History Unit Plan (based on the Australian Curriculum)

(Proforma utilising the 'Backward Design' model by Wiggins and McTighe*)

Year Level

Unit Length

Year R/1

6 weeks (1 - 2 lessons per week 50 minutes per lesson)

Topic
Present and Past Family Life

Integrated with other Learning Areas

Science/Technology (looking at developments in technology)
Geography (considering family origins and how they have influenced students lives today)
English (developing literacy skills including reading and writing, studying non-fiction texts)
Mathematics (learning about/creating timelines, and discussing the concept of time progression).

Strands
Historical Knowledge and Understanding
Historical Skills

Historical Skills Overview

Chronology, terms and concepts
Historical questions and research
Analysis and use of sources
Perspectives and interpretations
Explanation and communication

History Concepts

Evidence
Continuity/ change
Cause/ effect,
Significance
Perspectives
Empathy
Contestability

General Capabilities

Literacy
Numeracy
ICT competence
Critical and creative thinking
Ethical understandings
Personal and social capability
Intercultural understanding

Cross Curriculum Priorities

Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander histories

and cultures
o Asia and Australias engagement with Asia
o Sustainability

*Wiggins, G & McTighe, J (2005) Understanding by Design, Pearson

Stage 1 Identify Desired Results

'What is worth knowing?'

Aims
This unit will ultimately satisfy the following curriculum aims:
To encourage students to develop an interest in, and enjoyment of, historical study for lifelong
learning and work, including their capacity and willingness to be informed and active citizens.
To support students to acquire knowledge, understanding and appreciation of the past and the forces
that shape societies, including Australian society.
To enable students to think historically, and use historical concepts.
To support students to undertake historical inquiry, including skills in the analysis and uses of
sources, and in explanation and communication

The Big Idea

Children and families lives have changed over time, and will continue to change in the future.

Key Inquiry Questions

How has family life changed or remained the same over time?
How might family life change in the future?
What did children in the past do for fun?
How did children in the past communicate with each other?
What types of things did children in the past do at school?
How can we show that the present is different from or similar to the past?
How can we describe the sequence of time?
How would our life be different today if changes to family life didnt occur?
Why do things change over time?

Historical knowledge & understandings

As a result of engaging with this unit, students will develop a number of key understandings. These
include:
The differences in family structures and roles today, and how these have changed or remained the
same over time (ACHHK028).
The ways in which the present, past and future are signified by terms indicating time such as a long
time ago, then and now, now and then, old and new, tomorrow, as well as by dates and changes
that may have personal significance, such as birthdays, celebrations and seasons (ACHHK029).
The differences and similarities between students daily lives and life during their parents and
grandparents childhoods, including family traditions, leisure time, and communications (ACHHK030).

Historical skills
Students will work towards developing a range of historical skills throughout their engagement with the
unit. These include:
Sequencing familiar objects and events (ACHHS031).
Distinguishing between the past, present and future (ACHHS032).
Posing questions about the past using sources provided (ACHHS033).
Exploring a range of sources about the past (ACHHS034).
Identifying and comparing features of objects from the past and present (ACHHS035).
Exploring one or more point of view (ACHHS036).
Using a range of communication forms and digital technologies (ACHHS038).

Learning Objectives
Understand

that the way that children and families live has changed over time, and will continue to change in
the future.
why people in the past lived how they did.

Know

that there are terms to indicate time, such

as a long time ago, then and now, now
and then, old and new, tomorrow.
the difference between past, present and
future.

Be able to:

identify and compare features of objects

from the past and present
pose questions about the past and examine
sources to suggest answers to these
questions.

Stage 2 Determine Acceptable Evidence

'What evidence will show what students know, understanding and can do?

Assessment tasks and tools

Formative Tasks
o Preassessment Life in the Past Worksheet
o Students create a historical backpack, identifying items of importance in their daily lives in the

present.
o Students construct an Inquiry Wall featuring questions, concept maps, etc. and added to over the
course of the unit.
o Students complete a graphic organiser comparing toys in the past and present (after visit from toy
museum).
o Students make predictions about how similar/different childrens lives in the past were to their own.
o Students will write/draw a reflection about their excursion to the Migration Museum.
o Students prepare and conduct an interview with a parent/grandparent about their childhood.
o Students will perform role-plays of various situations faced by children in the past.
o Students will create a group poster about one area of childrens lives in the past.
o Students will complete bookwork documenting their inquiry into the lives of children in the past.

Summative Task
o
o

Students will interview a guest speaker and present their learning afterwards which will be formally
assessed according to a rubric.
Students will set up and curate a museum to display their learning. As part of this exhibition, each
student will prepare a display that reflects their inquiry into lives of children in the past.

