Dec. 24, 2008: All Aboard the Model Train

The Mini Page is a syndicated, four-page tabloid written for young children found each Wednesday in the Rocky Mountain News. This issue of The Mini Page is available through the eEdition Archive to registered eEdition subscribers. Click here to learn about subscribing to the eEdition at no cost to you (for Colorado teachers).

Activities:

1. Look in the toy ads of the newspaper for toy trains of different types. Circle any trains called "model" trains in red. Circle other trains in green. Circle any toys that are made to be used with model trains, such as miniature trees or houses, in blue.

2. Create a poster called "Trains and Planes and Things That Go." Now find newspaper words and pictures that show different types of transportation to paste on your poster.

3. Look in the toy ads of the newspaper. Circle all the toys that use electricity. Do not mark electronic toys such as computer games. Put a star next to two toys you would like to have. Have a friend look at the ads and put check marks by the toys he/she would like to have.

4. Why were each of these important to the history of toy trains: (a) the paper train, (b) Electric Express, (c) alternating current, and (d) transformers?

5. Use resource books and the Internet to learn more about the different cars that can be part of a train. Design an eight-car train. List the names of each of the cars in your train, starting with an engine and ending with a caboose. Draw each car. Next to the drawing, write a description of what each car does and why it is important.

This week's standards:

• Students understand customs and traditions of their own culture. (Social Studies: Culture)
• Students understand the abilities of technological design. (Science: Science and Technology)
  
  

(standards by Dr. Sherrye D. Garrett, Texas A&M University-Corpus Christi)