Pre-K

Field Trips

For our youngest learners we offer hands-on, engaging field trips that promote literacy, comprehension and social interaction using our collection of historic locomotives and rolling stock. 

The programs below are developed using the most current MSDE curriculum standards for Pre-K students: 

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Commerce on the Railroad 

In this program, students will learn about many different types of freight cars used on the railroad. Using America’s favorite fruit, the banana, students will explore how the banana is transported from the field to their table. 

Activities available for Pre-K students in this program: 

• Tour: The B&O Goes Bananas: The Journey from Trees to Our Tables 
• Workshop: What’s in That Train Car? Workshop – In this workshop, students will get hands on learning about different train cars and what they might carry. By traveling around to different stations, students will try to fill their assigned train car with the correct items.
• Railroad Storytime: Includes a storybook read a-loud and an accompanying activity. Choose between Trains by Gail Gibbons or Trains Coming Through! by Stephanie Morgan 
• Train Ride: Take a ride down the first mile of the B&O Railroad aboard the Mile One Express (available Wednesday-Friday) 

MSDE Curriculum Standards: 

• Pre-K MSDE Social Studies – Essential Question: How do people connect? 
• Pre-K MSDE Social Studies – Essential Question: Why do people trade? 

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Railroad Safety 

In this program, students will learn ways that the railroad keeps their employees and passengers safe.  Using our historic collection of signs and signals students will learn how the evolution of signs and signals coincides with technological advancements like electricity and automobiles. 

Activities available for Pre-K students in this program: 

• Tour: Railroad Signs and Signals: The Evolution of Visual Communication on the Railroad 
• Workshop: Design a Safe Community Workshop – In this workshop, students will discover what a community needs to keep its residents safe. They will get to build a community using 2D and 3D objects with safety in mind. Students will need to include fire stations, hospitals, schools, and all the safe road signs they think their community needs. 
• Railroad Storytime: Includes a storybook read a-loud and an accompanying activity. Choose between Trains and Tracks by Operation Life Saver or Clifford and the Railroad Crossing by Norman Bridwell 
• Train Ride: Take a ride down the first mile of the B&O Railroad aboard the Mile One Express (available Wednesday-Friday) 

MSDE Curriculum Standards: 

• Pre-K MSDE Social Studies – Essential Question: Why do we have rules at home, at school and in the community? 
• Pre-K MSDE Social Studies – Essential Question: How do people connect? 

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Build Your Own Field Trip 

Mix and match activities from available themes to build your own field trip.  Activities from other grade levels are available too but may not be aligned to Pre-K curriculum standards.