K.2 OVERVIEW

The student will describe everyday life in the present and in the past and begin to recognize that things change over time.

SUGGESTED INSTRUCTIONAL STRATEGIES

• Create a T chart to explain past and present. Write "Past" on the left side and "Present" on the right.
  -Have students tell about things they did when they went home from school yesterday. Write these ideas under "Past" on the board. Ideas might include played outside, ate dinner, looked at a book, and brushed teeth.
  -Ask students to tell you activities they did in school today. Write these ideas under "Present" on the board. Reponses might include listening to the teacher, drawing a picture, talking with a friend, and walking in the hall.
  - Read the word “past” and things the students said they did. Ask for a volunteer to explain what they think the word “past” means.
  - Explain to students that “past” means a time that something has already happened and “present” means something that is happening now.
• Ask students to fold a piece of paper in half. On one side, they should draw something that has happened in their past. One the other side, write what is happening in the present.
  
• Tell students we can organize things that have happened in the past on a time line. Explain the meaning and purpose of a time line to students.
  -On the chalkboard, draw a time line similar to one students will make. On the left side, write the word “past.” Above it draw or place a picture of the teacher as a baby. Make the statement, “In the past, I was a baby.” On the middle line, write “past” and draw or place a picture of the teacher as a child. Make the statement, “In the past, I was a child.” On the right side line, write the word “present” and above it draw or place a picture of the teacher as an adult. Make the statement, “Presently, I am an adult.”
  -Tell the students they will draw or use pictures to create their own time lines. Start with “past” and move to “present.
  -As a group, students should share their time lines using statements. Such as, “In the past, I was a baby, toddler, etc.” and “In the present, I am a child, big girl/boy, etc.”

Thanksgiving

• Explain why we celebrate Thanksgiving. Explain the people who celebrated one of the first Thanksgivings were the Pilgrims, who lived long ago in the past.
• Read a teacher-selected book about Thanksgiving.
  -After reading a book and sharing pictures, review the type of houses the Pilgrims had. Note that the Pilgrims' houses were different from those of today.
  -Make a Venn diagram on the board comparing the Pilgrim houses with the houses of today. Write student responses in the appropriate section. (For example, if a student should respond by saying “TV room” put the word under the “today” section.)
• Tell students to fold their drawing paper in half. Label one side “past” and the other side “today.” Students will draw an example of the characteristics of each house.

Pocahontas

• Read a teacher-selected book about the American Indians (First Americans).
• Discuss how the American Indians (First Americans) lived. Discuss things they ate, their clothing, what they hunted, how they lived, and their shelter.
• Show pictures to students and have students sort the pictures into a pocket chart stating if it is a picture of something from the past or the present.
• Explain the purpose of a KWL chart.
  -Have the students share facts they Know about Pocahontas.
  -Continue by allowing students time to think about what they Want to know about Pocahontas.
  -Read a teacher-selected book about Pocahontas.
  - After reading the book, students should share answers of what they Learned about Pocahontas.
• Ask the students to tell you how Pocahontas’ life was different than their lives today. After accepting reasonable answers, ask students how their lives are the same as Pocahontas.
• Pass out papers. Students will draw how their life is the same and how it is different compared to Pocahontas.

Betsy Ross

• Explain to students that important people and events in the past still influence the present today.
• Play “I Spy” and have students guess that the object was made in the past and is red, white, and blue. Presently, the object is in classrooms, at baseball games, etc. What is it?
• Tell students a person named Betsy Ross might have made the first American flag. Read a teacher-selected book about Betsy Ross.
• Tell the students they will play fact or fiction. Read a statement about Betsy Ross and put the card in the appropriate category.

George Washington

• Fill out the K and W part of the KWL chart on George Washington.
  -Read a teacher-selected book.
  -Fill out the L part of the chart.
• Explain that George Washington did many important things in the past. The United States honored him by putting his face on the quarter.
• Put a quarter at each table. Have the students make a crayon rubbing of the quarter. Discuss the features of the coin.
• Read a teacher-selected book about Abraham Lincoln.
• Have students share what they know about Abraham Lincoln and the important things he did in the past.
• Discuss that he was so important that the United States put his face and the Lincoln Memorial on the penny.
• Take a few minutes for the students to examine and talk about the numbers, words, and pictures on the penny.
• Students will make a “Penny Necklace.”
  -Glue the red circle to the blue circle
  -Glue the white circle to the red circle
  -Glue the penny to the white circle
  -Punch a hole at the top
  -Lace yarn through hole to make the necklace
• Use the time line to show the students who came first, second, third, etc. in history. Give clues about the people who came first. For example, "She was an American Indian. She was a daughter of an Indian Chief.” The students will place this picture on time line near the word “past.” Repeat the procedures until all historical figures are used. When the clue for the class photo is guessed, make sure to emphasize that the photo goes near “present.” Post the completed time line.

WEB SITES

http://teacher.scholastic.com/thanksgiving/index.htm
Learn about the first Thanksgiving in this interactive site.

http://www.apva.org/history/pocahont.html
Here is a biography of Pocahontas from Jamestown Rediscovery.

http://www.educationalsynthesis.org/famamer/Pocahontas/
Pocahontas Pages by Anne Pemberton offer a variety of resources.

http://www.ushistory.org/betsy/
Here is the Betsy Ross homepage.

http://www.EnchantedLearning.com/history/us/pres/washington/index.shtml
Time lines, activities, crafts, and coloring printouts are available about George Washington.

http://www.educationalsynthesis.org/famamer/Washington.html
Famous Americans by Anne Pemberton features George Washington.

http://www.EnchantedLearning.com/history/us/pres/lincoln/index.shtml
Time lines, activities, crafts, and coloring printouts are available about Abraham Lincoln.

http://www.educationalsynthesis.org/famamer/Lincoln.html
Famous Americans by Anne Pemberton features Abraham Lincoln.

http://chumby.dlib.vt.edu/melissa/posters/posterset.html
Social studies curriculum resources poster sets are available here for kindergarten.

LITERATURE LINKS

Life in the present and past

Willey, Margaret.
Thanksgiving with Me. No city: Harper Collins Juvenile Books, 1998.
As a young girl waits for her six uncles to arrive for Thanksgiving dinner, she asks her mother to describe life with these brothers during Thanksgivings of the past.