You will learn
- Compare past and present.
- Use clues.
- Say what changed.
- Say what stayed the same.
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
- We compare past and present.
- Some things changed.
- Some things stayed the same.
- We use pictures and stories as clues.
Words to know
to look for alike and different
becoming different
not different
ways people travel
1. Discover: Then and now at school
Fatmata compares a photo of her school from long ago with her school today. In the old photo, children sit on benches under a roof of thatch. Today there are desks and a metal roof. “The building is different,” she says. “But children still learn, play and laugh.”
Think: What changed? What stayed the same?
2. Understand: Then and now
Idea 1: Compare
To compare is to look for what is alike and what is different. We can compare the past and present using photographs, stories from elders and old and new objects.
Idea 2: Changes
Many things have changed: transport (from walking and canoes to cars and buses), homes, schools, clothes and communication (from messengers and letters to phones).
Idea 3: Same
Some things stay the same. People still need food, water, shelter and love. Children still play and learn. Families still care for each other.
3. Worked examples
Example 1 (I show you): Compare
Past and present transport.
- Look.
- Compare.
- Say.
Answer: Canoes then; buses now.
Example 2 (We do it together): What stayed
What stayed the same?
- Think.
- Say.
- Explain.
Answer: People still need food.
Example 3 (You try): Why
Why did it change?
Show the steps and answer
- Think.
- Say.
- Explain.
Answer: People invented new ways.
Did you know?
In Freetown long ago people used footpaths and boats along the coast. Later came roads, railways (for a time) and cars.
Why this matters
Comparing past and present helps us understand how our lives were shaped.
4. Explore: Then and now table
Make a two-column table: Then and Now. Fill in for transport, school and clothes with pictures or words. Circle things that stayed the same.
- Draw columns.
- Fill.
- Circle same.
- Share.
Think about it: what did you notice?
What did you notice? Needs stayed the same even as ways changed.
5. Practise
Say it in a sentence
Use these starters when you talk about the lesson. Say them out loud.
- Then people ___.
- Now people ___.
- What changed is ___.
- What stayed the same is ___.
Guided practice
Question 1. What does compare mean?
Alike and different.
Question 2. Name a past transport.
Canoe.
Question 3. Name a present transport.
Bus.
Independent practice
Level 1: Start
- What does compare mean?
- Name a past transport.
- Name a present transport.
- Name something the same.
- What can be a clue?
Level 2: Grow
- Why did transport change?
- Why stay the same?
- Why use clues?
Level 3: Stretch
- Fill a then-and-now table.
- Tell a partner one change.
- Tell one same.
Answers are in the answer key below. Try first, then check.
6. Apply: Social Studies in everyday life
Say how school has changed.
Show a sample answer
Answers vary.
Another one. Ask a family member how life was different long ago.
Show a sample answer
Share.
7. Common mistakes
Fix: Some things stay the same.
Fix: Past and present each have good and hard things.
8. Lesson summary and revision card
- I can compare past and present.
- I can use clues.
- I can say what changed.
- I can say what stayed the same.
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
- We compare past and present.
- Some things changed.
- Some things stayed the same.
- We use pictures and stories as clues.
11. Next lesson
Next lesson: Personal timelines. 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.
- Say one change and one thing that stayed the same. [3 marks]
- Compare transport then and now. [3 marks]
- Say what a clue is and give one. [2 marks]
- Say why things change. [2 marks]
Total: 10 marks.
Marking guide and model answers
- Change [1]; same [1]; clear [1]
- Then [1]; now [1]; compare [1]
- Meaning [1]; example [1]
- Invention [1]; need [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 compare mean?
- Name a past transport.
- Name a present transport.
- Name something the same.
- What can be a clue?
- Why did transport change?
- Why stay the same?
- Why use clues?
- Fill a then-and-now table.
- Tell a partner one change.
Homework
Ask an elder one way life was different and draw it.
Answer key and marking scheme
| Question | Expected response | Marks |
|---|---|---|
| 1. What does compare mean? | Alike and different. | 1 |
| 2. Name a past transport. | Canoe. | 1 |
| 3. Name a present transport. | Bus. | 1 |
| 4. Name something the same. | Need food. | 1 |
| 5. What can be a clue? | Photo. | 1 |
| 6. Why did transport change? | Invention. | 1 |
| 7. Why stay the same? | Needs remain. | 1 |
| 8. Why use clues? | To find out. | 1 |
| 9. Fill a then-and-now table. | Table. | 1 |
| 10. Tell a partner one change. | Sentence. | 1 |
| Total | 10 |
Independent practice answers. Level 1: 1 Alike and different.; 2 Canoe.; 3 Bus.; 4 Need food.; 5 Photo.. Level 2: 1 Invention.; 2 Needs remain.; 3 To find out.. Level 3: 1 Table.; 2 Sentence.; 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 past and present | 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 clues | 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 what changed | 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 what stayed 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 |
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: “Everything is different now.” Some things stay the same.
- Explain another way: use real objects, pictures or actions first, then words.
- Show a simpler example: Draw then and now pictures of travel.
- 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 past and present. Please share how life was different when you were small. You do not need to be an expert to help.
- Share your childhood.
- Show old pictures.
- Ask What changed?
- 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 past and present; use clues; say what changed; say what stayed the same.
Prerequisite knowledge. Grade 1 ideas: past, present, future and order of events.
Materials. Paper, pictures. 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. Prepare then-and-now 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). Show then and now pictures.
Explanation (10 min). Teach compare.
Guided activity (10 min). Fill tables.
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 is the past different from the present? What stayed 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. “Everything is different now.” Some things stay the same.
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 then and now pictures of travel. 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 8; 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.