Shared Past Time

Overview

In this first lesson of “Exploring Our Shared Past”, students build an early sense of time using everyday words such as today, yesterday, and tomorrow. They will listen to an interactive story and then use a simple timeline to show the order of events.

Learning intentions

• WALT use time words (today, yesterday, tomorrow) to talk about events.
• WALT place 3 events in order using a simple timeline.
• WALT explain that time can be grouped using general time markers (a day).

Success criteria

• I can say what happened yesterday, what happens today, and what will happen tomorrow.
• I can put story events in the correct order (yesterday → today → tomorrow).
• I can point to the right spot on a timeline and use time words when I speak.

Curriculum links

• History (New Zealand: where we come from): Students learn to place events on a simple timeline using general time markers like a year, decade, and century, beginning with everyday time order in Year 1.
• Social inquiry skills (History): Students share and listen to ideas about past and present experiences using simple language.
• Key competencies: Communication (using time words), Thinking (ordering events), and Relating to others (turn-taking in discussion).

Lesson structure (30 minutes)

1. 0–4 min · Greeting & hook. Teacher shows three picture cards (yesterday, today, tomorrow) and asks students to point to the card that matches the question. Students respond chorally and then individually: “Which one is it when we talk now?”

2. 4–12 min · Interactive storytelling (Teacher read-aloud). Teacher tells a short, familiar routine story (e.g., “Our class day”): one event from “yesterday” (e.g., playing outside at school yesterday), one from “today” (e.g., reading together today), and one from “tomorrow” (e.g., drawing our class poster tomorrow). Students listen and do a “timeline signal” each time they hear a time word, holding up the matching card (or pointing to the matching section on the timeline strip on the floor).

3. 12–18 min · Build a class timeline. Teacher places three timeline boxes on the board/floor labelled yesterday, today, tomorrow. Students help sort three prepared picture cards into the correct order by raising their hand and placing a card. Students say a sentence using a frame: “Yesterday we… Today we… Tomorrow we…”

4. 18–25 min · Partner talk & ordering. Teacher gives pairs one small set of 3 shuffled picture strips (same routine theme). Students work together to order them and practice saying the full sequence using time words. Teacher circulates, prompting: “Which happened first? Which word tells us? What do you think happens next?”

5. 25–29 min · Quick whole-class check. Teacher calls on 4–5 students to reorder one set on the class timeline and explain using time words. Students use “yesterday → today → tomorrow” language as they place the cards.

6. 29–30 min · Exit ticket (fast, concrete). Teacher shows one final question: “What happened yesterday?” Students pick up the matching card (yesterday/today/tomorrow) and say one word or short phrase.

Resources

• Picture cards labelled yesterday, today, tomorrow
• 3-box timeline strip (floor or board) with labels
• Prepared picture cards for story events (3 per story)
• Timeline sentence frames on a slide or chart: “Yesterday we… Today we… Tomorrow we…”
• Pair sets of 3 shuffled picture strips (laminated or cardstock)
• Teacher clipboard for quick notes during partner work
• Exit ticket cards (one per student or small response slips)

Assessment

• Teacher observation during the hook (pointing to correct time card).
• Formative checks during timeline building (correct order and correct time words).
• Exit ticket at the end (students identify which time word matches the question).

Differentiation

• Support: Provide sentence starters and allow students to use gestures or point-to-answers before speaking.
• Support: Use consistent, familiar events in the story (school routine, class activities) to reduce cognitive load.
• Extension: For students who finish early, ask: “Can you add one extra idea for tomorrow?” and require them to use “tomorrow” in a sentence.
• EAL/SEN: Offer visual supports (pictures and timeline cards), model responses first, and allow partner rehearsal before whole-class speaking.
• Classroom talk routines: Use turn-taking cues (e.g., “My turn/Your turn”, raised hand) to help students participate confidently.

Learning sequence (what students do)

• Listen for time words in a story.
• Match time words to pictures.
• Put events in order on a simple timeline.
• Talk with a partner using today/yesterday/tomorrow.
• Share answers and show understanding using the timeline and exit card.