United States Train Tour Choo! Choo!
Description: Students will simulate a train trip across the United States learning about each region of the United
States. At each stop students will experience an enrichment activity to better learn about the region.
th
Unit: Thinking Like a Geographer/5 Grade U.S. History
Materials:
 Travel Guide
 US Train Tour – First Stop ppt
 US Train Tour – Second Stop ppt
 US Train Tour – Third Stop ppt
 US Train Tour – Fourth Stop ppt
 US Train Tour – Last Stop ppt
 Evaluate: Rubric
 Interactive Notebook, folder or envelope
 Computers (optional)
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Paper or a computer to make a sticker
Southwest – Navajo Code Talkers
Southwest – Navajo Code Talkers KEY
Southeast – Geographic Terms
Southeast – Geographic Terms KEY
Northeast – US Population
Northeast – US Population KEY
Midwest – Mt. Rushmore
Midwest – Mt. Rushmore KEY
West – California Gold Rush
TEKS/SEs:
(5.7) Geography. The student understands the concept of regions in the United States. The student is
expected to:
(A) describe a variety of regions in the United States such as political, population, and economic regions that result
from patterns of human activity
(B) describe a variety of regions in the United States such as landform, climate, and vegetation regions that result
from physical characteristics such as the Great Plains, Rocky Mountains, and Coastal Plains
(5.8) Geography. The student understands the location and patterns of settlement and the geographic factors
that influence where people live. The student is expected to:
(A) identify and describe the types of settlement and patterns of land use in the United States;
(B) explain the geographic factors that influence patterns of settlement and the distribution of population in the United
States, past and present
(C) analyze the reasons for the location of cities in the United States, including capital cities, and explain their
distribution, past and present
(5.9) Geography. The student understands how people adapt to and modify their environment. The
student is expected to:
(A) describe how and why people have adapted to and modified their environment in the United States, past and
present, such as the use of human resources to meet basic needs
(B) analyze the positive and negative consequences of human modification of the environment in the United States,
past and present
(5.13) Economics. The student understands patterns of work and economic activities in the United States.
The student is expected to:
(A) compare how people in different parts of the United States earn a living, past and present
(B) identify and explain how geographic factors have influenced the location of economic activities in the United
States
(5.22) Culture. The student understands the contributions of people of various racial, ethnic, and religious
groups to the United States. The student is expected to:
(A) identify the similarities and differences within and among various racial, ethnic, and religious groups in the United
States;
(5.25) Social studies skills. The student communicates in written, oral, and visual forms. The student is
expected to:
(D) create written and visual material such as journal entries, reports, graphic organizers, outlines, and bibliographies
Lesson objective(s): The student will describe and compare the regions of the United States.
Vocabulary
 Region
 Maquiladoras
 Canyon
 Caverns
 Desert
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Mesa
Reservation
Landscape
Dam
Wetlands
Plantations
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Segregation
Hurricanes
Megalopolis
Memorial
Tornado
ENGAGEMENT
Objective: The student will organize the items need to go on a trip.
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Provide each student with an Explore: Travel Guide to record the information from the powerpoint that will be
presented.
Organize students into travel buddies.
On the front of the Travel Guide, have students write their name and their teacher’s name.
Have the Travel Buddies brainstorm five things they will need to travel across the United States. They will only be
able to take these five things on the trip. Explain to them how they will be traveling on a train to every region in the
United States.
The Travel Buddies will write the five items on the suitcase on the cover of their Travel Guide.
Discuss as a classroom, the items students will take along and why.
EXPLORATION
Objective: The student will describe and compare the regions of the United States.
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Organize your class to look like a train – Two rows with two seats per row.
Provide each student with an Explore: Travel Guide to record the information from the powerpoint that will be
presented and a place to hold their documents. It could be a their interactive notebook, a folder, or envelope.
 Present the powerpoint Train Tour ppt
 Read each slide and answer any questions students might have.
 After students have recorded information about a region. Have them stop and get off the bus to do an enrichment
activity about the region.
o Southwest - Navajo Code Talkers
o Southeast - Geographic Terms
o Northeast – US Population
o Midwest – Mt. Rushmore
o West – California Gold Rush
Below is more details about the powerpoint and activities when they stop and get off the bus.
 Southwest Region – Navajo Code Talkers Slides 3 - 16
o Students will explain the impact the Navajo Code Talkers had on our national identity.
 Southeast Region – Geographic Terms Slides 17- 30
o Students will identify geographic terms used to describe this region.
