Cover of The Little Engine that Could
The Little Engine that Could
📚
Courage 1st & 2nd Grade
By Watty Piper

Book Guide

The Little Engine that Could

A story that explores courage and opens a conversation with your child.

★★★★★ Loved by families
Read the Guiding Questions Find this book →
♥ This book teaches: Courage. doing what is right even when it is hard.

Before, During & After Reading

Guiding Questions for Parents.

Definition: Courage is being willing to face something hard or scary, like trying to do something you’ve never done before.  In short: Do good, try hard even when it’s scary. Summary: This classic story is about a Little Blue Engine that decides to attempt, against all odds, to pull a stuck train over the mountain. The train is full of dolls and toys for the children on the other side of the mountain. The famous, “I think I can” mantra is chanted all the way up the mountain until the train arrives at the top. This story is about courage - the willingness to try something even though it’s very difficult. It’s also about having a positive attitude - “I think I can” - that helps us get to our goal.      Lesson Objectives: 
  1. The teacher leads children in a discussion about how to face a fear of something: explain your fear to an adult you trust and make a step by step plan to face that fear, look at examples of how others have overcome that specific fear, and keep sharing about how you feel - is what you’re doing working? 
  Guiding Questions: 
  1. What was the train carrying that was so important to deliver? 
  2. What happened to prevent the train from going up the mountain? 
  3. What did the passenger engine train say when it refused to help the stuck train? 
  4. What did the big strong engine say when it refused to help? 
  5. Why did the old engine refuse to help? 
  6. What did the Little Blue Engine chant as it went up the mountain? 
  7. What did she say on her way back down the mountain? 
  8. What do you think the author of this story wanted the readers to remember the most? 
  9. Have you ever been stuck and needed someone to encourage you to keep trying? What happened? 
  10. Ask a family member or trusted adult to help you with something that is hard for you to do, or something that makes you afraid. 
🌿   Virtue Connection: Courage means acting on what is right even in the presence of fear.

About the Story.

This guide is part of the Values & Virtues library, a free collection of 400+ book guides and activities organized around 12 core virtues for children from pre-K to 6th grade. Each guide includes Guiding Questions designed to open a real conversation with your child in 10 minutes or less.

Read-aloud video · Best with headphones

Find this book at your library or bookstore →

More Courage guides.

A Little SPOT of Courage
📚
Courage

A Little SPOT of Courage

1st & 2nd Grade
Amy Wu and the Warm Welcome
📚
Courage

Amy Wu and the Warm Welcome

1st & 2nd Grade
Be Brave, Little Penguin
📚
Courage

Be Brave, Little Penguin

Pre-K & Kindergarten
Before She Was Harriet
📚
Courage

Before She Was Harriet

3rd & 4th Grade

 ›

Explore more guides for 1st & 2nd Grade.

Browse all Courage guides See all 12 virtues