Teaching sequence

Work through this resource material in the following sequence:

15 minutes

Tune In: Watch the episode

10 minutes

Find Out: Creating your train line

25 minutes

Take Action: All aboard!

5 minutes

Reflection

Teacher preparation

Learning intentions

Students will:

develop social skills for working with others
develop personal capabilities necessary for successful learning in the classroom.

Success criteria

Students can:

delay gratification
wait patiently
follow rules
engage in unstructured play without teacher direction.

Tune In: Watch the episode

Step 1.

Share the Bluey episode Trains with your students.

Bluey 'Trains' - ClickView (https://clickv.ie/w/wAlx)

Trains synopsis: All aboard the Dad Train! Bingo goes from home to daycare at her job at the Vet every morning, but there’s trouble on the line, as mischievous Bluey throws everyone off the schedule.

Step 2.

Facilitate a class discussion about the episode by asking the following questions:

I wonder how Dad felt about how Bluey was behaving? Why do you think that?
Have you ever been late for something important? How did you feel? You might display the Zones of Emotional Regulation chart to help students with the vocabulary around feelings.
I wonder what other stops the train could visit? Where have you travelled to by train?

The Zones of Emotional Regulation Chart is a simple tool to help kids recognise and identify emotions, within themselves and in the people around them. Emotions are grouped into different coloured zones - green, yellow, blue and red - based on the way the different emotions make our bodies feel. Find out more about teaching emotional intelligence here.

Step 3.

You might also display this prompt wall to inspire some observations.

Listening	Being nice to other people	Figuring things out	Sharing with other people
Looking after other people	Waiting quietly	Asking questions	Working together
Being friendly	Trying again and again	Following the rules	Doing the right thing

Prompt your students to finish the sentence stem:

In this episode, I saw someone......I saw this when...

Find Out: Creating your train line

Step 1.

As students are watching the episode, set up several different free play activities that you regularly use in your classroom, such as building blocks, playdough, or marbles.

Step 2.

After students have finished watching, work with your students to identify the stops that the train visited, writing a list on the board as you brainstorm.

Step 3.

Next, ask students about other places that the train might visit, drawing on students' personal experience of catching the train, or using their imaginations. Add these to the list.

Step 4.

Use some of the examples given to create signs for several different stations. Use a large piece of paper to display the name of the station, including an appropriate illustration. Place these at each of the free play activities.

Both structured and unstructured play are essential for children's development. Structured play involves planned activities with guidelines provided by educators, while unstructured play occurs spontaneously without planning. Unstructured play fosters imagination and creativity, while structured play offers opportunities for guided exploration. It's crucial for educators to create a learning environment that encourages curiosity, wonder, and questioning, with activities designed to be open-ended and engaging for children to explore concepts using various senses.
Find out more here.

Step 5.

Explain to students that you will be the head of the train. There will be some simple rules when using the train.

Only five people at a time
The train only runs in one direction
You must use the train to move to a different station.

Take Action: All aboard!

Step 1.

Start by taking the first five volunteers. Have them join hands in a line, with you at the front of the train as the driver. Inform your passengers that they can get off at any stop they like, just by yelling "stop".

Complete a loop of all the stations, returning to the middle of the classroom to collect another five students. Praise the students who are left for their patience.

Young students struggle to understand the concept of time and lack the ability for delayed gratification. Try not to get frustrated with impatient behaviour, instead remain calm and praising students who demonstrate patience. Gradually increase wait times to build their stamina. Breaking promises for rewards at the end of a wait can reinforce impulsive behaviour, so it's important to follow through consistently.

Find out more about practising patience h e re.

Step 2.

Once all students have arrived at an activity, periodically run trains from the central station around the loop or whenever students alert you to wanting to move stations. Remind the students that they can join the train to swap stations. When you visit a stop, work with the students to count the number of passengers and the free spaces.

Step 3.

Add different rules or routes to the train as you like. Consider challenges like:

The train now takes a 'ticket' in the form of a completed worksheet or activity
This special service only takes people with the letter E in their name / people who have their shirts tucked in
This is an express train that runs straight to the Zoo, skipping all stations from the Pool to the Moon Playground.

Step 4.

Wrap the exercise after about 20 mins by running a special mega-train that carries every student in one fun enormously long line around the classroom before dropping the students off at 'central station' and settling them for a reflection

If students liked the trains activity consider taking it outdoors and encouraging more exercise. Set up stations for physical activities like ball games, play equipment, skipping etc, and run your high-speed train between stops.

Reflection

Invite students to reflect on this lesson by asking:

What do you think we were practising?
Why do you think that? When did you do this during the game?
How did it feel when the train was full but you wanted to go somewhere?
What did you do while you waited for the next train?
How did it feel when you saw someone breaking the rules?
What does it mean to be patient?

Patience - Waiting for a Train

Summary

Lesson Guides and Printables

Patience - Waiting for a Train

Summary

Lesson Guides and Printables