Grade: 5

Field Trips

For your 5^th grade students, we offer hands-on, engaging field trips that promote problem solving, 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 5^th grade students:  

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African American Railroading Legacy 

In this program, students will learn about the legacy of African Americans on the railroad. From the laying of the first tracks and the B&O’s connection to the Underground Railroad, through the Civil War Era and into the Civil Rights Movement the African American experience has been intertwined with the history of the railroad. 

 Activities available for 5^th grade students in this program:  

• Tour: From Slavery to Civil Rights: The African American Railroading Legacy  
• Workshop: Artifact Exploration: African American Contributions to the Railroad – In this workshop, students will use their critical thinking skills to examine a set of artifacts and determine who they might belong to. Using these artifacts students will then learn about the impact African American’s have had on the B&O Railroad throughout history.
• Railroad Storytime: Includes a storybook read a-loud and an accompanying activity. Choose between Northbound: A Train Ride Out of Segregation by Michael S. Bandy and Eric Stein or The Pullman Porter: An American Journey by Vanita Oelschlager 
• 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:  

• MSDE Social Studies – Essential Question: How did conflicts over slavery result in the Civil War?   
• MSDE Social Studies – Essential Question: How did the conclusion of the Civil War affect the United States (North and South) and Maryland? 
• MSDE Social Studies – Essential Question: How has government evolved to expand the meaning of “We the People”? 

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The Civil War  

In this program, students will explore the world’s first major war that was fought using the railroad- The Civil War. Students will discover the impact the B&O Railroad had o the outcome of the Civil War through this program. 

Activities available for 5^th grade students in this program:  

• Tour: The Civil War: The War Came By Train 
• Workshop: Artifact Exploration: Life During the Civil War – In this workshop, students will use their critical thinking skills to examine a set of artifacts and determine who they might belong to.  Using these artifacts students will then learn how different branches of the population, including soldiers, postal workers, children, freedom seekers and abolitionists interacted with each other and the railroad during the Civil War Era.
• Railroad Storytime: Includes a storybook read a-loud and an accompanying activity. Choose between How Kate Warne Saved President Lincoln by Elizabeth Van Steenwyk or William Still and His Freedom Stories: The Father of the Underground Railroad by Don Tate 
• 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:  

• MSDE Social Studies – Essential Question: How did conflicts over slavery result in the Civil War? 
• MSDE Social Studies – Essential Question: How did the conclusion of the Civil War affect the United States (North and South) and Maryland? 

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Environmental Impact  

In this program, students will learn about the impact the railroad has had on our environment. Using the different types of fuel used to power trains throughout history we will explore how they have contributed to climate change and what is being done today to prevent it.  

Activities available for 5^th grade students in this program:  

• Tour: Fueling America’s Railroads: Climate Change and the Evolution of Fuel Types  
• Workshop: The Carbon Cycle Workshop – In this workshop, students will trace the life cycle of an atom of carbon by moving around the room to different stations representing the carbon atoms path. Each student will create a timeline bracelet to take home representing their journey as a carbon atom, made from pony beads and chenille sticks. 
• Railroad Storytime: Includes a storybook read a-loud and an accompanying activity. Choose between The Story of Climate Change by Catherine Barr and Steve Williams or The Magic School Bus and the Climate Challenge by Joanne Cole and Bruce Dugan  
• Train Ride: Take a ride down the first mile of the B&O Railroad aboard the Mile One Express (available Wednesday-Friday)  

NGSS Disciplinary Core Ideas:  

• 5-PS1.A: Structure and Properties of Matter
• 5-LS2.B: Cycles of Matter and Energy Transfer in Ecosystems
• 5-ESS2.A: Earth Materials and Systems
• 5-ESS3.C: Human Impact on Earth Systems

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Maryland History on the B&O Railroad  

In this program, students will learn how the B&O Railroad has contributed to the collective history of the state of Maryland. Use our historic collection of locomotives and rolling stock we will journey through the past 200 years of B&O history to discover the milestones of the railroad within the state of Maryland.  

Activities available for 5^th grade students in this program:  

• Tour: Maryland on the Rails: The B&O’s Contribution to Maryland History  
• Workshop: Morse Code on the B&O Workshop – In this workshop, students will learn all about the B&O Railroad’s connection to the telegraph by learning how to communicate using Morse Code and making a take-home keychain or necklace spelling their name in Morse Code!
• Railroad Storytime: Includes a storybook read a-loud and an accompanying activity. Choose between B is for Blue Crab: A Maryland Alphabet by Shirley Menendez or Henry’s Freedom Box: A True Story from the Underground Railroad by Ellen Levin and Kadir Nelson  
• 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:  

• MSDE Social Studies – Essential Question: How did conflicts over slavery result in the Civil War? 
• MSDE Social Studies – Essential Question: How did the conclusion of the Civil War affect the United States (North and South) and Maryland? 
• MSDE Social Studies – Essential Question: How has government evolved to expand the meaning of “We the People”? 

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Railroad Technology  

In this program, students will explore how the B&O Railroad has been the epicenter of technological advancements on the railroad throughout its history.  Using our historic collection of locomotives and rolling stock students can learn about how technology influenced design changes to locomotives and get to build and race their own vehicles made from LEGOs on a test track.  

Activities available for 5^th grade students in this program:  

• Tour: Technology Changes: Innovations in Locomotive Design  
• Workshop: On Your Mark, Get Set, LEGO! Workshop – In this workshop, students will use their knowledge of motion and engineering design to build a car out of LEGOs.  They will get a chance to race against their classmates on our racetrack before making any necessary design changes to their cars.
• 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:  

• MSDE Social Studies – Essential Question: Do the benefits of post-Civil War industrialization outweigh the costs?  

NGSS Disciplinary Core Ideas: 

• ETS1.A: Defining and Delimiting an Engineering Problem 
• ETS1.B: Developing Possible Solutions 
• ETS1.C: Optimizing the Design Solution 

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The Underground Railroad

In this program, students will learn how the B&O Railroad has contributed to the collective history of the state of Maryland. Use our historic collection of locomotives and rolling stock we will journey through the past 200 years of B&O history to discover the milestones of the railroad within the state of Maryland. 

Activities available for 5^th grade students in this program: 

• Tour: “The Underground Railroad: A Path to Freedom”  
• Workshop: Reflecting on History Through Art Workshop – In this workshop, students will explore ways of reflecting on history through the creative process. Using the work of Harlem Renaissance artist, Aaron Douglas, students will reflect on the history of the Underground Railroad by creating a piece of art in the style of Aaron Douglas.
• Railroad Storytime: Includes a storybook read a-loud of Henry’s Freedom Box: A True Story from the Underground Railroad by Ellen Levine and Kadir Nelson and an accompanying activity.
• 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: 

• MSDE Social Studies – Essential Question: How did conflicts over slavery result in the Civil War?

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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 5^th grade curriculum standards.