You will learn
- Say what family history is.
- Ask older relatives questions.
- Use photos and objects.
- Share what I learn.
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
- Every family has a history.
- Elders can tell us about the past.
- Photos and objects help.
- We ask kindly and listen.
Words to know
what happened in the past
an older person who has lived long and knows much
a picture made with a camera
something you remember
1. Discover: The old photograph
Esi finds an old photograph in a box. It shows a young woman standing by a market stall. “That is your grandmother when she was young,” says her mother. “You can ask her about it.” Esi runs to her grandmother with a smile.
Think: What would you like to ask?
2. Understand: Family history
Idea 1: History
History is what happened in the past. Your family has a history too, such as where they lived, what jobs they had, and how they celebrated.
Idea 2: Finding out
We can ask an elder, look at a photograph, or hold an old object like a cup or a cloth. People tell us their memories.
Idea 3: Asking well
Ask short questions such as “Where did you live when you were small?” Listen and say thank you. Do not push if someone does not wish to answer.
3. Worked examples
Example 1 (I show you): Make a question
Write one question.
- Think.
- Start with Who, What or Where.
- Write it.
Answer: Where did you live when you were small?
Example 2 (We do it together): Look at a photo
Describe a photo.
- Look.
- Say what you see.
- Guess the time.
Answer: It shows a market and a woman.
Example 3 (You try): Say thank you
Thank an elder.
Show the steps and answer
- Listen.
- Smile.
- Say thank you for telling me.
Answer: Thank you for telling me.
Did you know?
In many cultures, elders keep family history by telling stories, which is called oral history.
Why this matters
Knowing our family history helps us feel proud and understand who we are.
4. Explore: Ask an elder
With an adult’s help, ask an older relative two questions about when they were young. Draw one thing they tell you.
- Choose two questions.
- Ask kindly.
- Listen.
- Draw it.
Think about it: what did you notice?
What did you notice? The elder liked sharing, and I learned something new.
5. Practise
Say it in a sentence
Use these starters when you talk about the lesson. Say them out loud.
- My family history is about ___.
- I asked ___.
- I learned that ___.
- An elder is ___.
Guided practice
Question 1. What is history?
What happened in the past.
Question 2. Who is an elder?
An older person.
Question 3. What is a photograph?
A camera picture.
Independent practice
Level 1: Start
- What is history?
- Who is an elder?
- What is a photograph?
- Write a question.
- Say thank you.
Level 2: Grow
- Why ask elders?
- Why use photos?
- Why not push?
Level 3: Stretch
- Draw something an elder told you.
- Tell the class one fact.
- Make a question list.
Answers are in the answer key below. Try first, then check.
6. Apply: Social Studies in everyday life
You want to learn about the past of your family. What will you do?
Show a sample answer
Ask an elder, look at photos and listen.
Another one. Ask an elder two questions and write the answers.
Show a sample answer
Share tomorrow.
7. Common mistakes
Fix: Every family has history.
Fix: We ask kindly and stop if someone does not want to answer.
8. Lesson summary and revision card
- I can say what family history is.
- I can ask older relatives questions.
- I can use photos and objects.
- I can share what I learn.
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
- Every family has a history.
- Elders can tell us about the past.
- Photos and objects help.
- We ask kindly and listen.
11. Next lesson
Next lesson: What is a school?. 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.
- Write one question for an elder. [2 marks]
- Say how to learn family history. [3 marks]
- Why should we not push for answers? [3 marks]
- What does history mean? [2 marks]
Total: 10 marks.
Marking guide and model answers
- Question [1]; kind [1]
- Ask elders [1]; photos [1]; listen [1]
- Kind [1]; private [1]; safe [1]
- Past [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 history?
- Who is an elder?
- What is a photograph?
- Write a question.
- Say thank you.
- Why ask elders?
- Why use photos?
- Why not push?
- Draw something an elder told you.
- Tell the class one fact.
Homework
Ask an older relative about their childhood and draw what they tell you.
Answer key and marking scheme
| Question | Expected response | Marks |
|---|---|---|
| 1. What is history? | What happened in the past. | 1 |
| 2. Who is an elder? | An older person. | 1 |
| 3. What is a photograph? | A camera picture. | 1 |
| 4. Write a question. | Where did you live? | 1 |
| 5. Say thank you. | Thank you for telling me. | 1 |
| 6. Why ask elders? | They remember the past. | 1 |
| 7. Why use photos? | They show the past. | 1 |
| 8. Why not push? | It is kind. | 1 |
| 9. Draw something an elder told you. | Picture. | 1 |
| 10. Tell the class one fact. | Sentence. | 1 |
| Total | 10 |
Independent practice answers. Level 1: 1 What happened in the past.; 2 An older person.; 3 A camera picture.; 4 Where did you live?; 5 Thank you for telling me.. Level 2: 1 They remember the past.; 2 They show the past.; 3 It is kind.. Level 3: 1 Picture.; 2 Sentence.; 3 Two questions..
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 family history 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 Ask older relatives questions | 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 Use photos and 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 |
| O4 Share what I learn | 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: “History is only about kings and wars.” Every family has history.
- Explain another way: use real objects, pictures or actions first, then words.
- Show a simpler example: Show one old photo and one new photo. Ask what is different and what has stayed the same.
- 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 begins to explore family history. Unit 2 is now complete. Please share a memory and respect any topics you prefer not to discuss. You do not need to be an expert to help.
- Share a childhood memory.
- Show an old photo.
- Answer kindly.
- 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 family history is; ask older relatives questions; use photos and objects; share what I learn.
Prerequisite knowledge. Grade 1 ideas: what a family is, family members and helping at home.
Materials. Paper, crayons, photos if available. 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. Invite an elder if possible.
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 an old photo and ask what we can learn.
Explanation (10 min). Teach family history.
Guided activity (10 min). Learners write questions.
Independent activity (10 min). Learners share.
Assessment and reflection (5 min). Ask each learner to say one thing they learned and how they know it.
Key questions. What happened in my family’s past? Whom can I ask?
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. “History is only about kings and wars.” Every family has history.
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. Show one old photo and one new photo. Ask what is different and what has stayed the same. 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 2, topic 10; NCSS C3 Framework, individuals and groups; Cambridge Primary Humanities, people; IB Primary Years Programme, who we are. These sources informed the lesson.