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Stay off! Stay away! Stay alive!
Grade: Third Grade
Subjects:  
Safety Message: Play a safe distance from the tracks.
OVERVIEW
This lesson combines a pop-up language arts writing activity with the "Stay Off! Stay Away! Stay Alive!" trespassing message. Students learn about basic safety rules concerning staying away from the dangers of the railroad tracks and interpret their new knowledge into a written and illustrated activity.
SUGGESTED TIME ALLOWANCE
45 minutes
OBJECTIVES
Students will be able to:
- Identify basic safety rules concerning the dangers of being too close to the railroad tracks.
- List at least two reasons why people should not play on or near the railroad tracks and at least two activities they can do instead.
- Classify, based on specific characteristics (e.g., safety messages).
National Academic Content Standards addressed by this lesson.
MATERIALS
For each student:
- Pop-up train activity sheet
- 3x3" pieces of scrap paper
- 9x12" construction paper
- Scissors
- Markers/crayons/colored pencils
- Glue
- Writing paper
VOCABULARY
Trespassing, right-of-way, gauge
PROCEDURES
- TEACHER PREPARATION:
Read the background information on trespasser safety (Track Facts and Myths & Realities). Have student materials readily available.
- MOTIVATION:
Ask the following questions: Have you ever seen children playing around railroad tracks? What are some reasons you don't think children should play around the railroad tracks? Review trespassing information with students and discuss how it compares to their answers to your motivational questions.
- ACTIVITY:
1. Have students brainstorm ideas with the person sitting next to them for the following question: What activities could children do instead of playing on or very near the railroad tracks? Have students share their ideas with the class. Write them on an overhead or the chalkboard so all can see.
2. Have each student write the slogan "Stay Off! Stay Away! Stay Alive!" on the front of the 9"x12" construction sheet (folded in half). Then, for the inside, have each student draw a train on a 3"x3" piece of paper and cut it out. Help them properly insert the train into their construction paper "card" to create a pop-up train.
3. Now, explain to students that they should choose one activity children can do instead of playing on, or very near, the railroad tracks from the class-generated list. Once they have chosen an activity, they should illustrate it next to and around the pop-up train they have created.
4. On the writing paper, have students write a paragraph incorporating two of the trespassing safety rules and two activities they can do instead of playing too close to the tracks. When they have finished, they can glue their paragraph to the back of their pop-up card.
- CONCLUSION:
Have every student read their safety message or alternative activity aloud to the class while sharing the pop-up train they created. Ask students: Can we group these pop-up trains in some different ways – by the safety messages, various activities, characteristics of the trains? No matter how we group them what is the common message among all of them? "Stay Off! Stay Away! Stay Alive!"
HIGHER ORDER THINKING
To assure students are using critical thinking skills, pose challenges such as these at appropriate places within the lesson: Write a riddle about train safety. List consequences of playing too close to the tracks.
ASSESSMENT
- Class discussion and brainstorming (Identify basic safety rules concerning the dangers of being too close to the railroad tracks.)
- Brainstorming and pop-up drawing and writing activities (List at list two reasons why people should not play on, or near, the railroad tracks and at least two activities they can do instead.)
- Grouping the final products (Classify, based on specific characteristics.)
EXTENSIONS
Language Arts: Students create a skit for younger students emphasizing the importance of safety and the railroad tracks.
TEACHER RESOURCES
Background information on trespasser safety (Track Facts and Myths & Realities - Acrobat Reader recquired)
Sly Fox & Birdie video
Video utilization tips for Sly Fox & Birdie
NATIONAL ACADEMIC CONTENT STANDARDS
These standards are provided by the Mid-continent Regional Educational Laboratory (McREL) online publication, Content Knowledge: A Compendium of Standards and Benchmarks for K-12 Education. <http://www.mcrel.org/standards-benchmarks/>
The following standards are addressed by the activities of this lesson:
- Arts: Visual Arts
Level II: Elementary (Gr. K-4)
Standard 1: Understands and applies media, techniques and processes related to the visual arts
Benchmark: Uses art materials and tools in a safe and responsible manner
- Health
Level II: Upper Elementary (Gr. 3-5)
Standard 5: Knows essential concepts and practices concerning injury prevention and safety
Benchmark: Knows safety rules and practices to be used in home, school and community settings
- Language Arts
Level II: Upper Elementary (Gr. 3-5)
Standard 1: Demonstrates competence in the general skills and strategies of the writing process
Benchmark: Writes expressive compositions (e.g., expresses ideas, reflections and observations; uses an individual, authentic voice; uses narrative strategies, relevant details and ideas that enable the reader to imagine the world of the event or experience)
To see related standards for your state, search Achieve's Clearinghouse:
< http://www.achieve.org/achieve/achievestart.nsf/Search?OpenForm>
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