The Verb Train can be a lot of fun for 2nd, 3rd and 4th graders. First, I read the book, To Root, To Toot, To Parachute: What is a Verb? written by a very famous author. What I do next, is organize the students into tables or groups, which I call trains. There may be 4-7 people in a train. Then I appoint a "conductor" for each train and give only that student a piece of paper and pencil. I go to the chalkboard or overhead and, I say, "Let's pretend I'm the conductor of my verb train, and I need to write the first verb on a sheet of paper."

I write:

Jump (and I circle the p)

Then I explain that in order for our train to stay linked together, the next verb must begin with "p"...
So I pass the paper to the next person on my train, and we all try to think of a verb beginning in "p" and someone says "push."

Push ends with the letter "h" and so someone suggests "hit."

...and so on.
The paper and pencil are passed from one person to the next, and everyone helps contribute. After ten minutes or so, I call time, and ask the conductors to tally the total amount of verbs, and to announce that total along with the most unusual verb on their list.

As a later art project, cut out of construction paper an engine and a caboose along with a bunch of simple rectangular train cars and write the verbs on the side, showing the letter links between last letter and the following first letter, and display in the hall or classroom.

This same exercise can be done with nouns or adjectives. In the case of adjectives, it's particularly wise to display the list like this so that students are surrounded by interesting, bright, descriptive words while working on other assignments.

Have fun!

Brian P. Cleary
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