Student/Child's Life Past and Present

Students will:

• Be able to compare life today and in the past (1-H2.0.4)

• Be able to draw conclusions about family and school life in the past (1-H2.0.3)

Vocabulary Words:

1. Past: The past is a time that is gone and no longer exists.  

2. Present: Present is happening or occurring now.

To prepare for this lesson:

• Review of what school was like in the past 32 Ways School 100 Years Ago Was Different (YouTube video)

• Collect items or pictures of the past such as

  • photos of classrooms from the past, small chalkboards and chalk, marbles and jacks, quill and ink, abacus, etc

• Review videos that will be used in the lesson: 

  • Long Ago and Now- First Grade Social Studies 

  • Education for Kids

• Previewd and take the Quiz on:  How have schools changed? - BBC Bitesize

• Print:  Past and Present Literacy Center | 2nd Grade Social Studies | TPT (teacherspayteachers.com) FREE

• Preview Storymaker - Spark Kids Imagination with Storytelling • ABCya!

• Print: Outline for story

See Accommodations Page and Charts on the 21things4student website in the Teacher Resources. 

Directions for this activity:

Day 1:

• Have items used in the past set out at each table along with photos of classrooms from the past
• Examples: small chalkboards and chalk, marbles and jacks, quill and ink, abacus, etc, and/ or display pictures on the projector if items are not available
• Ask students what they notice about the items and/or photos\
  • What is the item? What was it used for? What do we use now?
• Show video Long Ago and Now- First Grade Social Studies (youtube.com)
   
• As a class take the Quiz on: BBC: Bitesize How have Schools Changed - BBC Bitesize
   
• Ask the students some of the differences they notice between the past and now
   
• Show the video Education for Kids 
   
• Review and discuss: 
  • How was recess different? How was it alike?
  • What things were used in the classroom to learn then versus now?
  • What items at home are different?
  • What did families have in the past that we do not have now?
  • What things do we have that they did not have in the past? 
• Have students share ideas of what school may be like in the future, 100+ years from now 

HW: Have students ask someone older (parent, grandparent, a neighbor, etc,) about how their life was when they were a child

Home discussion questions that may be sent home: 

• What games did you play when you were my age?
• How did you have fun at recess?

Scavenger hunt challenge: Find 10 things at home that were not available when your parents were children.

Days 2 and 3: 

• Ask students to share what they learned at home from the person they talked to.
• Introduce assessment assignment: 
  • Tell students they will be creating a story to compare their life now to students' life in the past. 
  • The book will be an informational book to share facts about the past and the present.
• Introduce ABCYA Story Maker. They will be using the app to create their book. 
• Possibilities for Story Outline to give students: 
  • Page 1 Introduction: Type 1 or 2 sentences to tell what you are going to write about in your book 
  • Body: 
    • Page 2:Tell some things that were in a classroom in the past and what is in the classroom now. 
    • Page 3: Tell how recess was different.
    • Page 4: Share how your life as a kid is different from the person you interviewed. 
    • Page 5: Share some things that you have at home that were not available in the past that you use now. 
    • Page 6:  Choose one more thing of your choice that is different in the past than in the present
    • Last page: Ending - Type an ending sentence that sums up everything you wrote. 
  • Students may use the drawing option in ABCYA or print your storybook, draw pictures by hand, or cut and paste pictures. 
  • Students’ books may be placed at a station for all the students to view when completed.

Different options for assessing the students:

• Observations
• Check for understanding
• Book Created on ABCYA story maker

• Past and Present Picture Sort: Free download: Past and Present Literacy Center | 2nd Grade Social Studies | TPT (teacherspayteachers.com)