Author: Laura Ingalls Wilder

Illustrator: Garth Williams

Laura Ingalls Wilder

Laura Ingalls Wilder at book signingOctober 1952

a person in charge of a train

conductor

The door opened, and a tall man came in. He wore a blue coat with brass buttons, and a cap, with CONDUCTOR in letters across its front.

a train or bus station

depot

The shivering grew faster and louder, the depot slid backward, and under the car the wheels began to beat time.

moving in a jerky, bumpy way

The train jerked, jolting her backward. Laura’s chin bumped hard on the seat back, and her hat slid on her head.

jolting

lurching

moving unsteadily from side to side

She could not walk straight. The lurching car made her sway and grab at the seat backs all the way.

Synonyms:swaystagger

platform

a raised floor or surface

People who wanted to take the train waited on the platform with their satchels or other luggage.

Synonyms:podiumstage

satchels

small bags used for carrying small items

The train was coming, louder. They stood by the satchels on the platform and saw it coming.

Synonyms:pursepocketbookhandbag

Homestead of Laura Ingalls WilderDeSmet, North Dakota

Inside of Laura Ingalls Wilder’s Home

Website

Laura Ingalls Wilder

http://www.lauraingallswilderhome.com

More Books by Laura Ingalls Wilder

More Books by Laura Ingalls Wilder

A Picture is Worth a Thousand Words!

Draw! Draw! Draw!

platform lurching conductor depot

jolting satchels

Free AssociationWrite as many words as you can think of that go with each

of the vocabulary words.For example: The word is school:

1. learning 2. Science 3. pencils 4. Reading 5. Math 6. teachers 7. P.E. 8. educationAnd on and on and on

1. conductor2. depot3. jolting4. lurching5. platform6. satchels

ClassifyingPlace the following words in categories:Platform depot satchels jolting conductor lurching

• Decide the names of the categories.• Determine how many categories.• Determine which words go in which categories.• After classifying the words, write a paragraph explaining each of the categories and why certain words go in a particular category.

3. We had to jostle our way to the front of the ____________.

2. Our bodies were _______ from the rough road we were riding upon.

1.

conductor; platform; jolting

lurching; depot; satchels

Can You Find the Context Clues?

4. The Polar Express began to move when the _________ yelled, “All aboard!”

5. People were ___________ down the aisles as the train moved along.

6. Passengers began to prepare for arrival at the train _____________.

The students must store their ____________ in the cabinet.

Word Association Game

Word BankPlatform depot satchelsjolting conductor lurching

1. Which word goes with the stage on American Idol? Why?

2. Which word goes with punching tickets? Why?

4. Which word goes with Amtrak Railroad? Why?

5. Which word goes with feeling dizzy? Why?

Some words can be used more than once. Can you figure out which ones?

3. Which word goes with riding a roller coaster? Why?

6. Which word goes with a book bag? Why?

1. Explain the jobs and responsibilities of a conductor.

2. Jolting and lurching are similar because_________ ___________________________________________.

3. Describe the objects a pioneer would put in a satchel.

4.Explain how depots have changed over the last one hundred years..