This is a Integrated Literature Unit for the book Locomotive by Brian Floca. I hope you enjoy!

1. Locomotive
Written and Illustrated by: Brian Floca
Floca, B., Atheneum Books for Young Readers,, & Simon and Schuster, inc. (2013). Locomotive.
Integrating Literature Curriculum for
Grades 2-4
Created By: Kathy Harris

2. Locomotive
Locomotive is a children’s book about pioneering times of American railways, about the
days when railroad travel was an adventure. In the summer of 1869 a family travels west
seeking new opportunities, revealing the unknown parts of their beautiful country. For all
children who love railroad, this book will allow them to enjoy all the sounds and pictures
associated with the locomotives.
For slightly older children or adults, the book comes with detailed scheme of a steam
engine and interesting historical facts about Central and Union Pacific lines that have made
this magnificent feat of transcontinental railway construction.

3. Integrated Reading Activities:
SOL’s: 2.6-2.8, 3.4-3.7,4.4-4.6
1. Reading of Front Endpapers to Build Background Knowledge. (Grades 2-4)
Have students begin with a reading of the front endpapers, the pages inside
the front cover, because these pages provide important background information
about train travel. Read this material slowly and reread it to focus on the information. This will
provide a foundation for understanding the rest of the book.
The front endpapers consist of three sources of information that work together to support
comprehension: (1) words describing train travel, (2) illustrations
of some of the items mentioned, and (3) maps, one showing how the Union Pacific and Central
Pacific railroads connected at Promontory Summit, and the other showing elevation.
2. Book Talk. (Grades 3-4)
There are many fiction and nonfiction books and websites about the Transcontinental Railway. A
few books include: Railroad!: A Story of the Transcontinental Railroad, Across America on an
Emigrant Train, Ten Mile Day: And the Building of the Transcontinental Railroad, Empire Express:
Building the First Transcontinental Railroad, just to name a few. After locating books at your school
library or town library or an online source, students could research information in books either by
reading front end papers and back covers or by skimming and paraphrasing, if it is a long book. This
would be a 2-3 day lesson. Students would read and take notes then come back together with a
group of three or four students and give a book talk, comparing their book to the book Locomotive
that has been read together as a whole class.

4. Integrated Writing Activities: Grades 2-4
SOL’s: 2.12, 2.13, 3.10-3.12, 4.7,4.8
1. Alliteration, and Rhythmic Texture: “These are just a few aspects of Floca’s
writing style. Students can examine these elements first in Floca’s writing in
the classroom and then collect examples from other familiar books while in
the library with the guidance of the librarian. When students return to the
classroom they can record the examples that they find on large charts to
post in the classroom. Students can then use these charts as inspiration to
try out these techniques in their own writing.”
2. Informational Text/Narrative Nonfiction/Word Choice: Read aloud
Locomotive and discuss the characteristics of narrative non-fiction.
Demonstrate how the author uses word choice (onomatopoeia, specifically)
to develop the story. How does the author’s choice of words (and the text
features) help the reader to understand the text? Ask, how can you choose
words to develop your nonfiction writing? Provide time for students to
practice using onomatopoeia in their own informational writing. Use the
final copy of the students onomatopoeia writings to post on your bulletin
board in you classroom.
Collaboration: School
Librarian
Original idea for activity number 1 from: M.A. Cappiello, K. Cunningham, E. T. Dawes, & G.
Enriquez. (2014). Teaching Ideas: Invitations for your Classroom. Retrieved July 5, 2015, from
http://classroombookshelf.blogspot.com/2013/09/locomotive.html

5. Integrated Math Activities:
SOL’s: 2.11, 2.18, 3.2-3.16, 3.18,4.4- 4.7,4.13
1. Distance Traveled (Grades 3-4)
As an introduction to the math integration read the page in the book that says, the workers called out, “three
strokes to the spike and 10 spikes to the rail”. Ask students how many strokes it took per rail?
Then get into the meat of the lesson, this lesson will use inquiry based problem solving, multiplication and repeated
addition skills. After Googling the average speed of the steam locomotive during the time period of the book, I found
my information at: http://tinyurl.com/nu693m4, break students into groups and challenge them by giving them
different distant math problems to solve. For example: The average speed of a locomotive on the Transcontinental
Railroad was 20 mph. Give the distance traveled in 2, 4, 6, and 8 hours. You could challenge groups by giving them
double digits such as 10, 12, and 14 hours. There are many variations you could give each group.
2. Up and Moving with Rates (Grade 2)
This activity is comparing the steam engine with a horse drawn wagon. Discuss beforehand which you think will be
faster and make predictions. Break students into groups. Give each group a different rate (3 hops, 2 giant steps,) per
bell or train whistle. And each time you ring the bell or whistle they get to move. After several scenarios come back
together as a class and compare results.

