Locomotive Resource Set

Lesson Plans • Resources • Activities
Download the Resources Buy the Book
Preview the PDF Resources Preview Digital Resource

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!
Download
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

    Click
    to
    Preview
    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)
    PDF Resources Digital Resources
    Preview PDF Download PDF Preview Digital Resource Assign Digital Resource

    Identifying the Author's Purpose with Locomotive

    Click
    to
    Preview
    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)
    PDF Resources Digital Resources
    Preview PDF Download PDF Preview Digital Resource Assign Digital Resource

    Making Predictions with Locomotive

    Click
    to
    Preview
    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)
    PDF Resources Digital Resources
    Preview PDF Download PDF Preview Digital Resource Assign Digital Resource

    Retelling and Summarizing with Locomotive

    Click
    to
    Preview
    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)
    PDF Resources Digital Resources
    Preview PDF Download PDF Preview Digital Resource Assign Digital Resource

    Visualizing with Locomotive

    Click
    to
    Preview
    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)
    PDF Resources Digital Resources
    Preview PDF Download PDF Preview Digital Resource Assign Digital Resource

    Locomotive Extension Activity

    Click
    to
    Preview
    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.
    PDF Resources
    Preview PDF Download PDF Assign Digital Resource

    Locomotive Running Record

    Running Record Preview
    Click
    to
    Preview
    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.
    PDF Resources
    Preview PDF Download PDF Assign Digital Resource

    Locomotive Common Core Aligned Comprehension Assessment

    Click
    to
    Preview
    Use this Common Core aligned comprehension assessment to evaluate students' comprehension of Locomotive.
    PDF Resources Digital Resources
    Preview PDF Download PDF Preview Digital Resource Assign Digital Resource

    Student Resources in Spanish

    spanishresourcesthegivingtree
    Click
    to
    Preview
    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.
    PDF Resources
    Preview PDF Download PDF Assign Digital Resource

    Locomotive Word Work - Onomatopoeia

    Click
    to
    Preview
    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)
    PDF Resources
    Preview PDF Download PDF Assign Digital Resource

    Locomotive Vocabulary Connections

    Click
    to
    Preview
    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
    PDF Resources
    Preview PDF Download PDF Assign Digital Resource

    TEKS Alignment

    Click
    to
    Preview
    Complete TEKS alignment for all of the mini lessons, resources, and activities in the Locomotive Resource Set.
    PDF Resources
    Preview PDF Download PDF Assign Digital Resource

    Plan Faster and Discover New Ways to Use the Books in Your School and Classroom Libraries

    With a Premium Membership to BookPagez you get unlimited access to thousands of mini lessons for hundreds of books.

    Whether you want to focus on comprehension or word work, you'll find exactly what you need inside of our comprehensive Resource Library.

    Upgrade below and print everything you need to deliver balanced literacy instruction using popular and award-winning children's literature.

    BookPagez makes teaching with children's books easier than ever.

    With resources for more than 250 of your favorite children's books, you'll always have exactly what you need to deliver balanced literacy instruction - without all the planning and prep!

    Members get access to both print and digital resources, enjoy fast planning tools, and stay organized with custom files and access to Digital Classroom. All of the BookPagez resources are Common Core aligned and flexible enough to be used for whole group, small group, and one-on-one instruction.

    • 30 DAY MONEY BACK GUARANTEE •

    Try us in for 30 days.
    If you aren't completely satisfied we'll refund your subscription - no questions asked!

    Monthly Subscription

    $9 / month
    $9/mo

    Sale: $4.50/mo *
    Billed Monthly

    Print and Digital Resources
    Cancel Anytime
    Subscribe

    Annual Subscription

    $72 / year
    $72/yr

    Sale: $36/yr*
    That's just $3/month!
    Billed Annually

    Print and Digital Resources
    Cancel Anytime
    Subscribe & Save
    *Sale price is valid for the first billing cycle. All plans automatically renew at standard pricing of $9/mo or $72/yr.
    Subscriptions are valid for use by one teacher. Your subscription does not include copies of the books.
    Use a Purchase Order

    Other Resources You Might Like