KS1 History Lesson Plan: Changes Within Living Memory

1. Lesson Overview
- Year group: KS1 (Year 1/2)
- Duration: 60 minutes
- Topic: Changes within living memory
- Focus: How everyday life has changed from our grandparents’ time to now

2. Learning Objectives
By the end of the lesson, pupils will:
- Use simple time words (past, present, long ago, nowadays, before, after).
- Place events in order to show a simple timeline.
- Describe at least two ways life has changed within living memory.
- Ask and answer simple questions about the past using pictures and stories.

3. Key Vocabulary
past, present, long ago, nowadays, before, after, old, new, change, timeline, memory, photograph, interview

4. Resources Needed
- Old and modern photos of: homes, toys, transport, schools, clothes
- Large timeline on the board (with “Grandparents’ time” and “Today”)
- Picture sets for sorting (old vs new)
- Sticky notes or mini whiteboards
- Pencils and simple worksheet (timeline and question prompts)

5. Starter Activity (10 minutes)
- Show two contrasting photos (e.g. old toy vs modern toy).
- Ask: “Which is from the past? Which is from now? How do you know?”
- Collect children’s ideas and write key words on the board.

6. Main Teaching Input (10–15 minutes)
- Briefly tell a simple story about a child’s grandparent when they were young.
- Place 3–4 key events from the story on the class timeline.
- Model using time words: “First… then… after that… now…”

7. Pupil Activities (25–30 minutes)
Activity 1: Picture Sorting
- In pairs, sort mixed pictures into “past” and “present”.
- Children explain their choices using time words.

Activity 2: Simple Timeline
- Children stick 3–4 pictures in order on a mini timeline (e.g. old phone → early mobile → smartphone).
- They label with simple phrases: “long ago”, “before I was born”, “now”.

Challenge
- Higher-attaining pupils write one or two sentences comparing past and present (e.g. “In the past children played outside more. Now we play on tablets.”).

8. Plenary (5–10 minutes)
- Ask a few pupils to share their timelines.
- Revisit objectives: Can we use time words? Can we say one way life has changed?
- Add new ideas to the class timeline or word bank.

9. Homework
- Ask pupils to talk to a parent or grandparent about one thing that has changed since they were a child (e.g. toys, TV, school).
- Homework sheet:
- Draw or stick a picture of “then” and “now”.
- Write or dictate one simple sentence: “In the past… Now…”

10. Assessment Notes
- Look for pupils using time words correctly.
- Check if they can place events in a simple order.
- Note who can explain at least one clear change within living memory.