You will learn
- Say what the future is.
- Use future words.
- Talk about plans.
- Know the future is not certain.
Version 0.2 · expanded edition · built from cited public sources Content is based on the official frameworks and sources listed under Sources and standards. No official endorsement is claimed. Written in the style of common primary school assessments. No exam result is promised.
Student lesson
- The future has not happened yet.
- Tomorrow and next week are in the future.
- We make plans and have hopes.
- We cannot be sure about the future.
Words to know
time that has not yet come
the day after today
something you decide to do
wanting something good to happen
1. Discover: When I grow up
Isatu says, “When I grow up I want to be a doctor.” Ibrahim says, “I want to be a farmer.” Mei says, “I hope to be a pilot.” Their teacher says, “You can plan and work for your hopes. Nobody knows exactly what will happen, but good work helps.”
Think: What do you hope to do?
2. Understand: The future
Idea 1: The future
The future is time that has not yet come. Tomorrow, next week and when I grow up are in the future. We use the future tense: I will walk, I am going to play.
Idea 2: Plans and hopes
A plan is something we decide to do. A hope is wanting something good to happen. We can plan to learn to read and hope to be a teacher.
Idea 3: Not certain
We cannot be sure what the future will bring. Weather may change plans. People may change their minds. That is okay. We can still prepare and stay flexible.
3. Worked examples
Example 1 (I show you): Future or not
Is it future?
- Read.
- Has it happened?
- Decide.
Answer: Tomorrow is future.
Example 2 (We do it together): Make a plan
Plan tomorrow.
- Think.
- Write.
- Draw.
Answer: I will help at home.
Example 3 (You try): Say a hope
Say your hope.
Show the steps and answer
- Think.
- Say.
- Draw.
Answer: I hope to be a nurse.
Did you know?
Scientists and engineers study the past to help plan for the future, such as predicting the weather or planning roads for growing towns.
Why this matters
Thinking about the future helps us prepare and work toward our hopes.
4. Explore: My future picture
Draw yourself in the future doing something you hope to do. Write or tell a sentence with “I will”. Share with a partner.
- Think.
- Draw.
- Say.
- Share.
Think about it: what did you notice?
What did you notice? Many hopes were different.
5. Practise
Say it in a sentence
Use these starters when you talk about the lesson. Say them out loud.
- The future is ___.
- Tomorrow I will ___.
- A plan is ___.
- A hope is ___.
Guided practice
Question 1. What is the future?
Time not yet come.
Question 2. Is tomorrow future?
Yes.
Question 3. What is a plan?
Something we decide to do.
Independent practice
Level 1: Start
- What is the future?
- Is tomorrow future?
- What is a plan?
- What is a hope?
- Can we be sure?
Level 2: Grow
- Why plan?
- Why hope?
- Why be flexible?
Level 3: Stretch
- Draw your future.
- Say I will.
- Make a plan for tomorrow.
Answers are in the answer key below. Try first, then check.
6. Apply: Social Studies in everyday life
What will you do tomorrow?
Show a sample answer
Answers vary.
Another one. Share a hope with a family member.
Show a sample answer
Share.
7. Common mistakes
Fix: We can plan and choose.
Fix: We cannot be sure.
8. Lesson summary and revision card
- I can say what the future is.
- I can use future words.
- I can talk about plans.
- I can know the future is not certain.
9. Check and master
Answer all 14 questions. You will see feedback after each one.
Your result appears here after you answer every question.
10. Key takeaways
- The future has not happened yet.
- Tomorrow and next week are in the future.
- We make plans and have hopes.
- We cannot be sure about the future.
11. Next lesson
Next lesson: Events in order. Keep going with the next idea in this course.
Exam practice
These questions are written in the style of common school and international primary assessments. Try them on your own, without looking back. Then check your answers in the marking guide. The marks are shown in brackets.
- What is the future? [2 marks]
- Name two future words. [2 marks]
- Say one plan and one hope. [3 marks]
- Say why the future is not certain. [3 marks]
Total: 10 marks.
Marking guide and model answers
- Meaning [1]; example [1]
- Two [2]
- Plan [1]; hope [1]; clear [1]
- Cannot know [1]; reason [1]; clear [1]
Score guide: 9 to 10 = secure. 6 to 8 = nearly there, revise the parts you missed. Under 6 = work through the lesson again with a grown-up.
Printable worksheet
- What is the future?
- Is tomorrow future?
- What is a plan?
- What is a hope?
- Can we be sure?
- Why plan?
- Why hope?
- Why be flexible?
- Draw your future.
- Say I will.
Homework
Draw one hope and write a plan to reach it.
