Unit Plan 23 (Grade K Social Studies): Change Over Time
Introduce kindergarteners to how everyday objects change over time by comparing old and new toys, tools, and clothing, using photos and stories to sort items and identify key details.
Focus: Help children notice how life changes over time by comparing old and new tools, toys, and clothing. Students examine photos, artifacts, and simple stories, then practice sorting items into past vs. present and telling which details are most important for showing change.
Grade Level: Kindergarten
Subject Area: Social Studies (History • Inquiry • Comparing Past/Present)
Total Unit Duration: 5 sessions (one week), 20–30 minutes per session
I. Introduction
In this unit, students become “Change Detectives” who explore how everyday things—like toys, tools, and clothes—looked long ago and how they look today. They use old photos, pictures, and simple artifacts to spot differences and similarities, practicing how to tell whether something is from the past or the present. By the end of the week, they will sort pictures, talk about change, and create a simple page showing how one object has changed over time.
Essential Questions
- How can we tell if something is from long ago or from today?
- What has changed about toys, tools, and clothing over time?
- How do we decide which details are most important for showing change?
- Why is it helpful to know how things change over time?
II. Objectives and Standards
Learning Objectives — Students will be able to:
- Use photos and simple stories to say if something is from the past or the present.
- Point out one or two details that show how tools, toys, or clothing have changed over time (e.g., “This one is wood, this one is plastic.”).
- Sort pictures or objects into past vs. present groups and explain their choices.
- Look at several pictures and pick the ones that are most important for showing change (e.g., toys that look very different).
- Create a simple “Change Over Time” page that shows an object “long ago” and “today,” with a drawing and dictated or written words.
Standards Alignment — Kindergarten (C3-based custom)
- K.C3.Hist.2 — Distinguish past and present with photos, artifacts, and stories.
- K.C3.Inq.3 — Sort information and tell what is important.
Success Criteria — Student Language
- I can tell if a picture shows long ago or today.
- I can point to important details that show something has changed.
- I can sort pictures into “past” and “present” and say why.
- I can choose pictures that are most helpful for showing change.
- I can make a Change Over Time page and explain it to a friend.