Objective:

Students will compare and contrast everyday life in the past with the present by examining schools, transportation, and daily routines. They will recognize changes in technology and society while identifying aspects that have stayed the same.

Materials Needed:

• Pictures of schools, transportation, and homes from different time periods

• Venn diagrams for comparison

• Paper and pencils for drawing

Steps:

• Introduction:

  • Begin by asking the class, "How do you get to school today? How do you think children got to school 100 years ago?" 

  • Show images of schools and transportation from the past (horse-drawn carriages, early cars) and compare them with modern-day buses and cars. 

  • Discuss what has changed and what has stayed the same.

• Group Activity:

  • Divide students into small groups. Each group will receive images from different time periods, focusing on schools, transportation, or daily life (e.g., children playing games, doing chores). 

  • The groups will use Venn diagrams to compare and contrast aspects of life from the past and the present. 

  • They will consider technology like computers in schools today versus chalkboards in the past.

• Presentation and Discussion:

  • Each group will present their Venn diagram, explaining the similarities and differences they found. 

  • The teacher will guide a discussion on how technology (like computers, transportation, and communication devices) has impacted daily life.

Equity and Access:

Provide images from a range of time periods and cultures to represent diverse experiences. For students needing additional support, offer pre-filled Venn diagrams with some examples to get them started.

Real-World Application:

Relate the lesson to how students' grandparents or great-grandparents might have experienced school or transportation, encouraging them to discuss these topics with family members.

CS Practice(s):

• Recognizing and Defining Computational Problems: Students break down past and present life into categories, such as transportation and school, for comparison.

• Developing and Using Abstractions: Students use Venn diagrams to visually organize and compare data about life in different eras.

Standard(s): 

• CA HSS 1.4

• CA CS K-2.IC.18

Objective:

Students will use Scratch Jr. or another coding platform to create an animation comparing schools and transportation in the past and present. Through coding, they will illustrate how technology has transformed everyday life over time.

Materials Needed:

• Tablets or computers with Scratch Jr. installed

• Historical and modern-day images of schools and transportation

• Storyboards for planning animations

Steps:

• Introduction:

  • Begin by discussing what schools and communities were like in the past compared to today. 

  • Show images of old classrooms, early transportation (like trains, horses, and cars), and modern schools with computers and buses.

  •  Explain that students will use Scratch Jr. to animate a story showing these differences.

• Group Activity:

  • In pairs, students will choose one aspect of life—either schools or transportation—and create two scenes in Scratch Jr. The first scene will show what life was like in the past (e.g., a classroom with a chalkboard, students riding horses to school). 

  • The second scene will show the same element in modern times (e.g., a classroom with computers and smartboards, students taking buses or riding bikes). 

  • They will use coding blocks to create movement, such as a horse running in the past and a bus driving in the present.

• Creating and Coding:

  • Students will work on their Scratch Jr. animations, using code to represent how people lived in the past and present. 

  • They will focus on how technological changes, like transportation and communication tools, have affected everyday life. 

  • Encourage students to refine their code, adjusting scenes to make sure they effectively show the differences between the two time periods.

• Testing and Refining:

  • Once students have completed their animations, they will test their code to ensure the sequences of events correctly reflect life in the past and present. 

  • They will make any necessary revisions to improve their animations and add details.

• Presentation and Discussion:

  • Each group will present their Scratch Jr. animation, explaining how they represented life in the past and present. 

  • Lead a discussion on how technology, like computers and transportation methods, has changed our lives and continues to shape communities.

Equity and Access:

Provide pre-built Scratch Jr. templates for students who need extra assistance or pair students with different levels of coding experience to encourage collaboration. Ensure all students have access to devices with Scratch Jr.

Real-World Application:

Connect this activity to real-world examples by discussing how students’ own lives have been impacted by technology, such as the use of tablets in school or electric buses in communities.

CS Practices():

• Creating Computational Artifacts: Students use a coding platform to design animations that depict the differences between life in the past and the present.

• Testing and Refining Computational Artifacts: Students test their code to ensure their animations accurately reflect changes in schools and communities over time.

Standard(s): 

• CA HSS 1.4

• CA CS K-2.IC.18