History · Year 1 · Homes and Daily Life · Autumn Term

Gardens and Outdoor Spaces

Comparing how gardens and outdoor areas around homes were used in the past versus today.

• National Curriculum Attainment Targets
• KS1: History - Changes within living memory

About This Topic

This topic explores changes in how gardens and outdoor spaces around homes were used in the past compared to today, focusing on living memory such as grandparents' times. In the past, gardens often served practical purposes: growing vegetables and fruit for family meals, drying laundry on lines, keeping chickens, or storing coal. Today, gardens emphasise play areas, flower beds, patios for barbecues, and relaxation, though some families still grow produce. Students compare these uses through family stories and images, addressing key questions about past functions, similarities, differences, and the importance of outdoor spaces for family life.

Aligned with KS1 History standards on changes within living memory, this unit builds skills in sequencing events, asking questions, and recognising similarities and differences. It connects to personal, family, and local history, helping children see history as relevant to their lives. Discussions reveal how technology, like washing machines, reduced laundry drying in gardens, fostering understanding of cause and effect.

Active learning suits this topic well. Handling old photos, creating class timelines with drawings, or role-playing past garden tasks makes abstract changes concrete and engaging. Children connect emotionally through family interviews, improving recall and enthusiasm for history.

Key Questions

1. What were gardens mainly used for in homes a long time ago?
2. How are gardens today the same as or different from gardens long ago?
3. Why do you think having an outdoor space is important for families?

Learning Objectives

• Compare the primary uses of gardens and outdoor spaces in the past with their uses today.
• Identify specific changes in garden functions over living memory.
• Explain why outdoor spaces are important for families, citing examples from both past and present uses.
• Classify common garden items and activities as belonging to either a past or present context.

Before You Start

Families and Homes

Why: Students need a basic understanding of family structures and different types of homes to contextualize the idea of outdoor spaces associated with them.

Objects and Their Uses

Why: Understanding that objects have specific purposes helps students compare the functions of garden spaces and items across different time periods.

Key Vocabulary

Vegetable patch	An area of a garden specifically used for growing vegetables to eat. In the past, this was very common for families to grow their own food.
Clothesline	A rope or wire stretched between two points, used for hanging laundry outside to dry. This was a common sight in gardens before tumble dryers.
Patio	A paved outdoor area adjoining a house, often used for dining or relaxing. Patios are a more modern feature in many gardens.
Living memory	The period of time that a person can remember. For Year 1, this often refers to the time when their grandparents or older relatives were children.

Watch Out for These Misconceptions

Common Misconception

Gardens in the past looked exactly like gardens today.

What to Teach Instead

Past gardens focused more on food production and chores, with fewer play structures. Comparing real photos in small groups helps children spot differences visually. Active discussions reveal how inventions changed uses, building accurate mental images.

Common Misconception

Outdoor spaces were only for work long ago, never play.

What to Teach Instead

Children played in gardens then too, with skipping ropes or hopscotch, alongside chores. Role-playing both eras in pairs shows balance. Hands-on activities correct this by letting students experience and compare joys and tasks.

Common Misconception

Nothing has changed in how families use gardens.

What to Teach Instead

Changes stem from appliances and lifestyles, like tumble dryers freeing space. Family interviews in pairs provide evidence of shifts. Collaborative timelines help sequence these, reinforcing change within living memory.

Active Learning Ideas

Class Timeline: Garden Changes

Draw a large timeline on the floor with chalk or paper. Children add drawings or sticky notes showing past uses like vegetable patches and present ones like swings. Discuss and sequence as a group, then photograph for display. End with children sharing one change they notice.

45 min·Whole Class

Small Group Photo Comparison

Provide paired photos of old and modern gardens. Groups list similarities and differences on charts, using prompts like 'What do people do here?'. Share findings in a class gallery walk. Extend by drawing their own garden then and now.

30 min·Small Groups

Pairs Family Interview

Children prepare 3 questions about grandparents' gardens with sentence starters. Pairs practise interviewing each other first, then call home for real responses. Compile answers into a class book of stories.

25 min·Pairs

Individual Garden Sketch

Each child sketches a past garden based on class learning, labelling uses like 'grow food'. Then sketch a modern one. Pair up to explain changes, focusing on one key difference each.

20 min·Individual

Real-World Connections

• Grandparents or older relatives can share personal stories and photographs of their childhood gardens, providing direct historical accounts.
• Local allotment societies or community gardens demonstrate contemporary uses of outdoor space for growing food, similar to historical practices but often on a shared basis.

Assessment Ideas

Quick Check

Show students pictures of different garden items or activities (e.g., a rotary washing line, a child on a swing, a vegetable patch, a barbecue). Ask them to sort the pictures into two groups: 'Used a long time ago' and 'Used today'. Discuss their choices.

Discussion Prompt

Ask students: 'Imagine you are talking to your grandparent about their garden when they were your age. What three things would you ask them about what they did in their garden?' Record their questions.

Exit Ticket

Give each student a piece of paper divided into two columns: 'Past Gardens' and 'Today's Gardens'. Ask them to draw one thing that was common in gardens a long time ago and one thing that is common in gardens today.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do I source images of past UK gardens for Year 1?

Use free resources like Historic England archives, local museum websites, or BBC History clips showing 1950s-1970s home gardens. Print black-and-white photos of vegetable plots and washing lines. Ask parents for family albums to personalise learning and spark discussions on local changes.

What links gardens topic to other Year 1 subjects?

Connect to art through sketching gardens, science via plant growth in past vs modern plots, and PSHE on outdoor play benefits. Geography ties in local spaces. These cross-curricular links reinforce changes while developing observation skills across the curriculum.

How can active learning help teach garden changes?

Active methods like handling artefacts, role-playing chores, and building timelines engage Year 1 kinesthetic learners. Children physically sort past/present items or interview families, making history tangible. This boosts retention, as movement and talk reveal misconceptions and build confidence in sharing evidence-based ideas.

Why focus on family stories in this topic?

Stories from grandparents provide accessible evidence of living memory changes, making history personal. They answer key questions directly and encourage empathy. Structured pair interviews ensure all children contribute, while class sharing creates a collective narrative of continuity and change.