"The Orphan Train"
“It is not flesh and blood but the heart which makes us fathers and sons.” —Johann Schiller
“It is not flesh and blood but the heart which makes us fathers and sons.” —Johann Schiller
We are going to read a nonfiction article about the Orphan Train which deals with an often-overlooked episode in American history, when many of our nation’s neediest city children were “placed out” west with new families. The orphan-train program was controversial, and while some kids went on to lead good lives in rural America, others weren’t so lucky. But in spite of their shortcomings, the orphan trains paved the way for today’s foster-care system.
This story has been paired with the moving story of one orphan train rider named Lee Nailling with a profile of a young African girl named Michaela who was adopted in Sierra Leone.
Click here to read "The Orphan Train"
After you finish reading "The Orphan Train"click here to take the comprehension quiz. You may use the story to answer the questions. Print out a copy of your quiz and hand it in to Ms. Casassa
After you finish reading "The Orphan Train" and the profile of Michaela, and have taken the quiz complete this Compare/Contrast graphic organizer. (Click here to open the graphic organizer)
This segment from CNN features clips from a 2008 interview with one of the last surviving orphan-train riders.