Assessment Tasks
o
o
o

o
o

Oral presentation
Work samples
Posters
Setting up and curating
a museum
Role-plays

Assessment Tools
o
o
o
o
o
o

Workbooks (portfolio)
Timelines
Interviews
Discussions
Visual responses
(drawings/diagrams)
Brainstorms

o
o
o
o

Observations
Anecdotal records
Rubrics
Checklists

Achievement Standard/s

The achievement standards for Year 1 identified by ACARA (2013) will be used as the criteria to assess
student performance:

By the end of Year 1, students explain how some aspects of daily life have changed over recent time
while others have remained the same. They describe personal and family events that have significance.
Students sequence events in order, using everyday terms about the passing of time. They pose questions
about the past and examine sources (physical and visual) to suggest answers to these questions.
Students relate stories about life in the past, using a range of texts. (ACARA, 2013).
Students meet each of these standards throughout their engagement with the unit by investigating the
ways that the lives of children have changed or stayed the same over time. They will have displayed the
ability to sequence objects/images/events (e.g. toys) in order using a range of terms for the passing of
time (e.g. past/present/future, a long time ago, last year, 100 years ago, then/now). Students
will be encouraged to ask questions about the past and be supported to research and investigate
answers to those questions using a variety of sources, such as books, photographs, the internet,
museums, artefacts and oral histories.

Stage 3 Plan Learning Experiences and Instruction:

What learning experiences will enable students to achieve the desired results?
Week Unit Flow

Lesson Focus and Activities

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Lesson 1

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Lesson 2

Resources

o Suitcase
o Artefacts to place inside
Introduction: History box teacher presents an old
suitcase e.g. abacus,
suitcase for students to investigate. Inside there will
old toy, vintage lunch
be an abacus, old toy/skipping rope, vintage lunch
box, vintage clothing, a
box, vintage jumper or hat, and a quill/pot of ink.
quill and pot of ink
Discuss what the items are/their uses. Predict who
o My Historical Backpack
the suitcase belonged to.
worksheet one per
Body: Students create their own historical backpack
including items they use in daily life. Students
student (see Resource
compare with each other and with suitcase from
Sheet 1)
start of lesson. Identify similarities/differences
o Butchers paper/KWL
discuss what life in the past might have been like.
chart
Read Papa and the Olden Days by Ian Edwards.
o Textas/pencils
Brainstorm the role of Papa/other children in the
past. Compare to students role today. Create a daily o Papa and the Olden
Days by Ian Edwards.
routine and compare to Papas.
Conclusion: Start a Past and Present wall. Create a o Daily Life graphic
word wall asking students to think of ways to talk
organiser one per
about the past and present update as unit
student (see Resource
progresses. Brainstorm questions about the past that
sheet 2)
students want answered. Create a KWL chart
update as unit progresses.

Class will visit the Migration Museum, participating in

their Children in the 19th century South Australia
program. They will wear costumes, make
comparisons, explore work, education and play using
objects relating to Aboriginal and settler children.
They will explore changes over time.
After excursion: Students will write/draw a response
about their excursion, reflecting on the daily life of
children in the 19th century.

Lesson 3
Introduction: Revise excursion, discuss things

students found interesting, enjoyable, surprising.

Display a series of photographs of old Australian
classrooms on the interactive whiteboard (using the
State Library of South Australia website). Students
discuss what they see in the photos, guessing when
they think the photo was taken. Teacher will ask
what made them think this, discussing concept of
continuity and change.
Body: Teacher reads Clothes by Kamini Khanduri

o Migration Museum
o Resources for excursion
(e.g. paperwork, lunch,
pencils, transport, etc.)
o History or English books
o Pencils

o http://www.slsa.sa.gov

.au/site/page.cfm?u=
384 (State Library of
South Australia
Photographs collection)
o Clothes by Kamini
Khanduri
o History or English books
o Clothes (from costume
department)

students will compare their clothes to the clothes of

the students in the photographs
(similarities/differences) and thinking about how
their clothes might continue to change in the future.
Students write and draw their predictions about
clothing in the future in their History books. Share
ideas as a class.
Conclusion: Teacher provides a range of clothes
(sourced from costume department). In groups,
students are given one item of clothing and asked to
predict when it is from and who might have worn it.
Discuss ideas as a class. Update Past and Present
wall.

o Past and present wall

Lesson 4

o My Grandmothers Toy
Box by Joanne Clyne and
Liz Suda

Introduction: Teacher reads interactive book called

My Grandmothers Toy Box by Joanne Clyne and Liz

Suda asking students questions along the way. E.g.
what do you think this toy is? Have you ever seen it
before? What is it made out of? Why dont you play
with them?
Body: Students discuss toys that they would put in a
class toy box to show future generations (n.b.
student have been asked to bring in their favourite
toy for this lesson). Students collect their favourite
toys from their bags. Students share their toy with a
partner, explaining what it is, what it is made of, and
why it should go in the toy box. As a class, compare
the students toys with the toys from the story. Are
there any old toys still used today? Are they the
same or have they changed at all? If so, how have
they changed? If not, why did they stop being used?
Students will complete a worksheet about their
chosen toy.
Conclusion: On interactive whiteboard, students look
at photographs of Australian toys (from 1800s
2000s) responding to inquiry questions provided
(using Museum of Victoria Australian Toys
resource). Update Past and Present wall.

