You will learn
- Compare old and new.
- Describe objects.
- Say how objects change.
- Say why.
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
- Objects can be old or new.
- Old objects work differently from new ones.
- Objects change over time.
- People invent to meet needs.
Words to know
made or used a long time ago
recently made
a thing you can see or touch
something made for the first time
1. Discover: The two lamps
Esi’s grandmother has an old oil lamp. Esi has a bright solar light. “The old lamp gave light, but it made smoke,” says her grandmother. “Your solar light is safer.” “Both give light,” says Esi. “But the new one is easier to use.”
Think: How are the lamps alike and different?
2. Understand: Old and new
Idea 1: Old and new
An object is a thing we can see or touch. An old object was made a long time ago. A new object was made recently. Old and new objects may do the same job in different ways.
Idea 2: Comparing
We compare by looking at how they look, how they are made, how they work and what they are used for. We say alike and different.
Idea 3: Why change?
An invention is something made for the first time. People invent new objects to make work easier, safer or faster. New objects are often built from old ideas.
3. Worked examples
Example 1 (I show you): Compare
Compare two objects.
- Look at each.
- Say alike.
- Say different.
Answer: Both give light; one uses oil, one the sun.
Example 2 (We do it together): Old or new
Which is older?
- Look.
- Think.
- Decide.
Answer: The oil lamp is older.
Example 3 (You try): Why change
Why did it change?
Show the steps and answer
- Think.
- Say.
- Explain.
Answer: To be safer.
Did you know?
The first clocks were sundials that used shadows, and later came water clocks, mechanical clocks and today’s digital clocks.
Why this matters
Comparing old and new objects shows us how people solve problems.
4. Explore: Old and new pairs
Look at picture pairs such as oil lamp and solar light, grinding stone and mill, drum and phone. Sort by old and new and say one alike and one different.
- Look at pairs.
- Sort.
- Say alike.
- Say different.
Think about it: what did you notice?
What did you notice? Each new one made life easier.
5. Practise
Say it in a sentence
Use these starters when you talk about the lesson. Say them out loud.
- An old object is ___.
- A new object is ___.
- They are alike because ___.
- They are different because ___.
Guided practice
Question 1. What is old?
Made long ago.
Question 2. What is new?
Recently made.
Question 3. Name an old object.
Oil lamp.
Independent practice
Level 1: Start
- What is old?
- What is new?
- Name an old object.
- Name a new object.
- What is an invention?
Level 2: Grow
- Why invent?
- Why compare?
- Why keep old ones?
Level 3: Stretch
- Sort objects.
- Draw an old and a new object.
- Say alike and different.
Answers are in the answer key below. Try first, then check.
6. Apply: Social Studies in everyday life
Name an old and new object for the same job.
Show a sample answer
Answers vary.
Another one. Find an old object at home with permission and ask about it.
Show a sample answer
Share.
7. Common mistakes
Fix: They teach us.
Fix: Each has uses.
8. Lesson summary and revision card
- I can compare old and new.
- I can describe objects.
- I can say how objects change.
- I can say why.
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
- Objects can be old or new.
- Old objects work differently from new ones.
- Objects change over time.
- People invent to meet needs.
11. Next lesson
Next lesson: Comparing past and present. 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 one old and one new object. [2 marks]
- Say one alike and one different for two objects. [3 marks]
- Say why people invent new objects. [3 marks]
- Say what an invention is. [2 marks]
Total: 10 marks.
Marking guide and model answers
- Old [1]; new [1]
- Alike [1]; different [1]; objects [1]
- Easier [1]; safer/faster [1]; example [1]
- Meaning [1]; example [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 old?
- What is new?
- Name an old object.
- Name a new object.
- What is an invention?
- Why invent?
- Why compare?
- Why keep old ones?
- Sort objects.
- Draw an old and a new object.
Homework
Ask an elder about an old object and draw it.
Answer key and marking scheme
| Question | Expected response | Marks |
|---|---|---|
| 1. What is old? | Made long ago. | 1 |
| 2. What is new? | Recently made. | 1 |
| 3. Name an old object. | Oil lamp. | 1 |
| 4. Name a new object. | Solar light. | 1 |
| 5. What is an invention? | Something new made. | 1 |
| 6. Why invent? | Make life easier. | 1 |
| 7. Why compare? | Understand change. | 1 |
| 8. Why keep old ones? | Learn from them. | 1 |
| 9. Sort objects. | Sorted. | 1 |
| 10. Draw an old and a new object. | Drawing. | 1 |
| Total | 10 |
Independent practice answers. Level 1: 1 Made long ago.; 2 Recently made.; 3 Oil lamp.; 4 Solar light.; 5 Something new made.. Level 2: 1 Make life easier.; 2 Understand change.; 3 Learn from them.. Level 3: 1 Sorted.; 2 Drawing.; 3 Sentence..
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 Compare old and new | 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 Describe objects | 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 Say how objects change | 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 Say why | 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: “Old objects are useless.” They teach us.
- Explain another way: use real objects, pictures or actions first, then words.
- Show a simpler example: Draw two lamps, old and new.
- 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 old and new objects. Please talk about household objects that have changed. You do not need to be an expert to help.
- Show an old object safely.
- Ask How did it work?
- Compare with new.
- 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: compare old and new; describe objects; say how objects change; say why.
Prerequisite knowledge. Grade 1 ideas: past, present, future and order of events.
Materials. Picture pairs, paper. 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. Collect pictures.
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 lamps story.
Explanation (10 min). Teach old and new.
Guided activity (10 min). Sort pairs.
Independent activity (10 min). Discuss.
Assessment and reflection (5 min). Ask each learner to say one thing they learned and how they know it.
Key questions. How do old and new objects differ? Why do they change?
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. “Old objects are useless.” They teach us.
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 two lamps, old and new. 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 7; 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.