 Northeast Regions – US Population Slides 31 - 44
o Students will analyze the population of the United States.
 Midwest Region – Mt. Rushmore Slides 45 - 57
o Students will analyze the design of Mt. Rushmore.
 West Region – California Gold Rush Slides 48 - 69
o Students will complete a letter written about the experiences of the California Gold Rush.
EXPLANATION
Objective: The student will describe and compare the regions of the United States by developing a pre-write for their
sticker.
 On the back of the Travel Guide is a prewrite exercise that will prepare students to create their Travel Sticker.
 Have them complete this activity after the last enrichment stop.
ELABORATION
Objective: The student will describe and compare the regions of the United States by using website to research the
enrichment stops in more depth.
Students can do further research on the computer about the enrichment stops.
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Navajo Code Talkers – Southwest Region http://www.history.navy.mil/faqs/faq61-2.htm
Geographic Factors in the Southeast Region (Map Game)
http://www.eduplace.com/geonet/
Mt. Rushmore National Memorial – The Midwest Region
http://www.nps.gov/moru/
The California Gold Rush, 1949 – The West Region
http://www.eyewitnesstohistory.com/californiagoldrush.htm
EVALUATE
Objective: The student will describe and compare the regions of the United States by creating a travel sticker.
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Have students work in pairs to create a Travel Sticker describing their favorite region.
Slides 69 – 71 will explain to students how to create their sticker about their favorite region and why.
Students will choose a region just visited. They will draw a picture to represent that region.
Remind them to use their Travel Guide to complete the task.
Use the Evaluate: Rubric to grade the task.
Navajo Code Talkers – Southwest Region
http://www.history.navy.mil/faqs/faq61-2.htm
World War II would prove to be the most destructive war in history. Over 40 million people died
in this war. One group of soldiers who helped bring the war to an end was the Navajo Code Talkers.
They were Navajo Indians who were recruited by the Marines as soldiers to send coded messages.
The military wanted to send messages that the Japanese could not decode or understand. The
Navajo’s code had no alphabet and was spoken only on the Navajo lands of the American Southwest.
When a Navajo code talker received a message, what he heard was a string of unrelated Navajo
words. To translate a word, the code talker changed each Navajo word into a similar English word.
Then he used only the first letter of the English word to spell the
Ask your librarian to
words in the message. In Navajo, the word “Navy” would be "tsah
recommend books about the
(needle) wol-la-chee (ant) ah-keh-di- glini (victor) tsah-ah-dzoh
Navajo Code Talkers and
American Native Americans.
(yucca)." In 1992, the U.S. government honored these soldiers for
their contributions during World War II. Could you be a Navajo Code
NAVAJO CODE
Talker? Let’s see if you can translate this Navajo code.
Navajo
Meaning
English Letter
Moasi
Wol-la-chee
Nesh-chee
Tsah-as-zih
Ne-ahs-jah
Nesh-chee
How were the contributions made by the Navajo Code Talkers during
World War II important to victory over the Japanese? Explain your
answer.
Alphabet
Navajo
Meaning
A
Wol-la-chee
Ant
B
Shush
Bear
C
Moasi
Cat
D
Be
Deer
E
Dzeh
Elk
F
Ma-e
Fox
G
Klizzie
Goat
H
Lin
Horse
I
Tkin
Ice
J
Tkele-cho-gi
Jackass
K
Klizzie-yazzie
Kid
L
Dibeh-yazzie
Lamb
M
Na-as-tso-si
Mouse
N
Nesh-chee
Nut
O
Ne-ahs-jah
Owl
P
Bi-sodih
Pig
Q
Ca-yeilth
Quiver
R
Gah
Rabbit
S
Dibeh
Sheep
T
Than-zie
Turkey
U
No-da-ih
Ute
V
A-keh-di-glini
Victor
W
Gloe-ih
Weasel
X
Al-an-as-dzoh
Cross
Y
Tsah-as-zih
Yucca
Z
Besh-do-gliz
Zinc
Navajo Code Talkers – Southwest Region KEY
http://www.history.navy.mil/faqs/faq61-2.htm
World War II would prove to be the most destructive war in history. Over 40 million people died in this
war. One group of soldiers who helped bring the war to an end was the Navajo Code Talkers. They
were Navajo Indians who were recruited by the Marines as soldiers to send coded messages. The
military wanted to send messages that the Japanese could not decode or understand. The Navajo’s
code had no alphabet and was spoken only on the Navajo lands of the American Southwest. When a
Navajo code talker received a message, what he heard was a string of unrelated Navajo words. To
translate a word, the code talker changed each Navajo word into a similar English word. Then he
used only the first letter of the English word to spell the words in the
message. In Navajo, the word “Navy” would be "tsah (needle) wol-lachee (ant) ah-keh-di- glini (victor) tsah-ah-dzoh (yucca)." In 1992, the
Ask your librarian to
recommend books about the
Navajo Code Talkers and
American Native Americans.
