SOCIAL STUDIES

1.         Many members of the community have different modes of transportation.  A
           school bus driver drives a school bus, and a postal worker has a special mail
           car to carry letters in.

2.         The signs we see by the road are telling us what to do.  Signs with people on them
            mean that the drivers should be careful and watch for people walking across the
            street.  A red and whit sign that says stop on it means that the driver must stop the
            car.

3.         People in the community help us to find our transportation.  Auto dealers help you
           find vehicles that you want to buy.

4.         There are many ways to travel.  Travel agents help you to find the fastest way to
            get from one place to the next.  You can travel by boat or airplane, or bus

ACTIVITY PLAN

Theme Transportation                                                         Curriculum Area  Social Studies
Name of activity School Bus Fun

Learning Objective:

            Children will be introduced to member of the community and discover a different
            mode of transportation.

Materials Needed:

            Book:  Maisy Drives the Bus by Lucy Cousins

Advance Preparation Needed:

            You will need to make arrangements by phone or in person to discuss a visit
            from a school bus driver.  Make sure there is room in your parking lot for the school bus.

Directions:

            Before the driver arrives read the bus book to the children.  Ask them if they have

            ever been on a bus before.  Tell them you are going to have a visitor

            that will be sharing some very exciting information.  Tell them

            they need to be polite and raise their hands if they have something to say or ask.

            Invite the driver to come in.  When the driver is done talking with the children about

            transportation, have her lead the group outside to have an inside and outside tour of the

            school bus.

Special Instructions to Staff:

            Encourage the children to ask question to the speaker.  Remind them about the

            time you talked about wheels and ask them if they see wheels on the bus.  Be

            close by for supervision while the speaker is talking.

Materials to Use in Introduction Activity:

            Lucy Cousin’s book Maisy Drives the Bus, and the song ‘Wheels on the Bus.”

Source of Idea:  Sobut, Mary A.,  Complete Early Childhood Curriculum Resource.  New

                                    York:  Neuman Bogen, 1997.