They Said We Couldn't Ride-So We Drove: The Safe Bus Company
Welcome! This lesson is designed to help students explore a powerful piece of Black history while practicing reading, fluency, and comprehension.
Start here:
📘 Teacher / Parent Guide
📝 Student Worksheets
🎧 Audio File
💡 Discussion Questions
This section contains:
PDF: Teacher / Parent Guide
Checklist of lesson materials
✅ Teacher / Parent Guide – 60-minute lesson plan with objectives, standards, and step-by-step flow
✅ Two Story Versions – Level A (3-6 readability) and Level B (6+ readability)
✅ Audio Read-Alongs – two MP3s for modeling and fluency practice
✅ Phonemic Awareness Warm-Up – short-/u/ sound lesson (“bus, run, cup”) with CVC tracing page
✅ Vocabulary Cards – 5 key words with visuals (bus, driver, company, community, pride)
✅ Comprehension Activities – sequencing, fill-in-the-blank, and sentence-starter questions
✅ Digital Files – Google Slides and Google Forms quiz for classroom or homeschool use
Watch this as part of the lesson: https://youtu.be/yNYxfuoI1gI?si=BQW90r3WY_L3sCnE
Module 2: Level A Reading & Activities (K–3)
🚍 The Safe Bus Company
Level A | Grades K-3
Focus Skills: Reading comprehension, fluency, making connections, and historical understanding
🎧 Before You Read
Listen to the audio recording of The Safe Bus Company.
As you listen, think about:
Why the story might be called The Safe Bus Company?
What problem the people in the story are trying to solve?
📖 After Reading: Comprehension Questions
Literal Understanding
Who started The Safe Bus Company?
Why did they need to start their own bus service?
What challenges did the company face in the beginning?
How did the community support The Safe Bus Company?
What made the company important to Black families at that time?
Inferential / Critical Thinking
6. What does the story teach us about courage and problem-solving?
7. How do you think the riders felt when they could finally ride safely?
8. In what ways does this story connect to things you see in your community today?
9. What lesson can students today learn from the founders of The Safe Bus Company?
10. Why do you think stories like this are sometimes left out of history books?____________________________________________________________________________________________________________
✍🏾 Creative Activity: “Ride for Change” Project
Objective: Students imagine they lived during the time The Safe Bus Company was created and respond creatively to the story.
Option 1: Writing
Write a short letter or journal entry from the point of view of a child or adult riding The Safe Bus Company for the first time. Include:
How you felt getting on the bus
What you saw and heard
Why this moment was important to you
Option 2: Visual
Create a poster for The Safe Bus Company. Your poster should:
Include a slogan (example: “Safe. Strong. Ours.”)
Show people working together
Use color and symbols that represent pride and progress
Option 3: Discussion / OralWith a partner or small group, discuss:
Why access to transportation is a form of freedom
What modern-day examples show people creating solutions for their communities
Module 3: Level B Reading & Activities (3–6)
✊🏾 The Safe Bus Company – Level B
Grades 4+
Focus Skills: Reading comprehension, fluency, vocabulary development, and cultural understanding
🎧 Before You Read
Listen to the audio recording of your Level B story.
As you listen, think about:
What is the main challenge the character or community faces?
How does the story show pride, courage, or unity?
What lesson might this story teach about history or identity?
📖 After Reading: Comprehension Questions
Literal Understanding
Who is the main character (or group) in the story?
What important event takes place?
What problem or obstacle do they face?
How do they respond or take action?
What is the outcome or result of their efforts?
Inferential / Critical Thinking
6. What does this story reveal about strength or leadership?
7. How do the characters show pride in their culture or community?
8. Why do you think this story is important to remember?
9. How does this connect to things happening in the world today?
10. What can students today learn from this story?
✍🏾 Creative Activity: “Stories of Strength” Project
Objective: Students connect personally and creatively to the story’s message of resilience and community.
Option 1: Writing ✏️Write a short paragraph, poem, or journal entry about a time you (or someone you know) showed strength or pride like the characters in the story.
Option 2: Visual 🎨Create an art piece or digital poster inspired by the story. Include:
A quote or phrase that captures the message
Images or symbols of unity and pride
Colors that express hope, strength, and community
Option 3: Discussion / Oral 🗣️With a partner or small group, discuss:
What makes this story powerful or inspiring?
How do stories like this help us understand real history?
Why is it important to share stories that reflect our communities?
Module 4: Phonemic Awareness Warm-Up
🔤 Phonemic Awareness Warm-Up
Module 4 | Grades K–3
Focus Skills: Sound identification, blending, segmenting, and rhyming
🎧 Before You Begin
Listen closely as your teacher says a set of words. As you listen, think about:
What sounds do you hear at the beginning, middle, and end of each word?
Do any words sound the same or rhyme?
Can you tap or clap for each sound you hear? 👏🏾
Watch the video on the Letter U https://youtu.be/r_thAFRgoWA?si=vGQJ0EfG_lyWpM5y
🗣️ Phoneme Play Activities
1️⃣ Sound Match Teacher says two words. Students decide if the words start with the same sound.
Example: bus / book ✅ bus / sun ❌2️⃣ Blend It Together Teacher says the sounds slowly ( /b/ /ă/ /t/ ).Students blend them to say the full word ➡️ bat! 🦇
3️⃣ Segment and Count Say a simple word, then tap or count each sound.
Example: fish → /f/ /ĭ/ /ʃ/ (3 sounds)4️⃣ Rhyme Time Teacher says a word. Students call out or draw words that rhyme.
Example: cat → hat, mat, bat 🐱✍🏾 Creative Extension: “Sound Detective” Challenge
Objective: Students listen for and identify sounds in real-life or classroom objects.
Option 1: Listening Walk 🚶🏾♀️Walk around the classroom or playground and name objects by their beginning sound.
Example: “🪑 Chair starts with /ch/!”Option 2: Sound Sorting 🎨Cut or draw pictures that begin with target sounds. Create a colorful chart with letter headings.
Option 3: Rhyme Rap 🗣️With a partner, make a short rhyme or chant using two or more rhyming words.
Example: “I see a cat wearing a hat—imagine that!”⭐ Why It Matters: Phonemic awareness is the foundation of reading success. These warm-ups help students hear, move, and play with sounds—building confidence, fluency, and a lifelong love of reading! 📚✨
Module 5: Quiz
✏️ Quiz: The Sounds of the Letter U
This quiz helps students show what they’ve learned about the short and long vowel sounds of the letter U. Students will:
Listen and identify whether words have the short /ŭ/ sound (like sun, bus, cup) or the long /ū/ sound (like mule, cube, flute).
Read simple sentences and choose the correct word that fits.
Sort and write words into short and long U categories.
Create their own examples to show understanding.
Skills Assessed:✅ Phonemic awareness✅ Sound discrimination (short vs. long vowels)✅ Word recognition✅ Early spelling and vocabulary
Directions for Students: Listen carefully, circle or write your answers, and read each word out loud as you work. Remember —
Short U says /ŭ/ (as in sun)Long U says /ū/ (as in mule)