Date: 15/10/2014

Lesson Duration: 60 minutes

Unit: History Changes in family structure over time

Year Level: 1

The Year 1 curriculum provides a study of present and past family life within the context of
the students own world. Students learn about similarities and differences in family life by
comparing the present with the past. They begin to explore the links, and the changes that
occur, over time.
The content provides opportunities to develop historical understanding through key concepts
including continuity and change, cause and effect, perspectives, empathy and
significance. These concepts may be investigated within a particular historical context to
facilitate an understanding of the past and to provide a focus for historical inquiries.
The history content at this year level involves two strands: Historical Knowledge, and
Understanding and Historical Skills. These strands are interrelated and should be taught in an
integrated way; they may be integrated across learning areas and in ways that are appropriate
to specific local contexts. The order and detail in which they are taught are programming
decisions.
Key Inquiry Questions
A framework for developing students historical knowledge, understanding and skills is
provided by inquiry questions. The key inquiry questions at this year level are:

How has family life changed or remained the same over time?
How can we show that the present is different from or similar to the past?
How do we describe the sequence of time?

CURRICULUM: Content Descriptions

History

Differences in family structures and roles today, and how these have changed or
remained the same over time (ACHHK028)
Distinguish between the past, present and future (ACHHS032)
Pose questions about the past using sources provided (ACHHS033)

LESSON OBJECTIVES
By the end of this lesson students will demonstrate their ability to:

Recognise that some family structures have changed over time.

STUDENTS PRIOR KNOWLEDGE

In lesson 1 students:

Explored a range of sources and identified the roles of significant older people in
families
Examined how family structures can consist of people from each human life stage
Discussed the term generation

MATERIALS
Interactive whiteboard
Slideshow presentation
Playdough
Easel
Butchers paper
Permanent markers

Time

5 mins

Introduction and Motivation

Orientation Phase:

Gain students attention (i.e. clap). Ask students, table group by

table group, to sit on the carpet in front of the interactive
whiteboard.
Project upon the screen the powerpoint presentation. Discuss
with students image 1.1. Points to consider include:
- Who do you think is in this picture?
- Why do you think it is a family?
- Do you think this picture was taken recently? Why/why
not?
Inform students of the learning intention for the lesson: Today
we are going to look at how families have changed and stayed
the same over time.

Time

5mins

Main Content

Teaching
Approaches &
Resources
Discussion
with students
to activate
prior
knowledge
Interactive
whiteboard +
slideshow
Modelling to
scaffold
students
learning.

Teaching
Approaches &
Resources

Enhancing Phase

Project upon the screen the powerpoint and highlight the

timeline to the students i.e. What do you think this line here
is? Why are there numbers? What could these numbers
represent?
As a class read the dates out loud. Ask the students how

Model how
to complete
the activity

10min
s

10min
s

10min
s

many years is each date going up by? 50, 60, 70(it is going
up in tens).
Explain to students that when we go up in periods of ten
years it is known as a decade. To ensure students
understanding of this concept ask:
- If we went up in periods of 5 years is that a decade?
Why/why not?
- Is 1940 1950 a decade? Why/why not?
- How many years are in a decade?
Discuss with students where 2014 is on the timeline. Ask the
students if 2014 is in the past (has happened), future (will
happen) or present (happening right now).
On the class timeline (pinned on the wall) stick the present
tag on 2014.
Examine the dates 1950 2000. Discuss whether or not these
dates are the past, present or future. Stick the past tag on
these dates.
Examine the date 2020. Once again, ask students if this is the
past, present or future. Ask students to explain why it is the
future (because it has not happened yet).
Explain to students that they are now going to examine how
family structures have changed and stayed the same over the
decades.
Explore a range of images of families (slideshow) and
discuss the features of each family to:
- Determine which features in the images tell us which
decade the families belong to (e.g. clothing, hairstyle,
family structure)
- Discuss and identify the many different types of families,
including nuclear, single parent or blended and the
different family structures in other cultures.
Direct students attention towards the easel. As a class write a
serious of questions that could be asked to determine:
- Decades parents, grandparents and other family members
have lived.
- The structure of parents and grandparents or other
special peoples families when they were younger and
about the roles that they have had within their family
structures as a child.
Explain to students that they will have 10 minutes to use the
play dough at their desks to create their family. Model to
students how to complete this task i.e. pre-create play dough
figures of my parents, two brothers and myself. Inform
students that after 10 minutes they will report back to the
class and share their family structures with the class.
Monitor and support students during this time.

to students.
Clarify any
questions.

Questions
to scaffold
and support
students
learning.

Easel
Butchers
paper and
pens

Playdough

10min
s

Time
10 mins

Conclusion:

Resources

Gain students attention (clap sequence).

Ask students to sit in a circle. One-by-one students are to
share their family structure with the class.
Conclude the lesson by asking students
- How many years are in a decade?
- Have family structures changed over time?
- Why do you think they have changed?

ASSESSMENT
Can the student:

Explain differences between structures of families in the past and structures of

families today?
Identify what has changed and what has remained the same in family structures and
roles over time?
Explain key words such as decade, family roles and family structures?

Be aware of:

Students who cannot identify differences in represented families.

EVALUATION
Were the students engaged?
Did I complete all objectives and were they met?
Are there things that I would do differently?
Did peers scaffold each other?
Did I observe, monitor and scaffold enough?
Was my questioning effective and did I respond appropriately?
Did I use efficient wait-time?
Should I have re-phrased any questions to make them easier to understand?
Did I ask questions from across all 6 major areas of Blooms taxonomy?
Is 60 minutes enough time to complete the lesson?