Answer key and marking scheme
| Question | Expected response | Marks |
|---|---|---|
| 1. What is the future? | Time not yet come. | 1 |
| 2. Is tomorrow future? | Yes. | 1 |
| 3. What is a plan? | Something we decide to do. | 1 |
| 4. What is a hope? | Wanting good things. | 1 |
| 5. Can we be sure? | No. | 1 |
| 6. Why plan? | Be ready. | 1 |
| 7. Why hope? | Keep going. | 1 |
| 8. Why be flexible? | Things change. | 1 |
| 9. Draw your future. | Drawing. | 1 |
| 10. Say I will. | Sentence. | 1 |
| Total | 10 |
Independent practice answers. Level 1: 1 Time not yet come.; 2 Yes.; 3 Something we decide to do.; 4 Wanting good things.; 5 No.. Level 2: 1 Be ready.; 2 Keep going.; 3 Things change.. Level 3: 1 Drawing.; 2 Sentence.; 3 Plan..
Quiz answers: 1 B, 2 C, 3 A, 4 B, 5 C, 6 A, 7 B, 8 C, 9 A, 10 B, 11 C, 12 A, Challenge 1 B, Challenge 2 C.
Mastery and remediation
| Objective | Bronze (Developing) | Silver (Proficient) | Gold (Advanced) |
|---|---|---|---|
| O1 Say what the future is | Shows this with help from an adult or a picture | Does this independently and explains how they know | Explains it clearly and uses it in a new situation |
| O2 Use future words | Shows this with help from an adult or a picture | Does this independently and explains how they know | Explains it clearly and uses it in a new situation |
| O3 Talk about plans | Shows this with help from an adult or a picture | Does this independently and explains how they know | Explains it clearly and uses it in a new situation |
| O4 Know the future is not certain | Shows this with help from an adult or a picture | Does this independently and explains how they know | Explains it clearly and uses it in a new situation |
Courseversity badge thresholds (overall quiz score): Gold = 90–100%; Silver = 80–89.9%; Bronze = 70–79.9%. A badge is never a full record of progress.
If a learner struggles
- Find the misconception: “The future is already decided.” We can plan and choose.
- Explain another way: use real objects, pictures or actions first, then words.
- Show a simpler example: Draw a picture of what you will do tomorrow.
- Guided practice: work through one example together and let the learner try the next one.
- Reassess: use the quiz again or the worksheet.
- Move on when the learner shows Silver-level evidence independently.
For parents and guardians
In this lesson your child talks about plans and hopes. Please listen warmly to your child’s hopes. You do not need to be an expert to help.
- Listen to hopes.
- Plan small steps.
- Praise effort.
- Ask “how do you know?” after each answer, and listen.
- Praise effort, not only right answers. Mistakes are how we learn.
- Ten to fifteen minutes a day is better than one long session.
Teacher package
1–5. Objectives, prerequisites, materials, preparation, duration
Lesson objectives. Learners will: say what the future is; use future words; talk about plans; know the future is not certain.
Prerequisite knowledge. Grade 1 ideas: myself, family and routines.
Materials. Paper, crayons. Low-resource options: use chalk or charcoal on a board or wall, drawings in the sand, and objects from the classroom instead of printed materials.
Preparation. Plan a gentle sharing circle.
Suggested duration. 45–60 minutes. It can be split into two shorter sessions.
6–9. Teaching procedure, explanation notes, guided and independent activities
Introduction (5 min). Ask about hopes.
Explanation (10 min). Teach the future.
Guided activity (10 min). Draw.
Independent activity (10 min). Share.
Assessment and reflection (5 min). Ask each learner to say one thing they learned and how they know it.
Key questions. What is the future? Can we be sure about it?
Teacher explanation notes. Start with a picture, story, map or local example. Then talk about what was seen, then draw and write. Always ask “how do you know?” and invite more than one view. Treat every family, culture and community with respect, and never ask learners to share private information.
10–12. Differentiation, formative assessment, common misconceptions
Support. Use pictures, maps, real objects and short sentences, and let learners work with a partner. Let learners point, show, act or draw instead of writing. Extension. Ask learners to find a new example from their own community and explain how they know.
Formative assessment. Listen to learners read and explain, ask “how do you know?”, and check the independent work.
Misconceptions. “The future is already decided.” We can plan and choose.
13–15. Assessment questions, answer keys, marking scheme
Use the quiz, the 10-mark exam practice and the worksheet on this page. All answers and marking guides are in the answer sections above. Re-check every answer before use.
16–19. Remediation, enrichment, homework, teacher reflection
Remediation. Draw a picture of what you will do tomorrow. Enrichment. Find one new example near your home or school, draw or write about it and explain it to someone. Homework. See above.
Teacher reflection. After teaching, record: which ideas learners understood; which misconceptions occurred; which activities worked; which learners need more practice; and what to improve next time.
Sources and standards
This lesson is based on the sources below, and no official endorsement is claimed. Reference starting points: NCSS standards and C3 Framework, Cambridge Primary Humanities and the IB Primary Years Programme. Where a standard code is named, it points to the official framework.
Research used to shape this lesson. Courseversity Social Studies curriculum, Grade 1 Unit 7, topic 3; NCSS C3 Framework, change, continuity and context; Cambridge Primary Humanities, time and change; IB Primary Years Programme, where we are in place and time. These sources informed the lesson.