Unit Plan 23 (Grade 2 Social Studies): Change Over Time in Our Community

Focus: Explore how our community has changed over time by examining photographs, artifacts, and simple accounts, and learn to decide which information is helpful and trustworthy.

Grade Level: 2

Subject Area: Social Studies (History • Inquiry)

Total Unit Duration: 5 sessions (one week), 30–45 minutes per session

I. Introduction

In this unit, students become history detectives who look for change over time in their own community. Using old and new photographs, pictures of artifacts, and short stories or captions, they learn to tell the difference between past and present and notice what has changed and what has stayed the same. Students also practice deciding which pictures and objects are actually about our community and which ones are not helpful for answering our questions. By the end of the week, they create a “Then and Now in Our Community” page showing one place or feature that has changed over time.

Essential Questions

• How can photographs, artifacts, and stories help us learn about the past in our community?
• What has changed and what has stayed the same in our homes, schools, and neighborhoods over time?
• How do we know if a picture or object is really a good clue about our community’s history?
• Why is it important to understand how our community has changed?

II. Objectives and Standards

Learning Objectives — Students will be able to:

1. Distinguish past and present by comparing old and current photographs of community places.
2. Describe at least one way their community has changed over time (buildings, transportation, clothing, technology, etc.).
3. Use artifacts and simple accounts (captions, short texts) as clues to understand what life was like “long ago.”
4. Evaluate picture cards and objects for relevance (“Does this show our community?”) and basic reliability (“Is this a real photo or made-up cartoon?”).
5. Create a “Then and Now in Our Community” page that shows and explains a change over time using at least two pieces of evidence.

Standards Alignment — 2nd Grade (C3-based custom)

• 2.C3.Hist.2 — Distinguish past and present using photographs, artifacts, and accounts; note change over time.
  • Example: Compare a one-room schoolhouse to your school today.
• 2.C3.Inq.3 — Evaluate information (relevance, basic reliability) and sort evidence.
  • Example: Decide which pictures actually show public services vs. private businesses.

Success Criteria — Student Language

• I can tell which pictures or objects are from long ago and which are from today.
• I can point to one place or thing in our community and explain how it has changed over time.
• I can say which photos or artifacts are good clues about our community and which ones are not helpful.
• I can use evidence (a picture or object) to show and tell how my community has changed.
• I can make a clear Then and Now page that someone else can understand.