6. Integrated Science Activities:
SOL’s: 2.1, 2.3, 3.1-3.3, 4.1-4.2
Steam Engine Science Project. (Grades 2-4)
As an introduction to this project, show the following video:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E-SAOlQ7iro
“Steam can scald you if you’re not careful. But you don’t really need
steam to explore the concepts of a steam engine. The main reason to
use steam is that it’s a fairly rudimentary way to build pressure which
can be converted to motion. For this demonstration the blue balloon
provides that pressure. It’s feeding a reservoir that connects to the
valve built out of straws. A plastic piston inside pushes against the
crank shaft, spinning the cardboard wheel on the left. When the piston
travels past the valve opening it releases the air pressure until the
machine makes a revolution and is in place for the next push.
Students will create this project in groups of three or four students.
Students will then show their projects at Open House/Parent Teacher
Conference night.”
Szczys, M. (2013, March 20). Second grade science project: A steam engine.
Retrieved July 11, 2015, from http://hackaday.com/2013/03/20/second-grade-
science-project-a-steam-engine/
Photo of Steam Engine Project
Video of project: Click link
above to play
Original idea from:
https://youtu.be/co7U6_bvkOw

7. Integrated Social Studies Activities:
SOL’s: 2.1, 2.3, 2.4, 3.8-3.12, vs.8, vs.10
C/T K-2.2, C/T K-2.4, C/T 3-5.2, C/T 3-5.6, C/T 3-5.7
Transcontinental Railroad Timeline (Grades 2-4)
1. After reading the book and discussions on the building of the Transcontinental Railway, give students a starting date, a
middle date and an end date for the timelines. Locomotive is written about a family in 1869 that travels out west. Have
this date be the end date for the timeline. Students can begin their timeline when the railway began being built. In
teams of two, students will work on the computers in the computer lab and create a timeline using Microsoft Word or
PowerPoint. If this is the class’ first time using Microsoft let them explore and get as creative as possible! If they have
used it for other things, give the students a few more guidelines to meet so that the technology becomes part of the
lesson.
2. The Classroom Becomes a Locomotive Museum: (Grades 2-4) As a follow up activity, have students recreate their
timelines that they have printed out on large poster paper. Assign students different sections of the room to decorate
using the timelines and the book Locomotive as their inspiration. Have one group decorate the door (even 1st graders
love to do this), have another group decorate the wall outside the classroom and have another group hang the
timelines around the room. Students need to be given some free range creativity! Especially at this age. You will be
amazed what they come up with!

8. Integrated Foreign Language Activities
History & Geography SOL’s: 2.1, 2.3, 2.4
Chinese Workers Help to Build the Railway
1. A large part of second grades SOL’s are studying China. This book is a good way to follow up on Ancient China and talk
about China and why the Chinese came to America and worked on the railroad. I found a great lesson on this topic: The
Construction of the Transcontinental Railroad. “In Locomotive, Floca chose to focus on the nature of an early journey on
this route and to provide information about the roles, mechanics, and processes of steam-powered rail travel. His text
alludes to, but does not elaborate on, the role that Chinese immigrants played in the construction of the railroad. Invite
your students to use the resources below to learn more about these men and their experiences. Ask students to consider
why the Chinese American experience of this time period may be less represented in books for children and young adults.
Students can experiment with the writing style employed by Floca to convey what they have learned about the role of
Chinese immigrants in the construction of the railroad.”
Chinese Railroad Workers in North America Project
https://www.stanford.edu/group/chineserailroad/cgi-bin/wordpress/
http://ocp.hul.harvard.edu/immigration/railroads.html
Original idea from: M.A. Cappiello, K. Cunningham, E. T. Dawes, & G.
Enriquez. (2014). Teaching Ideas: Invitations for your Classroom. Retrieved
July 5, 2015, from
http://classroombookshelf.blogspot.com/2013/09/locomotive.html

9. Integrated Art Activities
SOL’s: Visual Arts 2.4, 2.9, 2.10, 3.6, 3.8,
3.13, 4.2,4.3
1. Creating Locomotives
The art teacher or classroom teacher can look through Locomotive on the
Smartboard using the document camera to show the students different shapes
that are on the Locomotives. Then using geometric shapes to draw or paint
students can construct a train. The train could be 2D or 3D from boxes, cartons
or cylinders such a toilet paper or paper towel rolls.
2. Paint that Train!
Combining art and the computer lab, students can use the Paint program
that should be on all computers already to draw trains. They could do a follow
up and write or type creative stories to go with their trains they have created on
Paint.

