HASS · Year 1

Active learning ideas

Sharing Family Stories

Active learning works well for this topic because children in Year 1 learn best through meaningful conversation and concrete objects. When students share stories and create visuals, they connect abstract ideas about history to their own lives in a way that feels real and personal.

• ACARA Content Descriptions
• AC9HASS1K01

• 15–30 min
• Pairs → Whole Class
• 4 activities

Activity 01

• Inside-Outside Circle
• 30 min · Whole Class

Circle Time: Family Story Circle

Students sit in a circle with a talking stick. Each child shares one family memory using a photo or drawing brought from home. The group listens silently, then asks one respectful question. Reflect as a class on common themes.

Why do families like to share their stories with each other?

Facilitation Tip

During Circle Time: Family Story Circle, begin with a clear signal like a chime to teach students how to start and stop sharing respectfully.

What to look for

Provide students with a simple worksheet. Ask them to draw one picture representing a key event from a family story they heard today and write one sentence about it. Collect these to check for comprehension of story elements.

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

Activity 02

• Inside-Outside Circle
• 20 min · Pairs

Pairs: Story Partner Interviews

Pair students to interview each other about a family event: what happened, who was there, why it matters. Partners draw a quick sketch of the story. Pairs share one highlight with the class.

How do people pass on family stories to younger family members?

Facilitation Tip

During Pairs: Story Partner Interviews, provide sentence stems on cards to support reluctant speakers in forming questions.

What to look for

Gather students in a circle. Ask: 'What was one interesting thing you learned about a classmate's family today?' Prompt further by asking: 'How did that story help you understand their family a little better?'

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

Activity 03

• Inside-Outside Circle
• 25 min · Small Groups

Small Groups: Story Map Stations

Provide paper and markers at stations. Students draw a simple map of their family story's sequence: beginning, middle, end. Groups rotate stations, adding peer comments. Discuss maps together.

What can you learn about the past from a family story?

Facilitation Tip

During Small Groups: Story Map Stations, rotate the student recorder role so everyone contributes to the final product.

What to look for

During story sharing, observe students' listening behaviors. Use a simple checklist to note if students are making eye contact, nodding, and refraining from interrupting. This provides immediate feedback on engagement.

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

Activity 04

• Inside-Outside Circle
• 15 min · Individual

Individual: Memory Artifact Display

Each student selects or draws a family artifact linked to a story. They write or dictate a short label. Display on a class 'story wall' for ongoing viewing and discussion.

Why do families like to share their stories with each other?

Facilitation Tip

During Individual: Memory Artifact Display, allow students to practice speaking by sharing their artifact with one peer before presenting to the class.

What to look for

Provide students with a simple worksheet. Ask them to draw one picture representing a key event from a family story they heard today and write one sentence about it. Collect these to check for comprehension of story elements.

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

A few notes on teaching this unit

Teachers should model active listening by making eye contact, nodding, and summarizing what students say. Avoid interrupting or redirecting stories, even if they differ from your own experiences. Research shows that when students see their stories valued, they develop stronger empathy and narrative skills.

Successful learning looks like students listening attentively, asking follow-up questions, and making personal connections during story sharing. They should be able to retell a story in their own words and recognize how family experiences reflect broader human experiences.

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Watch Out for These Misconceptions

• During Circle Time: Family Story Circle, watch for students who assume all family stories are happy and the same.

  Use this activity to highlight diversity by asking students to share one happy moment and one challenging moment from their family history, then compare differences and similarities in small groups.

• During Pairs: Story Partner Interviews, watch for students who believe only grandparents have stories from the past.

  Have students interview partners of any age, including parents or older siblings, and focus interview questions on moments the partner remembers, not just older relatives.

• During Small Groups: Story Map Stations, watch for students who think stories from the past do not connect to today.

  Ask students to draw arrows or lines on their story maps showing how traditions or events from the past are still part of life today, using examples like family recipes or holiday customs.

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Methods used in this brief

• Inside-Outside Circle