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Home / Lessons / Primary Lessons / History
Unit 1: How are our toys different from those in the past?
Audience: Key Stage 1
Year Group: 1
This unit looks at similarities and differences between toys today and toys in the past. It introduces children to the concepts of 'old' and 'new', and encourages them to think about the changes in their own lives and in those of their family or adults around them. The approach used in this unit could be applied to the study of other everyday things from the past, eg clothes, games. It provides a wide range of opportunities for children to develop their speaking and listening skills.
Scheme of work
Download the Scheme of work from the DfES Standards Site.
Lesson plans
Lesson plan 1: Our favourite toys
Children will be able to describe the characteristics of modern toys. Children will be able to describe how their favourite choice of toys has changed as they have grown older. Children will be able to suggest who might be able to tell children about toys in the past.
Lesson plan 2: Toys when our parents and grandparents were young
Children will be able to describe the characteristics of old toys. Children will talk about toys that belonged to our parents and grandparents. Children will be able to ask questions about toys in the past.
Lesson plan 3: Toys and the more distant past
Children will develop historical enquiry by finding out about the past from a range of sources of information. Children will be able to identify different ways in which the past is represented.
Lesson plan 4: The Punch and Judy show
Children will be able to understand that oral sources and traditional displays can tell us about the past. Children will be able to ask questions about the way people spent their leisure time in the past. Children will be able to infer information about the past by experiencing a traditional show first performed over 400 years ago.
Children will understand that design, materials and technology can indicate whether a toy is old or new. Children will recognise similarities and differences between old and new toys. Children will be able to use the language of time.
Children will be able to recognise that events in people's lives can influence what they do. Children will understand that changes in everyday life can influence the way things are represented. Children will learn about some significant children's writers.
Lesson plan 7: Dolls and Dolls Houses
Children will be able to describe the characteristics of a range of dolls. Children will recognise similarities and differences between old and new toys. Children will understand that artefacts like dolls can help us to learn about the past.
Lesson plan 8: Making a class museum
Children will learn how a real museum organises its exhibits. Children will be able to sort and group objects and explain why they have grouped them in particular ways. Children will be able to make a classroom museum and construct a time line. Children will be able to produce labels and captions for the toys on display.
Teacher fact files
Teacher fact file 1: Punch and Judy
Teacher fact file 2: Teddy Bears
Teacher fact file 3: Story Bears
Teacher fact file 4: Dolls and Dolls Houses
Worksheets
A survey for children to take home to find out about toys their parents and grandparents played with. Great for home-school links.
A simple timeline from 0 years to 6 years, for children to draw or cut out and stick catalogue pictures of toys suitable for that age group.
A chart for children to list, draw or use the pictures from 'Old and New Toys Pictures' (below) to sort old and new toys. A good way for children to make comparisons between popular toys then and now.
PDF: Old and New Toys Pictures
A selection of pictures of old and new toys for children to colour and sort. Can also be used with the 'Old and New Toys' chart (above).
Outline drawings of Punch and Judy. Children can colour, cut out and attach sticks to make their own puppets. Perform your own Punch and Judy show! Best photocopied onto card.
A picture of a new teddy for children to colour and label. Appropriate labels could be selected from 'Teddy labels' (Below). Best enlarged onto A3 paper.
A picture of an old teddy for children to colour and label. Appropriate labels could be selected from 'Teddy labels' (Below). Best enlarged onto A3 paper.
Teddy labels describing features of old and new teddies. Cut out and stick around pictures of an old and new teddy (provided above). A useful way to reinforce differences and for children to make careful observations and comparisons.
Useful resources (books, videos, etc)
Anna Then, Anna Now
Stephen Then, Stephen Now
The tale of two bad mice (book)
The tale of two bad mice (video)
Websites
A well thought out site overflowing with all the information you and your class could ever need to know about Paddington Bear. Appealing in appearance and ease of navigation, you can read about the author, the real Paddington, play games and print pictures to colour.
A useful information site for teachers. Here you will find a wealth of information on features to look for in old bears and the history of the teddy bear. The site is brimming with pictures of old bears to show the children; those kept at the museum even have an accompanying history that will interest your class.
World of Peter Rabbit and Friends
An exquisite site which is as beautifully presented and organised as the Beatrix Potter books themselves. Meet the characters, play games, listen to stories or view excerpts of films. Includes extensive detail on Beatrix Potter, her life and the development of her work - great for use in the Literacy Hour or when producing an author study. An enchanting site that is a feast for the eye.
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