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1st Grade - Act. 08: Then and Now

Main Core Tie

English Language Arts Grade 1
Reading: Literature Standard 2

Authors

Utah LessonPlans
Grace Wayman

Summary

Students will use the teacher created exploration tub, charts and cards to understand the concept of "Then and Now."


Materials

Attachments

  • Great Grandma and I by Brenda Parkes
  • "Then and Now" chart
  • "Then and Now" cards
  • "Then and Now" exploration tub
  • sticky notes


Background for Teachers

This lesson works great as part of a Balanced Literacy approach to integration. The book portion of this activity is designed to be used as a read aloud or a guided reading lesson. The exploration tub portion of this activity works great as a learning center following the shared reading activity.

Prior to teaching this lesson, you need to collect the materials for your exploration tub. Examples of then and now items for you tub could be: tomato seed and tomato, baby picture and picture of a child, picture of horse and buggy and picture of a car, tadpole and frog, chalk and white board marker, etc.


Intended Learning Outcomes

Intended Learning Outcomes:
5. Understand and use basic concepts and skills.

Process Skills
Segmentation and blending


Instructional Procedures

Invitation to Learn
"It is hard to believe it now, but once you were a baby. Now you are a first grader who is learning and doing many things on your own. How have you changed from that baby to how you are now? What things did you do then? What things can you do now? Has your family changed? Has your house changed? What else has changed?"

Instructional Procedures

  1. When reading Great Grandma and I to the class or with a small group of students, focus on the then and now aspect of the material. You may want to read the book more than once, focusing on different elements each time.
  2. Give each student two sticky notes and have them draw or write a then and now item. (i.e. on one sticky note they could draw a baby, on another a child).
  3. Invite each student to come forward and explain their items and place them on the chart appropriately. (You will need to enlarge the "Then and Now" chart included with this lesson in order to do this activity.)
  4. Later in small groups or as a learning center, have children work on the "then and now" exploration tub. Using the "then and now" chart, they can work together to place items in the correct place.
  5. Students could color, cut, sort, and glue the "Then and Now" cards on their own "Then and Now" chart.


Extensions

Possible Extensions/ Adaptations
Focusing on the then and now concept, students could notice how families change over time (Standard II, Objective 1, Indicator c) Students could also focus on names and features of animals as babies and adults (i.e. chick to chicken, tadpole to frog, kid to goat).

Family Connections
Using the age of the first grader as a time frame (6 or 7 years ago as "then"), have students complete a "Then and Now" chart for each member of their family. Students could interview a grandparent or elder member of their community. Ask them what school was like when they were your age. What was their favorite thing to do at recess. How did they get to school. What did they eat for lunch and where? Ask any other appropriate questions. Have children write a short report telling about each interview.


Assessment Plan

Observe children as they complete the exploration tub. You will also be able to assess students on how they sorted the “Then and Now” cards.


Created: 08/08/2003
Updated: 02/05/2018
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