Educational
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Instructions

Recommended for Grades 2-5

Discuss the following in your class.

Discussion

To ensure a successful lesson, the following questions should be discussed prior to starting the lesson and activity.

What is traffic congestion? When does traffic congestion occur?
What kinds of transportation do people in our community use?
Is public transit important for a healthy community?
What are some safety rules of passengers, pedestrians and cyclists?

Why are buses important?

Show your class this video that highlights the importance of buses.

Video follow up questions

What would people do if there were no buses?
Where are some places in your community people ride the bus to?
Where are some places you would ride the bus to?

Traffic Jamming Chart

Have students explore the benefits of reducing traffic for physical health, environmental and social reasons using this Traffic Jamming Chart. Split your students into groups of 3-5 to help brainstorm together.

• One worksheet per group.

Traffic Jam Physical Activity

In this activity, students discover that when people cycle or use public transit, they reduce traffic on the road.

Choose an area such as a classroom with desks positioned to signify lanes on a road. Other suitable areas may be outside or in a gymnasium using ropes to demonstrate lanes.

*For older students (Grade 4–5), include cross streets to show a further impact on traffic jams.

• Printable instructions for educators

Group Discussion for After Traffic Jam Physical Activity

After the activity, lead a discussion about the impact of having fewer vehicles on the road. For example, fewer cars would:

Make roads safer and less crowded.
Encourage people to ride together (carpool, bus).
Create less pollution (greenhouse gases).
Reduce the land space needed for roads and parking.
Reduce the cost of building more roads and parking lots.
Encourage people to be social and make new friends.

Learning Objectives

Understand the importance of public transit in connecting communities. 
Recognize what traffic congestion is and why it is troublesome for the environment.
Make observations about our current transit system and how it could be improved.
Understand how public transit contributes to a healthy environment and lifestyle. 
Use roleplay and physical activity to connect themes of traffic congestion and carpooling.

Core Competencies

Communication, collaboration, critical, reflective thinking and physical activity skills are at the forefront in this lesson.

Communication

• Develop listening skills during discussions and video presentations.  
• Enhance verbal expression by sharing ideas and participating in discussions.  

Critical Thinking

• Explore how public transit helps reduce environmental impact.  
• Understand the physical and social aspects of using public transit.  
• Recognize how public transit connects and serves the community. 

Physical Activity

• Develop their skills and add new ones through play and collaborative work.

Exstensions & Modifications

Exstension Activities

Comparison: On a busy street, count the number of single occupant vehicles, and vehicles with more than one person. Choose a parking lot and explore what could be created in the space if people cycled, rode the bus or carpooled.

Innovation: What would the students like to see instead of roads and parking areas?

Reflective Thinking: Make observations on how land dictates transportation throughout the world—canoe, bicycle, train, light rail transit.

Assessment

Assess student engagement and understanding during the introduction and video discussion.  
Evaluate the effort put into the physical activity to understand how their actions can implicate the environment around them.
Consider the creativity and thoughtfulness in the group discussions and chart activity.
Check students’ ability to explain what traffic congestion is and how it affects our community.