About this text:

Title:The Great Railroad Race
Synopsis:  The Great Railroad Race is about the building of the transcontinental railroad line across the USA.
Year level(s): 1  2  3
Reading level: 24
Text type: Historical Recount
Curriculum link: History  The past in the present
Content vocabulary: avalanche blizzards bridges building canyon coast east explosives journey railroad track supplies travel tunnels west
High frequency words:
Key concepts: The building of America’s transcontinental railroad was a huge achievement. The people who built the railroad were very brave because it was dangerous and difficult work.
Reading strategies: Integrating visual and text information
Phonics: Identifying the long /o/ sound represented by oa as in railroad, coast.
Paired text: The Legend of Jimmy Drake
Supporting material: Lesson Plan - The Great Railroad Race / The Legend of Jimmy Drake
Series: Flying Start to Literacy
Alternative purchasing options: This title is available in one of several value packs. Speak to your Oxford Education consultant today to learn more www.oup.com.au/contact
Digital sample pages: can be viewed at www.flyingstarttoliteracy.com.au/online-sample

Series information:

Flying Start to Literacy is an award-winning comprehensive literacy program. It reflects best practice in literacy instruction and supports the systematic development of students’ reading strategies and skills.

Each Student Book is part of connected pair, a narrative book and an informative book, both presenting the same key concepts and vocabulary. These titles have been trialled with a range of readers, including English language learners.

Each pair of Student Books is supported by a Lesson Plan. These visually appealing resources are durable and easy-to-use.  They integrate oral language, vocabulary development, fluency and comprehension, writing and phonics.

Reading strategies, phonics and phonemic awareness and repetition of high-frequency words are all developed through this series, enhancing the reader’s fluency and comprehension. With an array of engaging titles to choose from, readers will laugh, explore and share in the adventure whilst learning and expanding their vocabulary.

Flying Start to Literacy resources are suitable for use as part of an early intervention program and provide effective support for English language learners.

This series is supported by a wealth of teacher resources, which can be obtained by visiting www.flyingstarttoliteracy.com.au

Flying Start to Literacy is supported by an array of free teacher resources, including:

• scope and sequence documents
• phonics and phonemic overviews for each reading stage
• reading and writing across the curriculum overviews of text types, text features, curriculum links, key concepts, and content vocabulary for the books at each of the reading stages
• records of reading behaviour are provided for books at each stage
• ongoing assessment checklist forms
• getting started tips and guidance
• title-level correlations to the Australian Curriculum
• information about the research that underpins the series
• percentage of decodable words tables for Levels 1—10.

Visit www.flyingstarttoliteracy.com.au to access these free resources.