Kindergarten Social Studies: Myself and Others SS000104

Unit 1: Who Am I? Lesson 4

Lesson 4: I Have a Past

Big Ideas of the Lesson

Everyone has a past.

The past means a part of time, or events, that have already occurred.
Timelines are used to show the past.
We learn about the past with stories, pictures, and artifacts.

Lesson Abstract:
This lesson builds on the previous lesson by expanding students understanding of time. Using a
calendar students recall events in previous months to understand they are part of the past. Next, the
teacher shows a photograph of themselves as a baby or young child and explains that the
photograph shows the teacher in the past. The teacher briefly shares information about their
childhood and shows an artifact such as a toy or book. Students then explore the question: How Do
We Learn About the Past? The teacher guides students in identifying photographs, stories, and
artifacts (things) as ways people learn about the past. Students are told historians use historical
evidence like photos, stories and artifacts to learn about the past. The lesson continues with students
relating memories of their own past. With parental assistance students create a simple timeline
illustrating four important events in their life. Finally, as a literature connection, the teacher reads the
book When I Was Little, or a similar book, that explores the concepts of the past and change over
time from a childs viewpoint. The lesson concludes with students drawing a picture of a memory of
their past to add to their I Am a Person image.

Content Expectations
K - H2.0.2: Create a timeline using events from their own lives (e.g., birth, crawling, walking, loss of
first tooth, first day of school).

K - H2.0.4: Describe ways people learn about the past (e.g., photos, artifacts, diaries, stories,
videos).

Key Concepts
change
historical evidence
history
past
time
timeline

Instructional Resources
Equipment/Manipulative

Michigan Citizenship Collaborative Curriculum Page 1 of 4

www.micitizenshipcurriculum.org August 31, 2009
Kindergarten Social Studies: Myself and Others SS000104
Unit 1: Who Am I? Lesson 4

Artifact from teachers childhood (optional)

Blank paper (12 x 18) (optional)
Chalkboard/dry erase board
Chart paper (butcher paper)
Classroom calendar
Computer (optional)
Crayons, markers, and/or colored pencils (classroom set)
I Am a Person pictures from previous lessons
Internet access (optional)
Markers for teacher use
Miscellaneous artifacts of the past
Miscellaneous photos of the past
Miscellaneous stories of the past
One-year calendar (optional)
Picture of the teacher as a child and/or baby (optional)
Scissors (classroom set)

*Pimp it Up* Updates resources include: The book: Boxers and Saints by Gene Luen Yang, the
website: http://www.ancient-origins.net/artifacts-other-artifacts/ten-amazing-artifacts-ancient-world-
002105 , the website http://www.softschools.com/timelines/ , and the books: Timelines,
Timelines, Timelines! By Kelly Boswell and : Children Growing Up with War by Jenny Matthews .

Student Resource
Curtis, Jamie Lee. When I Was Little. New York: Harper Collins, 1993.

The Magic School Bus: Shows and Tells. Scholastic. 1996. Discovery Education. 13 August 2009
<http://streaming.discoveryeducation.com/>.

Martin, Elena. Clues to Long Ago. United States of America: Harcourt, Inc.

Student Activity: Learning about the Past Through Artifacts. Los Angeles County Office of Education.
2000. Discovery Education. 13 August 2009 <http://streaming.discoveryeducation.com/>.

What Do Artifacts Tell about a Family from Long Ago. Los Angeles County Office of Education. 2000.
Discovery Education. 13 August 2009 <http://streaming.discoveryeducation.com/>.

Teacher Resource
Clark, Jennifer. Supplemental Materials (Unit 1, Lesson 4). Teacher-made material. Michigan
Citizenship Collaborative Curriculum, 2009.

Lesson Sequence
1. Return to the calendar from the previous lesson and show today. Ask students where you
should place the word yesterday and tomorrow and then show students the months prior to the

Michigan Citizenship Collaborative Curriculum Page 2 of 4

www.micitizenshipcurriculum.org August 31, 2009
Kindergarten Social Studies: Myself and Others SS000104
Unit 1: Who Am I? Lesson 4

current month. Explain that all of the days in the previous months are in the past. Explain that
these months are part of the past because they already occurred. Next, have the students try to
think of something they did in the past months. Then point to the months even further back and
show the students that these months are even further back in the past. If needed, an example of
a one year calendar can be found in the Supplemental Materials (Unit 1, Lesson 4).

2. To help the students better understand the concept of the past; show the students a picture of
yourself as a baby or young child. Explain that the photograph(s) show you in the past. Share a
story or memory from your past to help the students understand the concept of the past.

