Transportation: Land

Lesson Plan - Get It!

Audio:

People travel from place to place in many ways.

The most common way people get around is by using some form of land transportation. The word "transportation" simply means that a vehicle, aircraft, or ship is taking a person from place to place.

• How do people travel from place to place on land? Share your answer with your parent or teacher.

A common way many people get around is by driving a vehicle. People drive cars to the store, school, and work.

• Have you driven in a car before? What was it like? Share an experience about a time you rode in a car with your parent or teacher.

Cars aren't the only way people get around. Did you know some people travel by bus? Buses are vehicles that transport many people.

Children ride on school buses to get to school. A school bus is the first picture below. It is a big yellow vehicle with many seats to fit many passengers.

There are other types of buses, too! There are single-level buses that help adults travel from one place to another. This type of bus is the second picture below.

There are also double-decker buses that have seats on the bottom and the top. This type of bus is the last picture below. Anyone who drives a bus is called a bus driver.

• Have you ever been on a bus ride? What was it like? Share your answer with your parent or teacher.

There are people that transport all types of different things across the country in large, boxy vehicles. These people are truck drivers. Truck drivers drive trucks. Their big trucks carry goods like food, furniture, electronics, and more! Usually, these trucks are very long and have many wheels, but some trucks are smaller and transport much less than the big trucks.

• Have you ever seen a truck on the road? What do you think the truck was transporting? Share your answer with your parent or teacher.

People travel by land in trains, too. Trains can be very long, with many cars attached together, or they can be short with only a few cars attached together. There are many different types of trains.

Some trains transport people. These trains are called passenger trains. The first picture below is a passenger train.

Some trains transport goods like food, furniture, and building materials. These trains are called cargo trains. The next picture is a cargo train. The person who drives a train is called a train conductor.

Mopeds and motorcycles are vehicles that drive on land. They only have two wheels and can usually only fit up to two passengers. Motorcycles are much faster than mopeds. You are more likely to see mopeds driving in cities than on country roads.

• Can you see the moped in the first picture?

Motorcycles can be seen almost everywhere.

• Can you see the motorcycle in the next picture?

People usually drive motorcycles and mopeds on nice days when the sun is shining!

• Why do you think motorcycle and moped drivers mostly drive on nice days?

People can travel in emergency vehicles, too. Police cars, ambulances, and fire trucks are all emergency vehicles. If there is ever any danger, you may hear the loud siren of a police car, ambulance, or fire truck as it zooms by. People who drive these vehicles help people who are in danger.

• Have you ever heard the loud siren of a police car, ambulance, or fire truck? Have you seen the flashing lights on these vehicles?
• Why do you think they have flashing lights? Why do you think they are loud? Share your answers with your parent or teacher.

You learned about a lot of ways people get from place to place on land. Before moving on to the Got It? section, tell your parent or teacher which form of transportation is your favorite and why.

When you are finished sharing, move on to the Got It? section.