U.S. government honored these soldiers for their contributions during
World War II. Could you be a Navajo Code Talker? Let’s see if you can translate this Navajo code.
Navajo
Meaning
English Letter
Moasi
Ant
C
Wol-la-chee
Weasel
A
Nesh-chee
Nut
N
Tsah-as-zih
Yucca
Y
Ne-ahs-jah
Owl
O
Nesh-chee
Nut
N
How were the contributions made by the Navajo Code
Talkers during World War II important to victory over the
Japanese? Explain your answer. Answers could be yes or
no depending how students defend their answers. The
defense of the answer should be based on facts.
Geographic Factors in the Southeast Region
(Map Game) http://www.eduplace.com/geonet/
Traveling through the Southeast, we saw the landscape change from state to state and saw how
landforms, waterways, and climate affected this region. Can you match the geographic factor with its
description?
Read the description of the geographic factor and match each term in the Word Bank with its
description. Write the geographic factor and draw a symbol to represent it. Then explain which
geographic factor best describes this region and why.
Word Bank: Bayou, Gulf, Hurricane, Mountain, River, Swamp
Description
Geographic Factor
Symbol
I am high in elevation and have a steep top. On
the outside, you can camp and hike on me. Inside,
I am full of minerals like coal that you can be use
for electricity. What geographic factor am I?
I am found in the Everglades of Florida and other
southeastern states. I am a freshwater wetland full
of trees, shrubs, and alligators. What geographic
factor am I?
I am a long flowing body of water that ends up in
the ocean. Towns and cities are built along me
and the longest one in the United States flows
through the southeast region. What geographic
factor am I?
In Louisiana, musicians sing about me and I am
part of its nickname. I am a very slow moving body
of water found in low, lying, and marshy wetland.
What geographic factor am I?
I am a tropical cyclone with winds faster than 75
miles per hour impacting large parts of the
southeastern region. I am so powerful that they
give me a name every time I show up. What
geographic factor am I?
I am a large area of an ocean partly surrounded
by land. I am the southern boundary of the
southeastern region. Many industries depend on
me and I’m fun to play in but watch out I can be
destructive. What geographic factor am I?
Which geographic term best describes this region? Explain your reason.
Ask your librarian to recommend books that describe the geography of the United
States.
Geographic Factors in the Southeast Region – KEY
(Map Game) http://www.eduplace.com/geonet/
Traveling through the Southeast, we saw the landscape change from state to state and saw how
landforms, waterways, and climate affect this region. Can you match the geographic term with its
description?
Read the description of the geographic factor and match each term in the Word Bank with its
description. Write the geographic factor and draw a symbol to represent it. Then explain which
geographic factor best describes this region and why.
Word Bank: Bayou, Gulf, Hurricane, Mountain, River, Swamp
Description
Geographic Factor
I am high in elevation and have a steep top. On the outside,
you can camp and hike on me. Inside, I am full of minerals
like coal that you can be use for electricity. What geographic
factor am I?
Mountain
I am found in the Everglades of Florida and other
southeastern states. I am a freshwater wetland full of trees,
shrubs, and alligators. What geographic factor am I?
Symbol
Swamp
I am a long flowing body of water that ends up in the ocean.
Towns and cities are built along me and the longest one in
the United States flows through the southeast region. What
geographic factor am I?
River
In Louisiana, musicians sing about me and I am part of its
nickname. I am a very slow moving body of water found in
low, lying, and marshy wetland. What geographic factor am
I?
Bayou
I am a tropical cyclone with winds faster than 75 miles per
hour impacting large parts of the southeastern region. I am
so powerful that they give me a name every time I show up.
What geographic factor am I?
Hurricane
I am a large area of an ocean partly surrounded by land. I
am the southern boundary of the southeastern region. Many
industries depend on me and I’m fun to play in but watch out
I can be destructive. What geographic factor am I?
Gulf
Which geographic term best describes this region? Explain your reason.
Answer should be one of the geographic terms but defense of answer should be supported by
facts.
Ask your librarian to recommend books that describe the geography of the United
States.
