Local Transport: Then and Now

Active learning helps Year 1 students grasp changes in local transport by letting them touch, see, and talk about real differences. Hands-on sorting, role-playing, and mapping make abstract ideas about ‘then and now’ concrete and memorable.

• Year 1
• History
• 4 activities
• 30 min–45 min

Learning Objectives

1. Identify at least three different modes of local transport used by people in the past.
2. Compare and contrast the features of past local transport with present-day local transport.
3. Explain how changes in local transport have impacted the lives of people in the local area.
4. Sequence images of local transport from oldest to most recent.

Stations Rotation

⏱ 45 min·Small Groups

Stations Rotation: Transport Evidence

Prepare four stations: old photos, toy past vehicles, modern transport models, and blank timelines. Small groups spend 8 minutes at each, noting differences and drawing one item. Finish with a class discussion to sequence changes on a shared timeline.

Prepare & details

How did people get around our local area in the past?

Facilitation Tip: During Station Rotation, set up clear photo sets with labels so students focus on comparing old and new transport methods, not just guessing.

Setup: Tables/desks arranged in 4-6 distinct stations around room

Materials: Station instruction cards, Different materials per station, Rotation timer

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

Role Play

⏱ 40 min·Small Groups

Role Play: Past and Present Journeys

Split class into two groups: one acts out a past school trip by walking with props like baskets, the other uses toy buses and cars for now. Switch roles after 10 minutes. Groups compare speed and ease in plenary.

Prepare & details

How is travelling around our area today different from how it was a long time ago?

Facilitation Tip: In Role Play, provide simple props like hats or toy vehicles to help students physically act out past and present journeys.

Setup: Open space or rearranged desks for scenario staging

Materials: Character cards with backstory and goals, Scenario briefing sheet

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

Gallery Walk

⏱ 30 min·Whole Class

Family Story Circle: Interview Shares

Children ask family one question about past local travel, draw a picture of the answer. In class, sit in a circle to share drawings and add to a wall timeline. Teacher notes common changes.

Prepare & details

How do you think changes in transport have helped people in our area?

Facilitation Tip: For Family Story Circle, model good listening by showing interest in students’ family tales and asking follow-up questions during sharing.

Setup: Wall space or tables arranged around room perimeter

Materials: Large paper/poster boards, Markers, Sticky notes for feedback

• Understand
• Apply
• Analyze
• Create
• Relationship Skills
• Social Awareness

Gallery Walk

⏱ 35 min·Pairs

Local Map Pairs: Spot the Changes

Pairs draw a simple map of the school area. Add stickers for past transport from stories and present ones observed on a walk. Discuss how changes help people get to school or shops.

Prepare & details

How did people get around our local area in the past?

Facilitation Tip: Use Local Map Pairs with high-contrast colors for old and new routes to help students spot changes quickly.

Setup: Wall space or tables arranged around room perimeter

Materials: Large paper/poster boards, Markers, Sticky notes for feedback

• Understand
• Apply
• Analyze
• Create
• Relationship Skills
• Social Awareness

Teaching This Topic

Teachers should anchor discussions in students’ lived experiences by connecting ‘then’ to family stories and familiar places. Avoid vague comparisons by using timelines that show changes within living memory. Research shows that role-playing concrete tasks helps young learners grasp abstract concepts like ‘change over time.’

What to Expect

Students will recognize key changes in transport over time, explain at least one way travel has improved, and use evidence like photos or family stories to support their ideas. They will demonstrate this through sorting, discussions, and simple mapping tasks.

Watch Out for These Misconceptions

Common Misconception

During Station Rotation: Transport Evidence, watch for students grouping all old photos together without noticing differences in transport types.

What to Teach Instead

Guide students to sort photos into categories first, then ask them to order each category by how old or new the transport looks, using visual clues like tire size or vehicle shape.

Common Misconception

During Role Play: Past and Present Journeys, watch for students acting out journeys as if the past and present are identical except for the vehicle used.

What to Teach Instead

Prompt students to describe the roads, distances, or time it took by acting it out slowly, then ask them to compare it to their modern journey with speed and comfort.

Common Misconception

During Family Story Circle: Interview Shares, watch for students assuming all past travel was walking because no one mentioned cars.

What to Teach Instead

Ask students to share any family stories about buses or bikes, and if none are shared, show a simple timeline of when different vehicles became common in your area.

Assessment Ideas

Exit Ticket

After Station Rotation: Transport Evidence, have students draw one line connecting an old photo to a modern one and write one word describing the change. Collect these to check for accurate identification of differences in transport methods.

Quick Check

After Local Map Pairs: Spot the Changes, show students two maps side by side and ask them to point to one change they noticed and explain it to a partner using the words ‘then’ and ‘now.’

Discussion Prompt

After Role Play: Past and Present Journeys, ask students to share one thing they found hard about traveling in the past and one thing they thought was easier today. Use their answers to check understanding of practical differences in travel.

Extensions & Scaffolding

• Challenge: Ask students to draw a modern transport invention they wish existed 100 years ago and explain why it would help their community.
• Scaffolding: Provide sentence starters like ‘In the past, people traveled by ____. Today, they travel by ____. This is different because ____.’
• Deeper exploration: Have students interview a local shopkeeper or librarian about how deliveries or visitors traveled to their street in the past compared to now.

Key Vocabulary

Horse-drawn cart	A vehicle with two or four wheels, pulled by a horse, used for carrying goods or people in the past.
Early bus	An early type of large vehicle designed to carry many passengers, often powered by steam or early engines.
Bicycle	A two-wheeled vehicle that a person rides by pushing pedals with their feet.
Steam train	A train powered by steam produced by heating water, common in the past for longer journeys.