Locomotive Resource Set

Lesson Plans • Resources • Activities
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Summary

Locomotive by Brian Floca

Invite students to learn all about the first trains to cross America. Brian Floca’s award-winning picture book puts readers front and center on America’s Transcontinental Railroad. Students will make predictions about the journey, use details to visualize powerful locomotives, and learn to ask questions while reading. Each picture in this book tells the story of one family’s journey from Omaha to Sacramento, and if you look closely, you’ll discover hundreds of hidden details about life on the first locomotives. All aboard!


Watch an online read aloud of Locomotive on Epic here.


Teach with Locomotive by Brian Floca

Get everything you need to deliver meaningful reading instruction using Locomotive by Brian Floca
  • Comprehension Strategy Lesson Plans
  • Page by Page Guided Think Sheets
  • Text Based Reader’s Notebook Prompts
  • Word Work Lesson Plan and Activities for Onomatopoeia
  • Interactive Vocabulary Games and Activities
  • Running Record Assessment
  • Common Core Aligned Comprehension Assessment
  • Extension Activities for Early Finishers
  • Answer Keys
  • Complete Common Core Alignment
  • and More!
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CCSS Alignment
TEKS Alignment
  • Asking Questions: L.3.6 RF.3.3 RF.3.4 RI.3.1 RI.3.10 RI.3.4 RI.3.5 SL.3.1c SL.3.1d SL.3.2 SL.3.3 W.3.8
  • Identifying the Author's Purpose: L.3.6 RF.3.3 RF.3.4 RI.3.10 RI.3.2 RI.3.4 RI.3.7 SL.3.1d SL.3.2 SL.3.3 W.3.8
  • Making Predictions: L.3.6 RF.3.3 RF.3.4 RI.3.1 RI.3.10 RI.3.2 RI.3.3 RI.3.5 SL.3.1d SL.3.2 SL.3.3 W.3.8
  • Retelling & Summarizing: L.3.6 RF.3.3 RF.3.4 RI.3.10 RI.3.2 RI.3.4 RI.3.7 SL.3.1d SL.3.2 SL.3.3 W.3.8
  • Visualizing: L.3.6 RF.3.3 RF.3.4 RI.3.1 RI.3.10 RI.3.5 RI.3.7 SL.3.1d SL.3.2 SL.3.3 W.3.8
  • Word Work: RF.3.3 RF.3.4
  • Vocabulary: L.3.4a L.3.5b L.3.6
  • Asking Questions: 3.13A 3.13C 3.13E 3.13H 3.1A 3.1C 3.1D 3.1E 3.6A 3.6B 3.6I 3.7B 3.7C 3.7D 3.7E 3.7F 3.7G 3.9D(i) 3.9D(ii) 3.9D(iii)
  • Identifying the Author's Purpose: 3.10A 3.10B 3.10C 3.10D 3.10F 3.13C 3.13E 3.13H 3.1A 3.1C 3.1D 3.1E 3.6A 3.6B 3.6I 3.7A 3.7B 3.7C 3.7D 3.7E 3.7F 3.7G 3.8C 3.9D(i) 3.9D(ii) 3.9D(iii)
  • Making Predictions: 3.13C 3.13E 3.13H 3.1A 3.1C 3.1D 3.1E 3.6A 3.6B 3.6C 3.6I 3.7A 3.7B 3.7C 3.7D 3.7E 3.7F 3.7G 3.9D(i) 3.9D(ii) 3.9D(iii)
  • Retelling & Summarizing: 3.13C 3.13E 3.13H 3.1A 3.1C 3.1D 3.1E 3.6A 3.6G 3.6I 3.7B 3.7C 3.7D 3.7E 3.7F 3.7G 3.8D 3.9D(i) 3.9D(ii) 3.9D(iii)
  • Visualizing: 3.10C 3.13C 3.13E 3.13H 3.1A 3.1C 3.1D 3.1E 3.6A 3.6D 3.6E 3.6I 3.7A 3.7B 3.7C 3.7E 3.7F 3.9D(i) 3.9D(ii) 3.9D(iii)
  • Word Work: 3.2A(ii) 3.2B(i)
  • Vocabulary: 3.3A 3.3B 3.7E 3.7F

    • Take a Closer Look at the
    Locomotive Resource Set

    Asking Questions with Locomotive

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    In this asking questions mini lesson, students tap into their curiosity about trains and United States geography by asking questions to deepen their comprehension of this informational text.
    Common Core Alignment:

    L.3.6 RF.3.3 RF.3.4 RI.3.1 RI.3.10 RI.3.4 RI.3.5 SL.3.1c SL.3.1d SL.3.2 SL.3.3 W.3.8
    TEKS Alignment:

    3.13A 3.13C 3.13E 3.13H 3.1A 3.1C 3.1D 3.1E 3.6A 3.6B 3.6I 3.7B 3.7C 3.7D 3.7E 3.7F 3.7G 3.9D(i) 3.9D(ii) 3.9D(iii)
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    Identifying the Author's Purpose with Locomotive

