of their choice that they would like to visit. Must be in the continental United States.
2. Have the students us Google Maps to discover the best route to take leaving Winona to that city and the mileage. Have the students print out the map.
3. Next have the student use the website: www. Amtrak.com to find the price from one city to another depending on the cities they go through when using Google Maps.
4. Next have them find facts and tourist information about the city they are visiting. Have them print out pictures and any other map available online.
5. Once the students have completed finding their information, return to the classroom.
iv. In their groups have the students use the poster board, colored pencils, markers, map and pictures they printed off etc. to create a display board about their trip. Have them include the map of the route they would take, the cost of the round trip, the mileage, and information about the city they are visiting. Make sure their poster is appealing. (20 min)
c. Culminating Experience (closure)
i. Have the groups present their posters to the class. (20 min)(This may have to take place on the next day.)

8. Assessments used during the lesson:
- Completion of group poster using computer skills to check for understanding.