History · Year 1

Active learning ideas

The Impact of Plastic on Toy Manufacturing

Active learning helps Year 1 students grasp the shift from traditional materials to plastic by engaging multiple senses. Handling replicas of wooden, metal, and plastic toys makes abstract concepts about material properties tangible and memorable.

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

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

Activity 01

• Mystery Object
• 30 min · Small Groups

Toy Sort: Materials Through Time

Gather replica wooden, metal, and plastic toys in trays. Small groups sort them into past and present piles, noting differences in color, weight, and shape on picture charts. Share one observation per group.

What do you notice about what old toys were made from?

Facilitation Tip

During Toy Sort: Materials Through Time, provide labeled trays and ask students to justify their groupings aloud to build oral reasoning skills.

What to look for

Show students two toys, one wooden and one plastic, from different eras. Ask them to point to the toy they think is older and explain one reason why, focusing on the material.

• Understand
• Analyze
• Evaluate
• Self-Management
• Social Awareness

Activity 02

• Mystery Object
• 25 min · Pairs

Weigh and Feel: Material Match-Up

Pairs use balances to compare weights of old-style and plastic toys. Feel textures and predict which breaks easily. Record with smiley faces for likes and dislikes.

What are most toys made from today , how is that different from the past?

Facilitation Tip

For Weigh and Feel: Material Match-Up, place a gram scale in a central spot so children can cycle through weighing without crowding.

What to look for

Present images of a wooden spinning top and a modern plastic action figure. Ask: 'What differences do you notice in how these toys were made? Which material do you think is stronger? Why?'

• Understand
• Analyze
• Evaluate
• Self-Management
• Social Awareness

Activity 03

• Mystery Object
• 20 min · Whole Class

Toy Preference Circle

Whole class sits in a circle with sample toys. Each child holds a wooden or plastic toy and states a reason for preference. Tally votes on a class chart and discuss patterns.

Which would you rather have, a wooden toy or a plastic toy? Why?

Facilitation Tip

In Toy Preference Circle, establish a 'talking piece' rule so only the student holding the object may speak, ensuring equal participation.

What to look for

Give each student a small piece of paper. Ask them to draw one toy made of plastic and write one word to describe it. Then, ask them to draw one toy made of wood and write one word to describe it.

• Understand
• Analyze
• Evaluate
• Self-Management
• Social Awareness

Activity 04

• Mystery Object
• 35 min · Small Groups

Mini Factory Role-Play

Small groups act as toy makers: one shapes wood slowly, another snaps plastic quickly. Switch roles and compare speed and ease. Draw before-and-after toy designs.

What do you notice about what old toys were made from?

Facilitation Tip

During Mini Factory Role-Play, assign one child per station to rotate roles every two minutes to keep energy high and fair.

What to look for

Show students two toys, one wooden and one plastic, from different eras. Ask them to point to the toy they think is older and explain one reason why, focusing on the material.

• Understand
• Analyze
• Evaluate
• Self-Management
• Social Awareness

A few notes on teaching this unit

Use guided comparisons to anchor abstract ideas in concrete experience. Start with sensory exploration to build curiosity, then scaffold structured talk to connect observations to historical change. Avoid lecturing about plastic's benefits before children have tested materials themselves; let evidence come first. Research shows that children learn material properties best through direct manipulation and peer discussion rather than pictures or videos.

By the end of these activities, students will confidently identify materials by touch and sight, compare durability and cost, and explain how plastic changed toy production. They will communicate preferences using evidence from their explorations.

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Watch Out for These Misconceptions

• During Toy Sort: Materials Through Time, watch for students grouping all old-looking toys together, assuming they are all wood.

  Place a labeled tray with metal, wood, cloth, and plastic replicas in each era section. Ask students to name the material before sorting, prompting them to notice variety within each time period.

• During Weigh and Feel: Material Match-Up, watch for students assuming all plastic toys are heavier because they are newer.

  Include a lightweight plastic toy and a heavier wooden toy of similar size. Have students compare weights while holding both, then record findings on a simple chart with columns for 'light' and 'heavy'.

• During Mini Factory Role-Play, watch for students assuming plastic toys are always produced faster without noticing the setup time.

  Start the plastic station with a mold and melted plastic, then time how long it takes to cool. Compare this to the carved wooden station where the toy is ready immediately but takes longer to make.

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Methods used in this brief

• Mystery Object