History · Year 2

Active learning ideas

Local Shops and Industries

Active learning helps Year 2 pupils grasp how local shops and industries have changed by connecting abstract ideas to their real surroundings. Walking outside, interviewing family, and handling historical objects make these changes tangible and memorable for young learners.

• National Curriculum Attainment Targets
• KS1: History - Significant historical places in their own locality
• KS1: History - Changes within living memory

• 30–45 min
• Pairs → Whole Class
• 4 activities

Activity 01

• Outdoor Investigation Session
• 45 min · Whole Class

Local Walk: Shop Survey

Plan a class walk to the local high street. Pupils sketch current shops and note goods sold. Back in class, compare sketches to old photos provided by the local history society. Discuss changes in pairs.

What kinds of shops or businesses were common in your local area in the past?

Facilitation Tip

During the Local Walk, provide clipboards and simple survey sheets with pictures of shop types to help children focus their observations.

What to look for

Provide students with a picture of a historical shop (e.g., a baker, a greengrocer) and a picture of a modern shop (e.g., a supermarket, a cafe). Ask them to write one sentence comparing what people bought at the old shop versus the new shop.

• Remember
• Understand
• Analyze
• Social Awareness
• Self-Awareness
• Decision-Making

Activity 02

• Outdoor Investigation Session
• 30 min · Pairs

Interview Station: Family Histories

Prepare question cards about past shopping. Pupils interview family members via phone or in person, recording answers on templates. Share findings in small groups to identify common patterns.

How are the shops and businesses in your area different today?

Facilitation Tip

At the Interview Station, model open-ended questions like 'What did people buy here?' and 'How did they pay?' to guide family conversations.

What to look for

Ask students: 'Imagine you are talking to your grandparent about shopping 70 years ago. What is one thing they might tell you that is very different from how you shop today?' Encourage them to share their ideas with a partner.

• Remember
• Understand
• Analyze
• Social Awareness
• Self-Awareness
• Decision-Making

Activity 03

• Outdoor Investigation Session
• 40 min · Small Groups

Timeline Build: Shop Changes

Provide timeline strips from 1950s to now. Pupils add images and labels of shops from evidence sources. Groups present their timelines, explaining key changes.

What do you think has changed most about the way people shop over the last 70 years?

Facilitation Tip

For the Timeline Build, use large strips of paper with clear dates so children can physically place events in order.

What to look for

Show students images of different historical local businesses. Ask them to give a thumbs up if they think this type of shop is still common today, and a thumbs down if it is rare or gone. Follow up by asking why for a few examples.

• Remember
• Understand
• Analyze
• Social Awareness
• Self-Awareness
• Decision-Making

Activity 04

• Role Play
• 35 min · Pairs

Role Play: Past vs Present Shopping

Set up two shop scenes with props: 1960s grocer and modern supermarket. Pupils role play shopping in pairs, noting differences in payments and goods. Debrief on changes.

What kinds of shops or businesses were common in your local area in the past?

Facilitation Tip

In Role Play, provide props like old-fashioned baskets, ration books, or digital tablets to contrast past and present shopping tools.

What to look for

Provide students with a picture of a historical shop (e.g., a baker, a greengrocer) and a picture of a modern shop (e.g., a supermarket, a cafe). Ask them to write one sentence comparing what people bought at the old shop versus the new shop.

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

A few notes on teaching this unit

Teachers should focus on concrete comparisons, using artefacts and firsthand accounts to build understanding. Avoid over-reliance on textbook images; instead, bring in real or replica items like old coins, ration books, or shop signs. Keep discussions grounded in children’s experiences by asking them to compare their own shopping trips to what they learn. Research shows that young children learn history best through narrative and sensory experiences, so pair stories with objects whenever possible.

Successful learning looks like pupils confidently identifying past and present shops, explaining key differences with evidence, and comparing experiences with peers. They should use maps, photos, and role play to show understanding of continuity and change over time.

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Watch Out for These Misconceptions

• During Local Walk: Shop Survey, pupils may assume all past shops were cozy or friendly based on stories they hear.

  During Local Walk: Shop Survey, gently redirect by pointing out details in photos or signs, such as 'Look at the long queue in this old butcher’s photo—what might that tell us about how people shopped?' Use observations to balance romanticised views with realistic evidence.

• During Timeline Build: Shop Changes, children may think shops disappeared only recently.

  During Timeline Build: Shop Changes, use maps from different decades to highlight closures over time. Ask, 'What do you notice about the street in 1970 compared to 2000?' to prompt comparisons and discussions about gradual change.

• During Interview Station: Family Histories, pupils might believe technology played no role in past shopping.

  During Interview Station: Family Histories, ask children to look for clues in artefacts like old receipts or photos showing milk floats or telephones. Prompt them to compare these to modern tools during the discussion.

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Methods used in this brief

• Outdoor Investigation Session
• Role Play