*Pimp it Up* To upgrade this portion of the lesson, bring in a special guest who can talk
about the past and discuss several past memories and bring in some photos as well. The
special guest contact information: Janice Newton- email is: newton.janice@att.net. Janice
is a wonderful guest to bring into the classroom because she is of another generation and
has some wonderful memories from her past that she can share with the class. Janice will
not only share some photos of and anecdotes of past memories, but she will also read
several pages from the graphic novel: Boxers and Saints by Gene Luen Yang.

- The book Boxers and Saints is an exceptionally brilliant graphic novel that was a part of
the 2014 NCSS Outstanding Trade Book Awards. This book is relevant to this portion of
the lesson because it discusses several individuals past memories during the Boxer
Rebellion.

3. Next, share an artifact or item from your past such as a book or a toy. Ask students if they think
the book or toy is old or new. How do they know? Guide students to understanding the item is
old and point out evidence to show it is old. (yellowing or curled pages, etc.)

*Pimp it Up* To upgrade this portion of the lesson, show the students the website linked
below:
http://www.ancient-origins.net/artifacts-other-artifacts/ten-amazing-artifacts-ancient-world-002105
This website is one that provides pictures and information about some of the oldest artifacts
in the world. This can be used as a guiding tool in discussing the concept of old vs. new and
how you can tell that these items are of an older generation.

4. Write the following question on chart paper: How Do We Learn About the Past?. Ask the
students, How did you learn about my past? Guide the students to identifying things like
photographs, artifacts, and stories which can be used to learn about the past. Share with students
Items from the Past sheet located in the Supplemental Materials (Unit 1, Lesson 4), or a book
such as Clues to Long Ago, Ask students to point out evidence that these things are from the past.
If possible, bring in actual items (artifacts) to share with the students. (Many museums have
lending kits available.) As the photos or artifacts are shared with students, explain to students
they are going to be historians (people who learn about the past) and look for historical evidence.
Add their ideas to the chart paper. An example chart titled How Do We Learn About the Past is
in the Supplemental Materials (Unit 1, Lesson 4) has been included for your reference.

Michigan Citizenship Collaborative Curriculum Page 3 of 4

www.micitizenshipcurriculum.org August 31, 2009
Kindergarten Social Studies: Myself and Others SS000104
Unit 1: Who Am I? Lesson 4

5. Show the students one of the videos from Discovery Streaming

(http://streaming.discoveryeducation.com/) about artifacts. These movies explain what artifacts
are for the students.

6. The next part of the lesson is designed to help students look at their own past. Explain to
students a timeline is one way to show the past in the order or sequence it happened. Connect
back to the prior lesson by explaining that timelines also have a beginning, middle, and end. The
students will work with parental assistance to create a simple timeline that illustrates four events in
the students life. For this project, the illustrations can be drawings or photos. A letter to the
parents that describes this project is included in the Supplemental Materials (Unit 1, Lesson 4).
Also available in the Supplemental Materials (Unit 1, Lesson 4) is finished example of a sample
timeline, and a blank template to give to the students. If desired, the students could complete this
timeline on larger paper.

*Pimp it Up* To upgrade this portion of the lesson, the students can be directed to this helpful
website that provides many examples of timelines for students to use as a reference tool.
http://www.softschools.com/timelines/ To further the students understanding of timelines, the
book: Timelines, Timelines, Timelines! By Kelly Boswell could be read to the students as well.

After students have the opportunity to share their timelines with the rest of the students, display
the completed timelines around the room. As students share, introduce the concept of change.
Explain that as time passes, people and things change. Ask students to look at their pictures on
the timeline. Ask for examples of ways they have changed from the past.

7. Read the book When I Was Little, or a substitute book, that explores the concepts of the past and
changes from a childs viewpoint. Have the students identify things in the story that happened in
the past. What evidence do they have? Point out words from the story that are clues something
happened in the past.

*Pimp it Up* As an alternative book option, the students can have the book: Children Growing Up
with War by Jenny Matthews read to them instead. This book was one of many that were awarded
the NCSS Outstanding Trade Book Award in 2015.

8. Students will add one more piece to their I Am a Person project. For this lesson, the students
will add a picture of something they have done in the past onto the body. Examples can be found
in the Supplemental Material (Unit 1, Lesson 4).

Assessment
Use the student timelines as an assessment for this lesson, If an additional assessment is needed,
use the discussion of When I Was Little as a formative assessment. The students can also create
word cards similar to the word cards provided in the Supplemental Materials (Unit 1, Lesson 4) as an
assessment.

Michigan Citizenship Collaborative Curriculum Page 4 of 4

www.micitizenshipcurriculum.org August 31, 2009