The study of the states and a brief introduction to the

transcontinental railroad.
Mr. Brinkers Class
4
th
Grade
Standards (Music and other Academic Area): Music and social
studies.
Social science- political (e.g., state lines, boundaries, capitals) v. physical
features (e.g., mountains, plains, rivers), ecosystems. Read various types of
maps for grid systems, symbols, legends, scales, compass rose, cardinal
directions, longitude, latitude, and hemisphere
Music- creating- MU:Cr1.1.4a Improvise rhythmic, melodic, and harmonic ideas,
and explain connection to specific purpose and context (such as social and
cultural). MU:Cr1.1.4b Generate musical ideas (such as rhythms, melodies,
and simple accompaniment patterns) within related tonalities (such as major
and minor) and meters. MU:Cr2.1.4a Demonstrate selected and organized
musical ideas for an improvisation, arrangement, or composition to express
intent, and explain connection to purpose and context.
Present - MU:Cr3.2.4a Present the final version of personal created music to
others, and explain connection to expressive intent.
Objectives (Include the three elements of an objective learned in
class):
1. Students will be placed into groups, and will be given a map of the United
States, which will be used to draw the transcontinental railroad.
2. After successfully drawing in the transcontinental railroad while listening to
Ive be working on the rail road, the students will be able to write the
states associated with the transcontinental
3. After writing the states and drawing the transcontinental railroad, students
will be able to look at the lyrics and create a verse that corresponds with
some aspect of the railroad and the song.
4. Students will be able to identify and know 5 out of the 6 states on a map of
the United States that the railroad system goes through.

Materials: Blank sheets of America and the states, lyrics to Ive been working
on the railroad, the book locomotive, which demonstrated transcontinental railroad.

Steps in the lesson:
1. Discuss with the class about what we have learned about the
transcontinental railroad and how it was important to connect the
United States from east coast to west coast.
2. After reviewing the information, present the book locomotive by
Brian Flocka with some background of the book.
3. After reading the book to the students, place students into groups and
each student will be given a blank sheet of America and the states.
4. While listening the Ive been working on a railroad, the student will
trace the lines where the railroad system goes through in America .
5. After listening and tracing the railroad system, the states that the
railroad system goes through, the student will label and identify the
names of the states.
6. After completing the connection of the states, student in their groups
will be given lyrics of the songs Ive been working on a railroad
7. Once they have the lyrics, the song will be played again, to get the
sense of the beat. Students will develop their own verse of the song
that would connect the song with the transcontinental railroad. Every
time after the repeating measure happens, each group with sing their
part of their song
8. Students will perform their verse to the class.

Assessment (linked directly to objectives):
1. Students will be able to listen to the song while tracing the areas of where
the transcontinental railroad goes through.
2. Students will be able to look at a map, and be able to write the states, while
getting help by their group members.
3. Students will be able to analyze the lyrics of the song, and be able to create
and perform the verse to the class.
4. Students will be able to look at a map, and know the five out of the six states
on a given blank map.

Adaptations/Extensions (include at least one strategy for
differentiation): First this could be an introduction to states, learning about
the first states in the unit, then extending it out with different topics ntil we get all
of the states down as a class. could extend on the transcontinental railroad by
learning why it was so important to connect east coast to the west coast.

Rationale: Why is it important that students learn my lesson?
What will they gain from my content?
It is important to learn about country expanding its resources and how gold rush
influenced the need to move west and expand.

Next Steps/ Connections to Other Subjects: What lesson will
come next? How will you build on this learning? You could have a
lesson on why the railroad system was needed, and how linking the nation from
east coast to west coast was a necessary and beneficial for our nation. You could
have a writing assignment where the student could write a paper explaining the
history of the railroad system.