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Social Studies 1.1 Unit Plan

Social Studies SOL 1.1: The student will interpret information presented in picture timelines to
show sequence of events and will distinguish among past, present, and future.
Day 1
SS SOLS: 1.1
Objective: The students will sequence events in chronological order.
Terms to know:
Past: things that have already happened
Present: things that are happening right now
Future: things that may happen someday
Timeline: shows the order events happen
Blooms: Knowledge
Materials:
Kids Channels Months of the Year video clip
Picture of the names of the months
A card with each students name and birthday on it
A card with todays date on it
Clothesline or string
Clothespins (one for each student)
Crayons, coloring pencils, etc.
Procedures:
1. Review the months of the year by showing the quick video. Throughout the lesson, have
a picture with the names of the months projected on the screen so the students can refer to
it.
2. Give each student a card with his/her name and birthday on it.
3. Have them color their cards.
4. In front of the room, have a clothesline and hang todays date up. Introduce the word
present as something that is happening right now. So today is the present.
5. One at a time, have the students come up and put their card on the timeline. January will
be on the left end, while December will be on the right end. Use terms like before,
already happened, after, and will happen in order to provoke students thinking about
the past and future.
6. Once everyones card has been placed on the clothesline, discuss how everyones
birthday before today has happened in the past, if someones birthday was today that
would be the present, and everyones birthday that has not happened yet this year will be
in the future.
7. Give hand motions for these three terms that will use throughout the unit.

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a. Past: point with thumb in a backwards motion above the shoulder
b. Present: act like you are pointing to a watch
c. Future: point in front of you, symbolizing that the future is ahead of you
8. Tell students that this is a timeline. A timeline shows the order events happen.
Assessment: Class discussion and birthday timeline
Differentiation: Extra scaffolding will be used with students who are
struggling.
Extension: Create a timeline with the class schedule for the day.
Day 2
SS SOLS: 1.1
Objective: The students will identify the past, present, and future.
Terms to know:
Past: things that have already happened
Present: things that are happening right now
Future: things that may happen someday
Change: something that happens to make things different
Blooms: Knowledge
Materials:
My Past, Present, and Future booklet
Crayons, colored pencils, etc.
Pencils
Personal pictures of you in the past and present and a picture of what you hope to be in
the future
Sequencing worksheet
Procedures:
1. Review the terms past, present, and future (with hand motions).
2. Show your personal pictures of you in the past, present and what you hope to be in the
future.
3. Explain to students that you have changed and will change throughout time. Define
change as something that happens to make things different. So, you are different now
than you were when you were a baby, and you will be different when you are a grown up.
You change as time passes.
4. Pass out My Past, Present, and Future booklets.
5. Have students draw a picture of themselves that depicts how they have or will change in
the past, present, and future. The students should also complete the sentence for each
picture.

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6. Allow students to share when they are done.
Assessment: My Past, Present, and Future booklet
Differentiation:
-For students who need extra help, the teacher, teachers assistant, or myself may strongly
scaffold the students spelling. If the student is still unable to adequately complete the sentence,
the student may just draw a picture and verbally explain the drawing to the teacher, teachers
assistant, or myself.
-Students who finish early will be provided with a sequencing worksheet. Students may also read
a book.
Days 3 & 4
SS SOLS: 1.1
Objective: The students will compare and contrast schools, communities, transportation, and
families from the past and the present.
Terms to Know:
Community: a place where people live, work, and play
Family: a group of people who care for one another
Blooms: Comprehension
Materials:
The Little House on the Prairie film
Chart paper
Marker
Procedures:
1. Show the film The Little House on the Prairie.
2. After the film, use a Venn diagram to discuss how schools, communities, transportation,
and families have changed. Questions that may be asked include:
a. What did their family look like? Who was in their family? What does your family
look like? Who is in your family?
i. Define family as a group of people who care for one another.
b. How did the family in the movie get their food? How do you get your food?
c. What did their house look like? Does your house look like that?
d. What did their community look like? What does your community look like?
i. Define community as a place where people live, work, and play.
e. How did they travel from place to place? How do you travel?
f. What did their school look like? How is your school different?
Assessment: Venn diagram and class discussion

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Differentiation: Visual and auditory learning styles are accommodated
through the video and through class discussion. Vocabulary will be explained
in a variety of ways to help students who are struggling. In addition, an
assistant will be available in the room to aid students who need extra
guidance.
Day 5
SS SOLS: 1.1
Objective: The students will compare and contrast schools, communities, transportation, and
families from the past and the present.
Blooms: Comprehension
Materials:
Long Ago vs. Today PowerPoint
Past vs. Present picture sort
Scissors
Glue
Crayons, coloring pencils, etc.
Past and Present photo cards
Procedures:
1. Go through Long Ago vs. Today PowerPoint. Ask students if each image is from the
past or the present, and have the students do the appropriate hand motions.
2. Pass out the Past vs. Present picture sort. The students will cut out and glue the pictures
in the appropriate section: past or present.
Assessment: Class discussion and picture sort
Differentiation: Pictures are used to accommodate the reading ability of
students.
-Students who finish early will color their pictures.
Extension: Show and discuss the Past and Present photo cards.
Day 6
SS SOLS: 1.1
Objective: The students will compare and contrast schools, communities,
transportation, and families from the present and the future.
Terms to Know:
Community: a place where people live, work, and play
Family: a group of people who care for one another

