HASS · Year 1 · The Way We Were · Term 2

Toys: Past vs. Present

Students compare and contrast toys from different eras, discussing materials, design, and how they were played with.

• ACARA Content Descriptions
• AC9HASS1K03

About This Topic

Toys are the primary way children interact with their world, making them the perfect lens for studying change and continuity. This topic compares the materials, power sources, and designs of toys from the past (like wooden hoops or tin soldiers) with modern equivalents (like plastic figurines or digital tablets). This aligns with AC9HASS1K03, focusing on how aspects of daily life have changed over time.

By examining toys, students develop historical inquiry skills such as identifying similarities and differences. They learn that while technology changes, the human desire for play remains constant. This topic comes alive when students can physically model the patterns of play and handle artifacts. Students grasp this concept faster through structured discussion and peer explanation of how a toy 'works'.

Key Questions

1. How are old toys different from the toys we have today?
2. What games do children still play today that children also played long ago?
3. What do you think toys might look like in the future?

Learning Objectives

• Compare materials and design features of historical toys with contemporary toys.
• Explain how play patterns have changed and remained similar across different eras.
• Classify toys based on their era of origin and primary materials.
• Identify similarities and differences in how children played with toys in the past versus today.

Before You Start

Identifying Objects

Why: Students need to be able to recognize and name common objects before they can compare them.

Basic Needs of People

Why: Understanding that people have needs and wants, like the need for play, provides context for the existence of toys.

Key Vocabulary

Artifact	An object made by a human being, typically an item of cultural or historical interest, such as an old toy.
Continuity	The state of remaining the same or continuing without change, such as the enduring human desire for play.
Change	The act or instance of becoming different, as seen in the materials and technology of toys over time.
Play Pattern	The typical ways children engage with toys and games, which can evolve with new toy designs and societal influences.

Watch Out for These Misconceptions

Common Misconception

Old toys were boring because they didn't have batteries.

What to Teach Instead

Students often equate 'no power' with 'no fun'. Hands-on play with old toys like marbles or jacks helps them realize that these toys required high levels of skill and social interaction, which is a different kind of fun.

Common Misconception

All old toys are made of wood.

What to Teach Instead

While wood was common, students might miss tin, lead, or fabric. Using a station rotation with diverse artifacts surfaces the variety of materials used in the past.

Active Learning Ideas

Stations Rotation: Toy Lab

Set up stations with an 'old' toy (e.g., a spinning top) and a 'new' toy (e.g., a beyblade). Students spend 8 minutes at each station, testing how they move and identifying what materials they are made of.

40 min·Small Groups

Inquiry Circle: The Material Sort

Students are given a pile of toys and two hoops: 'Natural Materials' and 'Man-made Materials'. They work together to sort the toys, noticing that older toys often sit in the natural hoop (wood, tin, wool).

25 min·Small Groups

Think-Pair-Share: The Toy of the Future

After looking at how toys have changed from wood to plastic, students brainstorm with a partner what toys might be made of in 100 years. They share one 'futuristic' feature with the class.

20 min·Pairs

Real-World Connections

• Museum curators specializing in social history use artifacts like old toys to illustrate changes in childhood and daily life for public exhibitions, such as those at the Powerhouse Museum in Sydney.
• Toy designers at companies like Mattel or Lego research historical toy trends to understand enduring play preferences, informing the development of new products that appeal to children across generations.

Assessment Ideas

Exit Ticket

Provide students with two pictures, one of a historical toy (e.g., wooden spinning top) and one of a modern toy (e.g., electronic game). Ask them to write one sentence comparing the materials used and one sentence describing how a child might play with each.

Discussion Prompt

Show students a collection of toys from different eras. Ask: 'Which of these toys do you think is the oldest and why?' and 'What is one thing all these toys have in common, even though they look different?'

Quick Check

Hold up a toy and ask students to give a thumbs up if it's a toy from the past, a thumbs down if it's a toy from today, and a thumbs sideways if it could be from either era. Briefly ask a few students to explain their choice.

Frequently Asked Questions

Where can I find 'old' toys for the classroom?

Local 'Op Shops', school archives, or asking grandparents to lend items are great sources. You can also find high-quality images or videos of mechanical toys online if physical objects aren't available.

How do I handle the 'gendered' nature of historical toys?

Acknowledge that in the past, some toys were marketed specifically to boys or girls. Use this to discuss how our ideas about who can play with what have changed for the better.

How can active learning help students understand technological change?

When students physically handle a wooden toy and then a plastic one, they feel the difference in weight, texture, and durability. This sensory experience makes the concept of 'material change' much more concrete than just looking at a picture.

Is it okay to use Indigenous toys in this unit?

Absolutely. Discuss traditional games using natural materials like stones, seeds, or string. This shows that play has been part of Australian life for over 60,000 years and highlights the use of sustainable materials.