Counting the Population of the Northeast Region
The Northeast region has more cities than any other place in the United States but how does it
compare to the rest of the United States? Let’s count the population by using the map below to
answer the following questions.
1. Name one city/metropolitan area outside the Northeast Region that is as large as the cities in
this region. __________________________________________________________________
2. Name one problem the Northeast Region might have because of such a large population?
___________________________________________________________________________
3. Name a state in the Northeast region that has no large populations? Why do you their
populations are so small? ______________________________________________________
4. Based on what you learned about the Northeast Region, why do you think more people live in
this region than any other region? ________________________________________________
Ask your librarian to recommend books about different cities in the United States.
Counting the Population of the Northeast Region
The Northeast region has more cities than any other place in the United States but how does it
compare to the rest of the United States? Let’s count the population by using the map below to
answer the following questions.
Name one city/metropolitan area outside the Northeast Region that is as large as the cities in this
region. Los Angeles/Orange County, Chicago, San Francisco
Name one problem the Northeast Region might have because of such a large population?
Suggested answers – Pollution, being overcrowded, not enough jobs, housing, or electricity
Name a state in the Northeast region that has no large populations? Why do you their populations are
so small? Vermont, New Hampshire, Maine/Suggested answers – Not enough jobs
Based on what you learned about the Northeast Region, why do you think more people live in this
region than any other region? Suggested answers – 1. Europeans developed many permanent
settlements in this area that thrived. 2. It has many ports 3. The cities are well connected by
trains and highways.
Ask your librarian to recommend books about different cities in the United States.
Mt. Rushmore National Memorial – Midwest Region
http://www.nps.gov/moru/
In the 1920s, South Dakota’s State historian Doane Robinson thought of an idea to get tourist to visit
his state. He imagined the faces of important Americans carved in South Dakota’s Black Hills.
Robinson contacted sculptor Gutzon Borglum to make his idea come to life. After 14 years, Mt.
Rushmore was completed in 1941. Today, Mount Rushmore National Memorial is host to almost
three million visitors a year and stands as a symbol of America. Visitors travel to Mt. Rushmore to
marvel at the beauty of the Black Hills of South Dakota and to learn about the birth, growth,
development and the preservation of our country. How did Mr. Robinson and Mr. Borglum decide on
these presidents?
Read the descriptions below and match the ideas in the WORD BANK with the president. Don’t forget
to tell me what you think of the memorial.
George
Washington
1789 - 1797
Thomas
Jefferson
1801-1809
President Thomas Jefferson wrote the Declaration of Independence but as president
he made a deal of a lifetime. He bought the Louisiana Purchase for $15 million.
President Abraham Lincoln faced difficult challenges when he was president. He was
the president of the United States during the Civil War. During his presidency, he
kept the nation together and emancipated or freed the slaves.
Abraham
Lincoln
1861-1865
Theodore
Roosevelt
1901 - 1909
President George Washington was the first president of the United States and a
visionary. We still follow many of the decisions he made during his time as president.
President Theodore Roosevelt believed the United States should be the most
powerful country in the world. He supported the building of the Panama Canal which
made it easier for U.S. ships to travel from the Atlantic to the Pacific Ocean and he
set aside millions of acres of land for national parks.
WORD BANK: Birth, Development, Expansion, Preservation
Thomas Jefferson
George Washington
Abraham Lincoln
Theodore Roosevelt
Which president do you think is the most important to the history of the
United States? Explain your reason.
Ask your
librarian to
recommend
books about
Mt. Rushmore
and other
memorial in the
United States.
Mt. Rushmore National Memorial – Midwest Region
http://www.nps.gov/moru/
In the 1920s, South Dakota’s State historian Doane Robinson thought of an idea to get tourist to visit
his state. He imagined the faces of important Americans carved in South Dakota’s Black Hills.
Robinson contacted sculptor Gutzon Borglum to make his idea come to life. After 14 years, Mt.
Rushmore was completed in 1941. Today, Mount Rushmore National Memorial is host to almost
three million visitors a year and stands as a symbol of America. Visitors travel to Mt. Rushmore to
marvel at the beauty of the Black Hills of South Dakota and to learn about the birth, growth,
development and the preservation of our country. How did Mr. Robinson and Mr. Borglum decide on
these presidents?
Read the descriptions below and match the ideas in the WORD BANK with the president. Don’t forget
to tell me what you think of the memorial.
