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After WWI, New York City streets were populated by "street urchins," children who had not home because they were orphaned or abandoned by their parents who could no longer take care of them. Andrea Warren writes about one man's solution to the problem, which became the beginning of child welfare. |
English/Language Arts
Exploring creative writing
Author Andrea Warren introduces the Orphan Trains with interesting facts and dates. Creative writing is a portal into the emotional world of the children who rode the trains by providing students with the opportunity to write from the perspective of a child making the journey. As a class, brain storm some of the fears, feelings of excitement, questions, and hopes a child might experience in this situation. Using these emotions to inform their writing; have students write a journal entry from the view point of a child traveling on the train. The class could use these entries to create a short play that dramatizes one day on an orphan train.
Social Studies
Andrea provides two historical posters advertising the program. After reading the posters have students discuss how the posters advertise specific children that were available. What does this type of advertising suggest about how children were valued during that time period? What laws have been enacted since this time period to protect children from being exploited?
STEM
Explore engineering and design
Today people travel across the country quickly by car and even faster by plane. In the 1800s trains were the fastest way to travel. Create a STEM research project that helps students understand the STEM behind travel. Generate a list of interesting questions comparing different modern ways to travel to the specific locations that the orphan trains reached. Are any of these train lines still in use? What are the environmental impacts of travel today compared to the 1800s?
Exploring creative writing
Author Andrea Warren introduces the Orphan Trains with interesting facts and dates. Creative writing is a portal into the emotional world of the children who rode the trains by providing students with the opportunity to write from the perspective of a child making the journey. As a class, brain storm some of the fears, feelings of excitement, questions, and hopes a child might experience in this situation. Using these emotions to inform their writing; have students write a journal entry from the view point of a child traveling on the train. The class could use these entries to create a short play that dramatizes one day on an orphan train.
Social Studies
Andrea provides two historical posters advertising the program. After reading the posters have students discuss how the posters advertise specific children that were available. What does this type of advertising suggest about how children were valued during that time period? What laws have been enacted since this time period to protect children from being exploited?
STEM
Explore engineering and design
Today people travel across the country quickly by car and even faster by plane. In the 1800s trains were the fastest way to travel. Create a STEM research project that helps students understand the STEM behind travel. Generate a list of interesting questions comparing different modern ways to travel to the specific locations that the orphan trains reached. Are any of these train lines still in use? What are the environmental impacts of travel today compared to the 1800s?
© Karen Sterling, 2018 - May be used for educational purposes without written permission