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Blooms: Comprehension
Materials:
Meet the Robinsons video clips
Chart Paper
Marker
Procedures:
1. Show the video clips (17:30-21:00; 25:00-27:00; 28:52-31:40).
2. After the film, use a Venn diagram to discuss how schools, communities, transportation,
and families are different now than they might be in the future. Questions that may be
asked include:
a. What does their family look like? Who was in their family? What does your
family look like? Who is in your family?
i. Define family as a group of people who care for one another.
b. How does the family in the movie get their food? How do you get your food?
c. What does their house look like? Does your house look like that?
d. What does their community look like? What does your community look like?
i. Define community as a place where people live, work, and play.
e. How do they travel from place to place? How do you travel?
f. What do you think their school will look like? How is your school different?
Assessment: Venn diagram and class discussion
Differentiation: Visual and auditory learning styles are accommodated
through the videos and through class discussion. Vocabulary will be
explained in a variety of ways to help students who are struggling. In
addition, an assistant will be available in the room to aid students who need
extra guidance.
Extension: Write a sentence and draw a picture of what you think your life
will be like in the future.
Day 7
SS SOLS: 1.1
Objective: The students will compare and contrast schools, communities, transportation, and
families from the past, present, and future.
Blooms: Comprehension
Materials:
Past, Present, or Future? PowerPoint
Past, Present, and Future picture sort
Scissors

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Glue
Crayons, coloring pencils, etc.
Past, Present, and Future SmartBoard activity

Procedures:
1. Go through Past, Present, or Future? PowerPoint. Ask students if each image is from
the past, the present, or the future. Also, have the students do the appropriate hand
motions.
2. Pass out the Past, Present, and Future picture sort. The students will cut out and glue the
pictures in the appropriate section: past, present, or future.
Assessment: Class discussion and picture sort
Differentiation: Pictures are used to accommodate the reading ability of
students.
-Students who finish early will color their pictures.
Extension: Let students interact with the Past, Present, and Future
SmartBoard activity.
Day 8
SS SOLS: 1.1
Objectives: Students will display their knowledge of timelines by
highlighting important information and by drawing and labeling pictures that
depict the past, present, or future.
Blooms: Application
Materials:
Students mind notebooks
SS SOL 1.1 summary card
Glue
Highlighters
Pencils
Crayons, coloring pencils, etc.
Procedures:
1. Have students get out their mind notebooks, turn to the next clean two pages, and write
the date at the top.
2. Students will glue the SS SOL 1.1 summary card on the right page.
3. As a class, we will highlight and discuss important information from this SOL.
4. On the left page, the students will draw and label pictures that depict the past, present,
and future.
5. The students will show and explain their work before turning their notebooks in.

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Assessment: The students drawings will serve as an assessment piece.

Differentiation: Students will be able to explain their drawings and/or
words.
If there is time:
SS SOLS: 1.1
Objective: The students will demonstrate chronological thinking by distinguishing between the
past, present, and future.
Terms to know:
Change: something that happens to make things different
Blooms: Knowledge
Materials:
United Streaming video: Long Ago, Yesterday, and Today
Procedures:
Introduce the concept of change. Tell students that change means something that happens
to make things different. Use the weather as an example of change. Ask for other
examples of change (people, animals, plants, etc).
Tell students that the way humans live changes over time too. The way their grandparents
lived when they were in first grade is different than the way they (the students) live today,
and the way their grandchildren live when they are in the first grade will be different too.
Show the United Streaming video Long Ago, Yesterday, and Today.
Have a class discussion about the video.
Assessment: Class discussion
Differentiation: Visual and auditory learners are targeted through this
lesson. Also, students will have the opportunity to learn from each other
through class discussion.
Childrens Literature:
Sky Dancers by Connie Ann Kirk
Tell Me a Story, Mama by Angela Johnson
Me and My Family Tree by Sweeney
When I Was Young in the Mountains by Rylant
My Great Aunt Arizona by Huston
Dance at Grandpas by Wilder
Oh What a Thanksgiving by Kroll

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On This Spot: An Expedition Back Through Time by Goodman

If You Lived a 100 Years Ago by Ann McGovern
About 100 Years Ago by Trumbauer and Lisa
When I Was Little: A FourYear-Olds Memoir of Her Youth by Jamie L. Curtis
In Grandmas Day by Paul Humphrey