You will learn
- Describe changes.
- Compare baby, child and adult.
- Notice what stays the same.
- Respect everyone.
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
- People grow and change.
- Babies, children and adults can do different things.
- Some things stay the same.
- Everyone grows in their own way.
Words to know
to become bigger or older
a very young child
a fully grown person
to become different
1. Discover: Baby Kofi
Kofi looks at a picture of himself as a baby. “I was tiny,” he says. “I could not walk or talk.” Now he can run, read and help his mother. “I still have my smile,” he says. “Some things change. Some things stay the same.”
Think: What has changed for Kofi?
2. Understand: Growing
Idea 1: Growing
As people grow, they get bigger and learn new things. A baby drinks milk and cannot walk. A child can run, play and go to school. An adult can work and care for others.
Idea 2: Changes and same
Our size, voice, teeth, skills and interests change. Some things stay the same, such as our name, our family love and some of our likes.
Idea 3: Everyone is different
Everyone grows at their own speed and in their own way. Some children are tall, some small. Some learn to read early, some later. All are good.
3. Worked examples
Example 1 (I show you): Compare
Baby and child.
- Look.
- Compare.
- Say.
Answer: A baby cannot run; a child can.
Example 2 (We do it together): Same or different
What stays the same?
- Think.
- Say.
- Explain.
Answer: My name stays the same.
Example 3 (You try): New skill
Something I can do now.
Show the steps and answer
- Think.
- Say.
- Share.
Answer: I can tie my shoes.
Did you know?
Babies have around three hundred bones, but as they grow some join together and adults have two hundred and six.
Why this matters
Understanding growth helps us feel proud of what we can do now.
4. Explore: Then and now
Draw two pictures: yourself as a baby and yourself now. Write or say two changes and one thing that is the same.
- Draw baby.
- Draw now.
- Compare.
- Share.
Think about it: what did you notice?
What did you notice? We all changed in different ways.
5. Practise
Say it in a sentence
Use these starters when you talk about the lesson. Say them out loud.
- When I was a baby I ___.
- Now I can ___.
- Something the same is ___.
- I grow ___.
Guided practice
Question 1. What does grow mean?
Get bigger.
Question 2. Name something a baby cannot do.
Walk.
Question 3. Name something you can do now.
Read.
Independent practice
Level 1: Start
- What does grow mean?
- Name something a baby cannot do.
- Name something you can do now.
- Name something that stays the same.
- Do all grow the same way?
Level 2: Grow
- Why do people change?
- Why celebrate differences?
- Why learn new skills?
Level 3: Stretch
- Draw then and now.
- Name two changes.
- Name one same thing.
Answers are in the answer key below. Try first, then check.
6. Apply: Social Studies in everyday life
Name three things you can do now that you could not as a baby.
Show a sample answer
Answers vary.
Another one. Ask a family member what you were like as a baby.
Show a sample answer
Share.
7. Common mistakes
Fix: Each person is different.
Fix: Some things do.
8. Lesson summary and revision card
- I can describe changes.
- I can compare baby, child and adult.
- I can notice what stays the same.
- I can respect everyone.
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
- People grow and change.
- Babies, children and adults can do different things.
- Some things stay the same.
- Everyone grows in their own way.
11. Next lesson
Next lesson: Family memories. 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.
- Name two ways people change as they grow. [2 marks]
- Compare a baby and a child. [3 marks]
- Name something that stays the same. [2 marks]
- Say why everyone grows differently. [3 marks]
Total: 10 marks.
Marking guide and model answers
- Two [2]
- Baby [1]; child [1]; compare [1]
- Thing [1]; reason [1]
- Different [1]; own speed [1]; fine [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 does grow mean?
- Name something a baby cannot do.
- Name something you can do now.
- Name something that stays the same.
- Do all grow the same way?
- Why do people change?
- Why celebrate differences?
- Why learn new skills?
- Draw then and now.
- Name two changes.
Homework
Draw yourself now and write two things you can do.
Answer key and marking scheme
| Question | Expected response | Marks |
|---|---|---|
| 1. What does grow mean? | Get bigger. | 1 |
| 2. Name something a baby cannot do. | Walk. | 1 |
| 3. Name something you can do now. | Read. | 1 |
| 4. Name something that stays the same. | Name. | 1 |
| 5. Do all grow the same way? | No. | 1 |
| 6. Why do people change? | Growing. | 1 |
| 7. Why celebrate differences? | Everyone matters. | 1 |
| 8. Why learn new skills? | Grow stronger. | 1 |
| 9. Draw then and now. | Drawing. | 1 |
| 10. Name two changes. | Two. | 1 |
| Total | 10 |
Independent practice answers. Level 1: 1 Get bigger.; 2 Walk.; 3 Read.; 4 Name.; 5 No.. Level 2: 1 Growing.; 2 Everyone matters.; 3 Grow stronger.. Level 3: 1 Drawing.; 2 Two.; 3 One..
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 Describe changes | 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 Compare baby, child and adult | 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 Notice what stays the same | 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 Respect everyone | 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: “Everyone must grow at the same speed.” Each person is different.
- Explain another way: use real objects, pictures or actions first, then words.
- Show a simpler example: Draw baby and big versions of yourself.
- 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 compares themself as a baby and now. Photos are optional; talking is enough. You do not need to be an expert to help.
- Share a story of your child as a baby.
- Praise new skills.
- Treat all growth as good.
- 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: describe changes; compare baby, child and adult; notice what stays the same; respect everyone.
Prerequisite knowledge. Grade 1 ideas: myself, family and routines.
Materials. Paper, crayons, optional photos. 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. Remind children photos are optional.
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). Tell the Kofi story.
Explanation (10 min). Teach growth.
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. How do we grow and change? What stays the same?
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. “Everyone must grow at the same speed.” Each person is different.
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 baby and big versions of yourself. 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 5; 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.