HASS · Year 1

Active learning ideas

Daily Routines: Then and Now

Active learning works because Year 1 students grasp time concepts best through physical and visual experiences. Mapping routines with pictures, objects, and movement helps children compare their daily lives to those of the past in a concrete, memorable way.

• ACARA Content Descriptions
• AC9HASS1K03

• 20–35 min
• Pairs → Whole Class
• 4 activities

Activity 01

• Role Play
• 35 min · Small Groups

Timeline Creation: Then and Now

Provide long paper strips split down the middle. In small groups, students draw or sticker icons for their daily routine on one side and a past routine on the other, from wake-up to bedtime. Groups present one similarity and one difference to the class.

What does your typical day look like from the time you wake up to bedtime?

Facilitation Tip

During Timeline Creation, provide pre-cut images of modern and historical items so students focus on sequencing rather than drawing.

What to look for

Provide students with a worksheet showing two columns: 'My Day' and 'A Day Long Ago'. Ask them to draw or write one activity for each column, comparing a morning task and an afternoon activity. Review drawings for accurate comparisons.

• Apply
• Analyze
• Evaluate
• Social Awareness
• Self-Awareness

Activity 02

• Role Play
• 25 min · Pairs

Role Play: Routine Swap

Pairs act out a morning routine: one uses modern tools like an alarm and toaster, the other pretends past ways like a handbell and wood fire. Switch roles, then discuss feelings and changes in a quick share.

How do you think a child's day was different long ago, before TV or computers?

Facilitation Tip

For Role Play Pairs, limit each pair to 3 minutes per routine to keep the energy high and prevent disengagement.

What to look for

Ask students: 'Imagine you have no TV or video games. What are three things you could do for fun after school?' Facilitate a class discussion, noting student responses on a board to highlight differences in entertainment.

• Apply
• Analyze
• Evaluate
• Social Awareness
• Self-Awareness

Activity 03

• Role Play
• 30 min · Whole Class

Whole Class Story Circle: Past Days

Students sit in a circle. Each shares one part of their day, then imagines or recounts a past version from books or family input. Teacher charts similarities on a board for all to see.

What parts of a child's daily routine do you think have stayed the same over time?

Facilitation Tip

In Story Circle, invite students to pass a small artefact or photo around as they speak to build turn-taking and focus.

What to look for

Give each student a card with a picture of a modern item (e.g., tablet) and a historical item (e.g., washboard). Ask them to write one sentence explaining how each item might have been used in a child's daily routine.

• Apply
• Analyze
• Evaluate
• Social Awareness
• Self-Awareness

Activity 04

• Role Play
• 20 min · Individual

Individual Journals: My Day Dual View

Students fold paper into two columns to draw and label their routine alongside a past one, using prompt pictures. Collect for a class display wall.

What does your typical day look like from the time you wake up to bedtime?

Facilitation Tip

During Journal creation, use a two-column graphic organizer labeled 'Then' and 'Now' to scaffold comparisons.

What to look for

Provide students with a worksheet showing two columns: 'My Day' and 'A Day Long Ago'. Ask them to draw or write one activity for each column, comparing a morning task and an afternoon activity. Review drawings for accurate comparisons.

• Apply
• Analyze
• Evaluate
• Social Awareness
• Self-Awareness

A few notes on teaching this unit

Teach this topic by balancing storytelling with structured comparisons. Avoid overwhelming students with too much historical detail; instead, highlight key differences through familiar routines. Research shows that when children can connect past experiences to their own lives, they build empathy and historical thinking more effectively. Use artefacts and photos as conversation starters to make abstract ideas tangible.

Successful learning looks like students confidently describing at least two similarities and two differences between past and present routines. They should use specific examples from their timeline, role play, or journal to support their ideas during discussions.

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Watch Out for These Misconceptions

• During Role Play Pairs, watch for students assuming all past routines were boring or only about chores. Redirect by having pairs act out a game or playtime activity from the 1920s to show fun existed.

  During Timeline Creation, watch for students omitting play or family time in their historical routines. Point to artefacts like marbles or family photos to gently remind them that children in the past also valued leisure and connection.

• During Story Circle, watch for students generalizing that life in the past was entirely difficult or unpleasant. Redirect by prompting them to share positive moments they noticed in the photos or artefacts.

  During Timeline Creation, watch for students labeling all historical activities as 'hard' without context. Ask guiding questions like, 'What might have been enjoyable about this routine?' to encourage balanced perspectives.

• During Role Play Pairs, watch for students believing daily routines have changed completely. Redirect by having pairs identify which parts of their routines stayed the same, such as eating meals or sleeping.

  During Journal creation, watch for students skipping the 'Then' column entirely. Remind them to fill both columns and highlight similarities in bold to make patterns visible.

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Methods used in this brief

• Role Play