HASS · Year 1

Active learning ideas

Commemorating Special Events

Active learning engages Year 1 students with concrete, meaningful tasks that connect abstract ideas about remembrance to their lived experiences. By creating timelines, symbols, and drawings, students move from passive listening to active participation, building empathy and understanding of shared community values.

• ACARA Content Descriptions
• AC9HASS1K02

• 25–45 min
• Pairs → Whole Class
• 4 activities

Activity 01

• Stations Rotation
• 35 min · Whole Class

Whole Class: Special Days Timeline

Brainstorm community and family special events as a class. Draw or write them on card strips and sequence them on a large timeline mural. Discuss one way each event is commemorated, such as songs or meals.

What are some special days that we remember together as a community?

Facilitation Tip

During the timeline activity, provide pre-printed event cards with both words and simple illustrations to support students who are still developing reading skills.

What to look for

Present students with pictures of different commemoration activities (e.g., a birthday party, a parade, a family looking at photos). Ask students to point to the picture that shows how a community remembers an important event and explain why.

• Remember
• Understand
• Apply
• Analyze
• Self-Management
• Relationship Skills

Activity 02

• Stations Rotation
• 45 min · Small Groups

Small Groups: Commemoration Symbols

Provide craft materials for groups to design a symbol, like a flag or wreath, for a chosen event. Groups explain their design's meaning and how it helps people remember. Display symbols in the classroom.

How do people show they remember an important event from the past?

Facilitation Tip

For the symbols activity, display examples of real commemoration items like poppies or flags to spark concrete connections before students begin creating their own.

What to look for

Give each student a small card. Ask them to draw one way their family or community remembers a special day and write one word to describe how it makes them feel.

• Remember
• Understand
• Apply
• Analyze
• Self-Management
• Relationship Skills

Activity 03

• Stations Rotation
• 25 min · Pairs

Pairs: Family Memory Interviews

Pairs take turns asking about a family special day, noting how it is marked with food, stories, or visits. Pairs share one highlight with the class via a talking stick.

Why do you think it is important to remember special events together?

Facilitation Tip

When conducting family interviews, model the questions first with a confident student to demonstrate appropriate language and tone.

What to look for

Ask students: 'Imagine you are planning a special day to remember a very important event in our school's history. What are two things you would do to help everyone remember?' Listen for ideas related to actions and shared experience.

• Remember
• Understand
• Apply
• Analyze
• Self-Management
• Relationship Skills

Activity 04

• Stations Rotation
• 30 min · Individual

Individual: My Remembrance Drawing

Students draw a special event from their life or community, label actions that show remembrance, and add why it matters. Share voluntarily in a class gallery walk.

What are some special days that we remember together as a community?

Facilitation Tip

During the remembrance drawing, encourage students to include a simple label to explain their image, reinforcing literacy connections.

What to look for

Present students with pictures of different commemoration activities (e.g., a birthday party, a parade, a family looking at photos). Ask students to point to the picture that shows how a community remembers an important event and explain why.

• Remember
• Understand
• Apply
• Analyze
• Self-Management
• Relationship Skills

A few notes on teaching this unit

Teachers should balance factual content with emotional engagement by using stories, songs, and artifacts that resonate with children’s experiences. Avoid overwhelming students with too many events at once. Focus on depth over breadth by revisiting a few commemorations in multiple ways. Research shows that concrete experiences, like handling symbols or creating art, help young children process abstract concepts like memory and respect.

Success looks like students identifying various types of commemorations, describing why communities choose specific actions, and expressing personal connections to family or national traditions. Look for accurate vocabulary use and thoughtful reflections during discussions and activities.

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Watch Out for These Misconceptions

• During the Commemoration Symbols activity, watch for students assuming all commemorations are joyful.

  Use the symbol-making process to highlight respectful or solemn symbols like wreaths or flags. Ask groups to explain why certain colors or shapes are chosen, guiding them to recognize that some symbols represent quiet reflection.

• During the Special Days Timeline activity, watch for students believing commemorating is just a day off.

  Have groups add actions to each event on the timeline, such as 'singing,' 'parading,' or 'sharing stories.' Ask students to explain how these actions help communities remember, shifting focus from the day itself to the purpose behind it.

• During the Family Memory Interviews activity, watch for students thinking only adults participate in remembering.

  Use the interview questions to highlight children’s roles, such as 'How do you help your family remember?' Provide examples like 'I draw pictures' or 'I attend the ceremony,' so students see their contributions as valuable.

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Methods used in this brief

• Stations Rotation