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    Brian Floca uses a variety of literary elements to bring this informational story to live. Pair this mini lesson with the text to focus on the reasons why the author wrote this book about locomotives and why he told the story in such a unique way.
    Common Core Alignment:

    L.3.6 RF.3.3 RF.3.4 RI.3.10 RI.3.2 RI.3.4 RI.3.7 SL.3.1d SL.3.2 SL.3.3 W.3.8
    TEKS Alignment:

    3.10A 3.10B 3.10C 3.10D 3.10F 3.13C 3.13E 3.13H 3.1A 3.1C 3.1D 3.1E 3.6A 3.6B 3.6I 3.7A 3.7B 3.7C 3.7D 3.7E 3.7F 3.7G 3.8C 3.9D(i) 3.9D(ii) 3.9D(iii)
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    Making Predictions with Locomotive

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    Locomotive puts takes students "front and center" as they journey on the first locomotive to cross America. Pair the text with this making predictions mini lesson to teach students how to make predictions as they travel from Omaha, Nebraska to Sacramento, California.
    Common Core Alignment:

    L.3.6 RF.3.3 RF.3.4 RI.3.1 RI.3.10 RI.3.2 RI.3.3 RI.3.5 SL.3.1d SL.3.2 SL.3.3 W.3.8
    TEKS Alignment:

    3.13C 3.13E 3.13H 3.1A 3.1C 3.1D 3.1E 3.6A 3.6B 3.6C 3.6I 3.7A 3.7B 3.7C 3.7D 3.7E 3.7F 3.7G 3.9D(i) 3.9D(ii) 3.9D(iii)
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    Retelling and Summarizing with Locomotive

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    Hone your students' retelling and summarizing skills with this unconventional picture book about locomotives and America's transcontinental railroad. This mini lesson will support students as they navigate the text and illustrations in order to identify the most relevant information in the text.
    Common Core Alignment:

    L.3.6 RF.3.3 RF.3.4 RI.3.10 RI.3.2 RI.3.4 RI.3.7 SL.3.1d SL.3.2 SL.3.3 W.3.8
    TEKS Alignment:

    3.13C 3.13E 3.13H 3.1A 3.1C 3.1D 3.1E 3.6A 3.6G 3.6I 3.7B 3.7C 3.7D 3.7E 3.7F 3.7G 3.8D 3.9D(i) 3.9D(ii) 3.9D(iii)
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    Visualizing with Locomotive

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    Locomotive is an ideal anchor text for a mini lesson focused on visualizing. Use the guiding questions and student practice page to support readers as they identify specific details in the text and build mental images to better comprehend this informational text.
    Common Core Alignment:

    L.3.6 RF.3.3 RF.3.4 RI.3.1 RI.3.10 RI.3.5 RI.3.7 SL.3.1d SL.3.2 SL.3.3 W.3.8
    TEKS Alignment:

    3.10C 3.13C 3.13E 3.13H 3.1A 3.1C 3.1D 3.1E 3.6A 3.6D 3.6E 3.6I 3.7A 3.7B 3.7C 3.7E 3.7F 3.9D(i) 3.9D(ii) 3.9D(iii)
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    Locomotive Extension Activity

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    The BookPagez extension activities are a great way to push student engagement beyond the pages of the text. Try using this activity with early finishers, with students who show a deeper connection with the text, or as a center activity.
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    Locomotive Running Record

    Running Record Preview
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    Use this "done for you" Running Record to assess oral reading fluency of Locomotive. Track meaning, structure, and visual accuracy using the first 100 words of the text to determine whether or not this book is a good fit for the readers in your classroom.
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    Locomotive Common Core Aligned Comprehension Assessment

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    Use this Common Core aligned comprehension assessment to evaluate students' comprehension of Locomotive.
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    Student Resources in Spanish

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    This set of Spanish student facing resources includes comprehension strategy practice pages, reader's notebook prompts (complete with Spanish Common Core "I Can" statements), and extension activities for use with Locomotive by Brian Floca. These resources are intended to be used with the lesson plans included in the Super Pack for this book.
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    Locomotive Word Work - Onomatopoeia

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    Locomotive is not only an excellent anchor text for teaching comprehension strategies, it also pairs well with a phonics lesson about onomatopoeia. Either download the Locomotive Super Pack or this individual Word Work package to access lesson plans, interactive games and fun worksheets that directly tie word study to your classroom reading.
    Common Core Alignment:

    RF.3.3 RF.3.4
    TEKS Alignment:

    3.2A(ii) 3.2B(i)
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    Locomotive Vocabulary Connections

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    Before your students can fully comprehend and enjoy Locomotive, it’s helpful to introduce words that might be new to readers. Either download the Locomotive Super Pack or this individual Vocabulary Builder for resources and activities that support Tier 2 and Tier 3 vocabulary growth through fun and productive interactions with new words.
    Common Core Alignment:

    L.3.4a L.3.5b L.3.6
    TEKS Alignment:

    3.3A 3.3B 3.7E 3.7F
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    TEKS Alignment

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    Complete TEKS alignment for all of the mini lessons, resources, and activities in the Locomotive Resource Set.
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