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Lesson 5
Introduction: Whole class review on what they have
learnt so far, using a graphic organiser (on
interactive whiteboard) to sort their ideas.
Body: In tiered groups, students will role-play
various scenarios given to them by the teacher.
Examples: A Year 1 class in 1900 during a
handwriting lesson, A family preparing dinner in
1930, a group of friends playing with their favourite
toys in 1960. Teacher will guide this process,
encouraging students to think about what would be
involved in each situation e.g. what would the
teacher be doing? What would the students be

(http://museumvictoria.c
om
.au/education/learninglab/little-history/mygrandmothers-toy-box/)
o Collection of toys
brought in by students
(and teacher)
o Worksheet (Resource
Sheet 3)
o Australian Toys
resource

(http://museumvictoria.c
om
.au/education/learninglab/littlehistory/australian-toys/)

o Role-play scenarios
(Resource Sheet 4)
o Self-assessments (Rubric
3)

doing? How would they be learning handwriting?

How would the classroom look? What would happen
if a student did something wrong? Etc. Students will
be able to look at resources (e.g. books, web pages,
their History books) for ideas if necessary.
Conclusion: Students will present their role-plays and
self-assess their performance. Update Past and
Present wall.

Lesson 6
*Students will be working in their tiered groups for this lesson*

Introduction: Each group will choose an aspect of

childrens lives to focus on (i.e. clothes,

classrooms/schools, toys). Each member of the
group will be given a picture of a
toy/classroom/clothing item (depending on their
group) and they will have to work together to sort
the images from oldest to newest. The class will look
at each groups timeline and evaluate whether it has
been sorted correctly or not (note: lower readiness
group may be provided with hint sheet, higher
readiness group may be asked to guess the year of
the photographs)
Body: The group will then work together to create a
poster comparing the past to the present. This could
be a table with two columns with drawings/words in
each, a Venn diagram, a concept map, a graphic
organiser, etc. (Note: lower readiness group may be
given a template to work with, higher readiness
group may be asked to include a third column
identifying features that are the same across past
and present).
Conclusion: Groups will present their posters to the
rest of the class and discuss their ideas.

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Lesson 7
*Note lesson may be broken up over the course of the
day/week*

Introduction: The teacher will explain that they will

be having a special guest (this could be another staff

member, a grandparent of the students, or other
community member) coming in later that day, and
that they will be interviewing them about their
childhood. Discuss good interviewing techniques
(e.g. open questions, being polite, speaking clearly,
etc.) and record these. Brainstorm what the students
want to find out from the guest.
Body: Students will be given time to prepare at least
one question that they wish to ask the speaker. They
will have the teacher help them edit this question,
and will then be given time to practice asking it with
a friend. *Students will then welcome the guest

o Printed images of
toys/classrooms/clothes
from

http://www.slsa.sa.gov.
au/site/page.cfm?u=
384 (State Library of
South Australia
Photographs collection)
o Coloured poster
cardboard
o Pencils/glue/etc.

o History or English book

o Guest speaker
o Camera
o Interactive whiteboard

speaker and conduct the interview teacher or

volunteer student will record and take photos*
Conclusion: Students will prepare a recount about

the interview including information about the guest,

what they learnt about childhood in the past, and
their reflections on the process. This can be a
written recount (students may combine words with
pictures) or an oral recount (recorded on iPads).

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o Artefacts (sourced by
the teacher, from the
Introduction: The teacher will explain that to finish
school costume
the unit, they will curating a class museum about
department, etc.)
past and present family life. They will discuss the
o Access to school hall to
types of things they might have on display e.g.
set up museum
oral histories, photographs, artefacts/objects, written
o iPads and laptops
histories, etc. The teacher will show examples of
museum exhibitions on the interactive whiteboard to o Photographs
give students an idea about what they are working
o Paper
towards.
o Pencils
Body: The class will begin designing for mini
o Making materials
exhibitions to present their findings about: School,
toys, clothes and work. Students will choose which
exhibition they would like to contribute to. They will
then choose between:
a) a written or spoken (recorded on iPad) description
of an artefact that will be put on display (e.g.
vintage dress)
b) a time line using drawings/words/photographs to
illustrate the progression of their chosen topic over
time (with a written/spoken description)
c) write a narrative from the perspective of a child in
the past
d) create a diorama of a school or house from the
past
Students will work on their contribution in different
designated areas (e.g. students making dioramas
work together) and will be supported by an adult
teacher, SSOs, volunteers
Conclusion: As a class, choose a time and date for
the museum to open, and prepare an invitation
(interactive whiteboard) to be printed out to send
home to parents. Discuss and delegate roles for the
day.

Lesson 8