Freight Train
The students listened to the story ‘Freight Train‘ by Donald Crews. In this book the artwork takes the centre stage. The students were encouraged to notice how the author and illustrator used pictures to make the story more interesting. They noticed and shared how the author used details to show the speed of the train as it travels.
Kai “It looks like the colours are melting.”
Franz “It looks like where I live. I have big buildings like that.”
Students were invited to create their own books at the writing corner. They created books about trains, journeys and their families. 
The next day they listened to the story again, and were then invited to colour, cut and create their own book about the ‘Freight Train’. The students were encouraged to put the pages in order depending on the colours of the different carriages.
“What colour comes next?”
SLO’s
- participate and respond actively to read aloud situations; make predictions, anticipate possible outcomes
- make connections to their own experience when listening to or reading texts
- listen and respond to picture books, showing pleasure, and demonstrating their understanding through gestures, expression and/or words
- tell their own stories using illustrations and words
- focus on a speaker and maintain eye contact
- observe, discuss and comment on the information being conveyed in illustrations