10. Integrated Music Activities:
Music SOL’s: 2.2-2.4, 3.2-3.6, 4.2-4.6
Hear that Whistle Blow!
1. There are many trains songs such as: Down by the Station, Little Red Caboose and
Little Red Engine just to name a few, after reading Locomotive students could learn
these songs and use instruments to make the train noises and sounds from the book
such as, chug-chug! Clank clang-clang! whoo-ooooo, huff huff huff! click-clack click-
clack click-clack clink! rickety rickety rickety. Students can either use instruments
already in the music room or classroom or they can make instruments that would
make this sound. This would also incorporate science again if they made their own
instruments! Also, many students and teachers have train whistles, students can bring
their own whistle or use a teacher whistle to add to the songs and instruments.

11. Integrated Physical Education Activities:
SOL’s: 2.1-2.4, 3.1, 3.3, 3.4, 4.1-4.4
Boogy Woogy Choo Choo Train!
1. Follow the Engine - The song Boogy Woogy Choo Choo Train by the Tractors is the perfect song
for both of these activities! In our first activity, either the P.E. teacher or classroom teacher will
have the students line up like follow the leader. The leader or engine has to start out making a
train motion but may change the motions as they lead the class. Every time the teacher stops
the music the students have to run back to the line where they started. If the teacher tags one
of the students while running back to the line, they are now the leader (engine). Play
continues until time is up!
2. Follow the Tracks – Using either long bamboo sticks (as some P.E. teachers have) or styrofoam
pool noodles make 3 to 5 sets of large railroad tracks on the floor. Have enough space in
between each gauge so the student can step in between each one like a football player does
with the tire drill. Play the song for quite a while so teams can get through their tracks a few
times. The goal is to have your team get through the tracks as many times as possible while
the music is still playing. You can also switch team members between the music to help teams
that need assistance.

12. Meet the Author
This is a video from Fairfax County Public Schools found on YouTube. It is MTA – Meet
the Author. This video is about Brian Floca and the book Locomotive. It is perfect video to
do an author study for this book. The librarian or classroom teacher could introduce it and
watch it with the students. The librarian or the classroom teacher could also have other
books by Brian Floca to show students and for them to read.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oDy7SP2u6So

13. Online recourses for the Transcontinental Railroad
And the book Locomotive
Transcontinental Railroad Sites
http://gws.ala.org/tags/transcontinental-railroad
http://americanhistory.mrdonn.org/railroads.html
http://www.ducksters.com/history/westward_expansion/first_transcontinental_railroad.p
hp
http://www.history.com/topics/inventions/transcontinental-railroad
Locomotive and Brian Floca Sites
http://brianfloca.com/Locomotive.html
http://www.teachingbooks.net/tb.cgi?tid=35825&a=1
http://classroombookshelf.blogspot.co.uk/2013/09/locomotive.html

14. References
Floca, B., Atheneum Books for Young Readers,, & Simon and Schuster, inc. (2013). Locomotive.
Floca, B. (2014). Locomotive [Digital image]. Retrieved from http://1stedition.net/Images/caldecotts/thumbs/locomotive.jpg
North, B. C. (2007, October 14). Steam Locomotive [Bullet for PowerPoint Presentation]. Retrieved July 6, 2015, from
https://farm3.staticflickr.com/2390/1573131569_d810020cae_z.jpg
Ross, Alexander, Best & Co. (n.d.). Empire Express [Digital image]. Retrieved July 10, 2015, from
http://cprr.org/Museum/Recent_Books.html
Heimburger House Publishing Company. (2010). Ten Mile Day Book Cover [Digital image]. Retrieved July 10, 2015, from
http://www.heimburgerhouse.com/images/childrens/ten_mile_day.jpg
Moore, L. D. (2007, November 4). Brian Floca [Texas Book Festival, Austin, Texas]. Retrieved July 12, 2015, from
https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Brian_floca_2007.jpg