George
Washington
1789 - 1797
Thomas
Jefferson
1801-1809
President Thomas Jefferson wrote the Declaration of Independence but as president
he made a deal of a lifetime. He bought the Louisiana Purchase for $15 million.
President Abraham Lincoln faced difficult challenges when he was president. He was
the president of the United States during the Civil War. During his presidency, he
kept the nation together and emancipated or freed the slaves.
Abraham
Lincoln
1861-1865
Theodore
Roosevelt
1901 - 1909
President George Washington was the first president of the United States and a
visionary. We still follow many of the decisions he made during his time as president.
President Theodore Roosevelt believed the United States should be the most
powerful country in the world. He supported the building of the Panama Canal which
made it easier for U.S. ships to travel from the Atlantic to the Pacific Ocean and he
set aside millions of acres of land for national parks.
WORD BANK: Birth, Development, Expansion, Preservation
Thomas Jefferson
Expansion
George Washington
Birth
Abraham Lincoln
Preservation
Theodore Roosevelt
Development
Which president do you think is the most important to the history of the
United States? Explain your reason. Base the completion of this question
on how well the student defends their answer.
Ask your
librarian to
recommend
books about
Mt. Rushmore
and other
memorial in the
United States.
The California Gold Rush, 1949 – The West Region
http://www.eyewitnesstohistory.com/californiagoldrush.htm
In January 1848, gold was discovered in near Sacramento, California. The discovery was reported in
the San Francisco newspaper but people did not take it seriously. In May of 1848, people did notice
when a San Francisco storekeeper had a bottle filled with gold dust shouting Gold! Gold! Gold from
American River! The residents of the city now had proof there was gold and newspapers around the
world began reporting that there was gold in California.
S. Shufelt was one of those gold-seekers. All that we know about Mr. Shufelt is from a letter he wrote
from the gold fields to his cousin in March 1850. We don't know if he struck it rich or whether he ever
returned to his wife and family. We don't even know his first name. On May 11, 1849, he boarded the
ship Panama in New York City along with 200 fellow fortune seekers
Ask your librarian to
risking it all in California. Below is part of Mr. Shufelt’s letter. Read
recommend books about the
Mr. Shufelt’s letter and finish it for him. Did he strike it rich, return to
Gold Rush and California.
his family, or did he never find what he was looking for? You tell me.
March 1850
Dear Cousin,
"I have left those that I love behind and risked everything and endured many hardships to get here. I
want to make enough to live easier and do some good with, before I return. We reached
Sacramento City to the joy of our hearts & the relief of our hands. We hired an ox team to carry our
baggage & started for this place called Hangtown, from the fact that three persons had been hung here for
stealing & attempting to murder. We pitched our tents, shouldered our picks & shovels & with pan in
hand sallied forth to try our fortunes at gold digging. We did not have very good success being green
[new] at mining, but by practice & observation we soon improved & found a little of the shining metal.
_______________________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________________
Your Cousin,
S. Shufelt
Name ___________________________________________
Travel sticker – U.S. Train Tour Trip
TASK: You are to create a travel sticker describing your favorite U.S. region and why.
RUBRIC:
Ideas
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Conventions
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Super U.S. Traveler
A=11-12
Good U.S. Traveler
B=10-8
Needs a Travel Agent
C=7 or below
4
The travel sticker
describes your
favorite region, facts
about your favorite
region, and an
illustration.
Most, if not all words
are spelled correctly
and capitalized
appropriately.
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Presentation
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Comments:
The travel sticker is
thoughtfully
arranged and
colored.
Writing and
drawings are neat.
It is easy to see all
important elements
of the piece.
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3
The travel sticker
is somewhat clear
about your favorite
region, facts about
your favorite
region, and it has
an illustration.

Many words are
spelled correctly
and capitalized
appropriately
Few writing errors.

The travel sticker
is arranged so that
all elements are
visible.
Writing and
drawings are
relatively neat.
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2
The travel sticker is
somewhat clear
about what your
favorite region is
and facts about your
favorite region but it
does not have an
illustration.

Some words are
spelled correctly
and capitalized
appropriately
Writing errors are
evident.

The travel sticker is
not arranged so that
all elements are
visible.
Writing and
drawings are
legible, if not neat.



1
The travel sticker
is not clear about
what your favorite
region is and facts
about your
favorite region,
and it does not
have an
illustration.
Few words are
spelled correctly
or capitalized
appropriately
Writing errors
make it difficult to
understand.
The travel sticker
is not purposefully
arranged, or not
all elements are
visible
Writing and
drawings are
difficult to
decipher.