# Lesson Plan: Understanding Past and Present (Year 1)
## Lesson Overview
This lesson aims to introduce Year 1 students to the concepts of "past" and "present". They will learn to identify and describe differences between life in the past and life today through engaging activities, discussions, and a story.
## Learning Objectives
By the end of the lesson, students will be able to:
1. Understand the concepts of past and present.
2. Recognise differences between life in the past and life in the present.
3. Identify objects and activities associated with different time periods.
## Resources
- Storybook: "When Grandma Was A Girl" by Julia Hubery
- Pictures of objects from the past (candlestick, typewriter, old-fashioned telephone, etc.) and present (LED light bulb, smartphone, laptop, etc.)
- Chart paper and markers
- Pencils, crayons, and drawing paper
- Timeline visual aid
## Lesson Structure
### Introduction (10 minutes)
1. **Warm-Up Activity**: Begin with a simple discussion. Ask, "What did you do yesterday?" and "What are you doing today?" to introduce the idea of time.
2. **Objective Introduction**: Explain that today they will learn about the past and the present, and how things change over time.
### Main Teaching (15 minutes)
1. **Reading Time**: Read the story “When Grandma Was A Girl” by Julia Hubery. Pause at key points to discuss what is happening in the story and compare it to now.
- Questions: "What are some things that Grandma did that you don't do?" and "What do we have today that Grandma didn't have?"
2. **Visual Aids**: Show pictures of objects from the past and present. Discuss each picture briefly.
- Example Questions: “Have you seen this before?” “What do we use now instead?”
### Guided Practice (15 minutes)
1. **Class Activity**: Create a T-chart on chart paper with “Past” and “Present” columns.
- Invite students to come up and place pictures or draw items under the correct column.
2. **Group Discussion**: Encourage students to share stories that their parents or grandparents have told them about the past.
### Independent Practice (10 minutes)
1. **Drawing Activity**: Ask students to draw a picture of something from the past on one side of their paper and something from the present on the other side.
2. **Show and Tell**: Allow students to share their drawings with the class and describe what they have drawn.
### Conclusion (10 minutes)
1. **Summarise the Lesson**: Recap the main points about life in the past vs. life in the present.
2. **Q&A Session**: Allow time for students to ask questions and share comments about what they have learned.
3. **Timeline Visual Aid**: Show a timeline visual aid marking the "past" and "present". Place a few key objects or events on the timeline for better understanding.
### Assessment
- **Observation**: Observe students’ participation in discussions and activities to assess their understanding.
- **Drawings**: Assess the drawings for evidence of understanding the differences between past and present.
### Extension Activities
1. **Homework**: Ask students to talk to their parents or grandparents about what school was like when they were children and bring one interesting fact to share with the class.
2. **Class Museum**: Create a mini-museum in the classroom with objects or pictures from the past and present. Let children bring items (or pictures) from home that their families used in the past.
## Differentiation
- **For Advanced Students**: Provide additional questions about why things have changed over time and how they think life might change in the future.
- **For Students Needing Extra Support**: Pair them with a buddy for the drawing activity and provide additional visual aids to help them understand the concepts.
This lesson plan offers a balanced mix of storytelling, visual aids, interactive activities, and a hands-on drawing component to engage Year 1 students in understanding the concepts of past and present.