Language Arts Lesson "Red Caboose"

Materials Needed:
Song: Little Red Caboose
White board
The Little Red Caboose by Marian Potter & Tibor Gergely (Illustrator).

Anticipatory Set (How are you going to grab the attention?)
We will learn a new song.
You can play the song online at http://www.songsforteaching.com/trainsongs/littleredcaboose.htm>

Song: Little Red Caboose Little red caboose, little red caboose, Little red caboose, behind the train. Smoke stack on its back, coming down the track, Little red caboose, behind the train.
Little red caboose, little red caboose, Little red caboose, behind the train. Coming round the bend, hanging on the end, Little red caboose behind the train.
Describe Instructional Delivery/Procedure: (Include modeling, grouping, specific questions asked)
Read/Discuss Story: (15 minutes)
The red caboose complains that the children never wave to him as he goes by because they all know that he's last. All the other train cars get their attention but no one notices him. He laments that he would like to be the big steam engine in the front or one of the other cars instead. However, one day, the big engine tries to pull the train up a mountain and well, can't. The train starts to slip but the red caboose puts on his brake and keeps the train from falling down the mountain until two big engines pull up behind to push the train up the mountain. The caboose saved the day and then all the children saved their biggest waves for him! You're never too small to make a difference, even if you are last! Discuss the story when finished reading with the class.
Group Activity: (10 Minutes)
Encourage the kindergartners to make a "human train", "choo-choo-ing" around the classroom.
Before the lesson draw chalk tracks for the train to follow.
Teach the students these traditional whistle signals: --Stop: one short toot --Go: two long toots --Stop at the next station: three short toots Have children line up, each with his/her hands resting on the waist of the person in front. Let children take turns being the engineer, riding in the front car, or the locomotive. The engineer can wear a cap, and use the whistle to signal the rest of the cars to stop, go, or get ready to stop at the next station.
Language Arts: Trains (15 minutes)We will list all the things we can think of about trains. As the students give their answers, I will write them on the white board. When we have finished, I will ask the students to complete the following sentences. List their answers.
The train was as long as a__________. The steam engine was blowing smoke as black as a___________. The caboose was follow at the end of the train looking like a________________. The caboose was as red as a___________________. The train was as long as a_____________________. I love to watch a train________________________. I love to count the___________________________. I like to hear the____________________________. A fast moving train reminds me of____________________. The sound of a train makes me feel happy because_________________. The sound of a train makes me feel sad because___________________.
Closure: (5 minutes)
Discuss the story and how each one of them makes a difference.
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