Time Travel Discovery

Curriculum Links

Learning Area: Social Sciences – History
Level: Level 1 (Years 0-2)
Achievement Objective:

• Understand how the past is important to people
• Explore how stories and objects show us what life was like in the past (e.g., a photo from 1926)

Key Competencies:

• Thinking – Use creative and critical thinking to understand images and objects from the past
• Using language, symbols, and texts – Communicate ideas both orally and visually; collaborate with peers to share understanding
• Relating to others – Work cooperatively to share ideas and listen with respect

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Learning Objectives

By the end of the lesson, students will be able to:

• Observe and describe a historical photograph from 1926, identifying people, objects, and settings
• Make connections between objects in the photo and similar modern objects
• Collaborate in small groups to brainstorm and record their observations and ideas
• Share group findings with the class using pictures and simple explanations
• Use basic writing and drawing to communicate their ideas together

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Equipment and Materials

• Enlarged colour copy of a carefully selected photo from 1926 presented on a poster (from the uploaded 1926 Photo.pdf)
• A3 sheets of paper, one per group
• Sticky tape or glue to attach photos to paper
• Markers or coloured pencils
• Printed sets of simple example images: e.g., typewriter and laptop, old telephone and mobile phone, old car and modern car (for teacher to show examples)

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Lesson Plan (40 minutes)

1. Introduction and Modelling (8 minutes)

Teacher Actions:

• Introduce the photo from 1926. Model a careful observation ("I can see...") naming people, objects, clothing, and setting.
• Model asking questions aloud: "Who are these people?", "What are they doing?", "Where might this be?", "What is this object?"
• Demonstrate comparing a 1926 object with a modern equivalent by drawing a simple picture and labelling (e.g. typewriter and laptop).

Student Actions:

• Listen attentively, watch demonstration.
• Respond to a few guided questions orally.

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2. Group Brainstorming Activity (20 minutes)

Teacher Actions:

• Divide students into groups of 4-5 and give each group an A3 sheet with the photo attached.
• Instruct students to write group members’ names on their paper.
• Explain they will work together to write and draw things they see and what they think the objects might be.
• Provide prompts: "What do you think this is?", "What do you think people use now instead?"
• Circulate assisting groups, encouraging ideas and clear communication.

Student Actions:

• Observe photo details closely together.
• Brainstorm and write words or draw pictures (e.g., old telephone, and draw a mobile phone).
• Collaborate by sharing ideas and listening respectfully.

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3. Group Sharing and Class Discussion (10 minutes)

Teacher Actions:

• Gather groups to share their findings one at a time.
• Encourage simple explanations in sentences ("We think this is a typewriter. It looks like a laptop today.")
• Show class example pictures of modern equivalents to reinforce comparisons.
• Praise observations and effort, highlighting thinking and use of language.

Student Actions:

• Present their group’s ideas in front of the class.
• Listen to others and ask or answer simple questions.

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4. Conclusion (2 minutes)

Teacher Actions:

• Summarise key ideas: understanding the past by looking closely at photos and objects, noticing how things have changed or stayed the same.
• Celebrate students’ communication and teamwork.

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Assessment and Reflection

• Formative: Observe group discussions, noting use of descriptive language and ability to connect past and present objects.
• Observations: Monitor engagement, turn-taking, question-asking, and listening in group and class sharing discussions.
• Student Work: Collect A3 sheets with group names, writing and drawings to assess understanding and effort.

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Differentiation and Support

• Provide sentence starters for writing ("I think this is...") for learners needing language support.
• Offer additional visuals for groups who may benefit from more concrete examples.
• Adapt group sizes or roles depending on learners' social needs.
• Use oral explanation and praise frequently to support confidence and comprehension.

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Pedagogical Notes

• The activity emphasises active exploration of history through authentic sources (historical photos), fostering curiosity and empathy with the past.
• Pair and group work supports social competence and sharing diverse views, building on the "Relating to Others" competency of the NZ Curriculum.
• The integration of oral language, drawing, and emergent writing connects with literacy goals relevant to Year 0-2 students.
• Visual literacy is developed as students learn to interpret and compare images across time.

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This lesson is designed to fulfil the NZ Curriculum requirements by engaging young learners in historical inquiry and communication, using a rich, authentic resource—the 1926 photo provided—and fostering a respectful, collaborative learning community.

If further enrichment is desired, consider linking with whānau by inviting older family members to share stories about these objects or items from their childhoods, thereby bringing a community dimension to history learning.

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Please let me know if you require a printable template or additional resources to support this lesson!