HASS · Year 1

Active learning ideas

Exploring Family Traditions

Active learning helps Year 1 students connect personal experiences to broader concepts like family traditions. When children talk, draw, and compare, they move from abstract ideas to concrete examples they can explain and share.

• ACARA Content Descriptions
• AC9HASS1K01

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

Activity 01

• Inside-Outside Circle
• 30 min · Whole Class

Sharing Circle: Family Favorites

Gather students in a circle with a talking object, like a soft toy. Model sharing one tradition and its reason. Each student shares briefly, with classmates asking one follow-up question. Record key ideas on chart paper.

What are some special traditions your family has? Why do you do them?

Facilitation Tip

During Sharing Circle, seat students in a close circle to encourage full participation and eye contact.

What to look for

Provide students with a small card. Ask them to draw one family tradition and write one sentence explaining why their family does it. Collect these to check for understanding of tradition and purpose.

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

Activity 02

• Inside-Outside Circle
• 25 min · Individual

Individual Draw: My Tradition

Provide paper and crayons for students to draw a family tradition. Add labels for what happens and why. Students then pair up to describe their drawings to each other.

How are your family's traditions similar to or different from your friends' traditions?

Facilitation Tip

For Individual Draw, provide thick markers and large paper to make details visible from a distance.

What to look for

Ask students: 'Think about a special meal your family shares. What makes it special? Is it the food, who is there, or something else you do?' Record student responses on chart paper to highlight common elements of family gatherings.

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

Activity 03

• Inside-Outside Circle
• 20 min · Pairs

Pairs Interview: Similarities and Differences

Pairs use prepared question cards to interview each other about traditions. Note one similarity and one difference on a simple T-chart. Share one finding with the class.

Why do you think families keep doing the same traditions year after year?

Facilitation Tip

In Pairs Interview, give each pair a simple checklist to guide their conversation about traditions.

What to look for

During a paired activity where students share traditions, circulate and listen. Ask each pair: 'Can you name one tradition that is the same for both of you and one that is different?' This checks their ability to compare and contrast.

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

Activity 04

• Inside-Outside Circle
• 35 min · Small Groups

Small Groups: Tradition Museum

Groups arrange drawings from previous activities into displays. Each group tours others' exhibits, noting observations on sticky notes. Discuss as a class what surprised them.

What are some special traditions your family has? Why do you do them?

Facilitation Tip

During Tradition Museum, assign small roles like artist, writer, or presenter to keep everyone engaged.

What to look for

Provide students with a small card. Ask them to draw one family tradition and write one sentence explaining why their family does it. Collect these to check for understanding of tradition and purpose.

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

A few notes on teaching this unit

Start with personal stories to make the topic relatable. Avoid over-simplifying by assuming all students know their family traditions. Research shows that young children learn best when activities combine verbal sharing, visual art, and movement. Use concrete objects, like photos or items from home, to anchor discussions.

Students will listen to peers, identify their own traditions, and compare similarities and differences with confidence. By the end of the activities, they should be able to name at least one tradition, explain its importance, and recognize diversity among classmates.

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Watch Out for These Misconceptions

• All families have the exact same traditions.

  During Sharing Circle, watch for students who assume their tradition is universal. Redirect by asking, 'Can someone else tell us about a different way to celebrate?' Use the circle to highlight diversity in practices.

• Traditions only happen on special days.

  During Pairs Interview, watch for students who only mention holidays. Ask guiding questions like, 'What do you do every morning or after school?' to broaden their examples.

• Family traditions never change.

  During Tradition Museum, watch for static displays. Ask groups, 'Has this tradition always been the same? What if someone new joined your family?' to prompt discussion about evolution.

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Methods used in this brief

• Inside-Outside Circle