Generations of Pennsylvanians were raised to the whistles, and later, the horns of railroads. Railroad whistles play an important role in safe travel. In this elementary lesson, students will study and practice basic railroad whistle sounds and explore the issue of personal safety around railroads.

Objectives

1. Understand and communicate several basic railroad safety rules. 2. Apply these railroad safety rules to some theoretical situations. 3. Understand the function of train whistles–communication and safety. 4. Give a historical example of the train whistle code being used to warn people.

Standards Alignment

• Geography
  
  7.1.3 B. Identify and locate places and regions.
  7.2.3. A. Identify the physical characteristics of places and regions.
  7.2.3. B. Identify the basic physical processes that affect the physical characteristics of places and regions.
  7.4.3. A. Identify the impacts of physical systems on people.
  7.4.3. B. Identify the impacts of people on physical systems.
  
  
• Health, Safety and Physical Education
  
  10.3.3. A. Recognize safe/unsafe practices in the home, school and community.
  
  
• History
  
  8.1.3. A. Understand chronological thinking and distinguish between past, present, and future time.
  8.1.3. A. Understand chronological thinking and distinguish between past, present, and future time.
  8.1.3. C. Understand fundamentals of historical interpretation.
  8.2.3. B. Identify and describe primary documents, material artifacts and historic sites important in Pennsylvania history.
  
  
• Reading, Writing, Speaking, and Listening
  
  1.6.3. B. Listen to a selection of literature (fiction and/or nonfiction).
  1.6.3. E. Participate in small and large group discussions and presentations.