Walk Wheel Cycle Trust in partnership with Cornwall Council and Transport for Cornwall, have produced a resource for schools and children. It aims to educate young people about bus travel and promote bus use in Cornwall.
Importance of learning about bus travel
For some, the prospect of catching the bus can be daunting. Our aim is to give children the knowledge and skills they need to travel independently on public transport. This pack will educate young people on the importance of public transport and will boost their confidence when travelling alone or in a group.
Many young people lack exposure to public transport and are unaware of efforts to make it more accessible. It is a great opportunity to get children thinking about sustainable ways of travelling and the associated benefits.
The lessons and activities in this pack will help pupils develop skills in:
- English
- Geography
- Mathematics
- Problem solving
- Socialisation
- Art
They are designed with KS2 pupils in mind. Pupils transitioning to secondary school and early year KS3 pupils may find this useful as they become accustomed with bus travel. All sessions are designed to be used ‘off the shelf’, making it simple for staff to use without further planning. Lesson plans come equipped with instructions on delivery, along with additional resources.
You can deliver the resources as standalone lessons, but they are most effective when used as a complete set. Each lesson should take no more than 1 hour to complete.
Teachers have the flexibility to either deliver the lesson as a whole or break it into shorter segments, depending on their class schedule.
Objectives
Pupils should be able to:
- Demonstrate how to board and alight from a bus safely
- Understand who priority seating is for
- Understand and explain the benefits of taking the bus
- Plan a journey using a bus map and timetable
- State where they can find bus and timetable information
- Know which ticket they need to buy for their journey
- Apply everything they have learned to real-life situations
Key questions
By the end of the lessons, pupils should be able to answer the following:
- Why might you catch the bus?
- Who are priority seats for?
- What are the benefits of bus travel?
- How do you hail the bus?
- How do use maps and timetables to plan a journey?
- Where can you find timetable and bus service information?
How to use the toolkit
This toolkit is in two sections:
- The first section provides three lessons. Each contains links to a presentation and guidance notes with activities to support the lessons.
- The second section provides additional activities and resources that can be used to support the learning.
Click on the relevant document to download the supporting materials.
To view the PDF files, you will need a suitable PDF reader installed on your computer. If you cannot read PDF files, please download the FREE Adobe Reader from the Adobe website.
Need help printing resources? Get in touch with connectingcornwall@cornwall.gov.uk to see if copies are available.*
*Note that this is subject to available funding.
Catch the Bus Tool Kit
Lesson 1 - How to catch the bus
Learn about the benefits of bus travel, how to safely board and alight from a bus and why buses have priority seating.
Lesson 2 - Buying a ticket
Understand the different types of tickets you can buy and the variety of ways to pay for them.
Lesson 3 - Journey Planning
Understanding maps and timetables is an important life skill for children, especially those about to start travelling independently for the first time. This lesson explains how to use a bus map and timetable to plan a journey by bus.
Activities and resources
Wordsearch
Download the wordsearch, hints and answers by clicking on the relevant link below.
Tell a story
Use your creative skills to tell a story about a time you went on a bus. You can write a poem, design a comic, sing a song, act out a play… it’s up to you!
Send us your completed story at connectingcornwall@cornwall.gov.uk. We’d love to see what you come up with!
Design a poster
Can you remember the three reasons why taking the bus is good?
- Better for the environment, less cars on the road if everyone takes the bus.
- Saves you money.
- Fun, social, relaxing activity.
Pick one of these reasons and design a poster promoting bus travel. Why not run your own mini design competition? Send your designs to connectingcornwall@cornwall.gov.uk and who knows, your designs could be used on buses across Cornwall!
Resources
- Catch the Bus Travel checklist – print out this handy checklist to help you prepare for a trip on the bus.
- How to catch the bus guide – download this guide to remind you how to find your bus stop and catch your bus.