Activity 01
Gallery Walk: Then and Now
Students bring or draw a picture of themselves as a baby and one from this school year. These are displayed side by side and students walk around, adding a sticky note to three classmates' displays noting one change they observe and one thing that appears to have stayed the same.
Compare your abilities as a baby to your abilities now.
Facilitation TipDuring the Gallery Walk, have students stand back to allow peers space to observe and discuss each station without crowding.
What to look forAsk students to hold up fingers to show how many things they can do now that they couldn't do as a baby (e.g., 1 for walking, 2 for talking, 3 for reading). Then, ask them to name one new skill they learned this year.
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Activity 02
Inquiry Circle: Milestone Sequencing
Small groups receive picture cards showing developmental milestones: a sleeping baby, a child taking first steps, a first day of school, learning to write their name. Groups arrange the cards in order and explain their reasoning to each other before sharing with the class.
Explain significant milestones in your personal growth.
Facilitation TipFor Milestone Sequencing, model how to arrange events chronologically using one student’s milestones as an example before releasing them to groups.
What to look forShow students a picture of a baby and a picture of a kindergartener. Ask: 'What is different between these two pictures? What can the kindergartener do that the baby cannot?' Record student responses on chart paper.
AnalyzeEvaluateCreateSelf-ManagementSelf-Awareness
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Activity 03
Individual: My Personal Timeline
Students create a four-frame timeline titled 'When I was a baby,' 'When I was 2-3,' 'Now,' and 'When I am bigger.' They draw or glue images into each frame and share one thing that changed from each stage to the next with a partner.
Construct a simple timeline illustrating your development.
Facilitation TipWhen constructing the Personal Timeline, demonstrate how to space events evenly so the timeline is readable and orderly.
What to look forGive each student a piece of paper with three boxes. Ask them to draw one thing they could do as a baby in the first box, one thing they can do now in the second box, and one thing they hope to do when they are older in the third box.
RememberUnderstandApplyRelationship SkillsSelf-Management
Generate Complete Lesson→A few notes on teaching this unit
Teachers should anchor this topic in sensory and kinesthetic experiences rather than abstract discussion. Use real artifacts or photographs whenever possible, as young children rely on visible, touchable evidence to accept change. Avoid asking students to recall memories they cannot yet articulate; instead, provide structured prompts and comparisons they can see and touch.
Students will recognize growth in multiple ways: physically, in skills, and in personal qualities. They will sequence events correctly and articulate at least three examples of change from their past to present. Most importantly, they will see themselves as evolving individuals with a history worth recording.
Watch Out for These Misconceptions
During the Gallery Walk: Then and Now, watch for students who insist they have always been the way they are now.
Pause at the baby shoe station and ask students to hold their current shoe next to the baby shoe. Say, 'Look at how small this shoe is compared to yours. How do you think your feet have changed?' Guide them to notice the difference in size and shape.
During Collaborative Investigation: Milestone Sequencing, watch for students who believe growing up only means getting taller.
Bring out the body growth, skill growth, and character growth posters. Ask each group to sort their milestones into these three categories. When students see skills like 'riding a bike' or traits like 'more patient,' they will recognize growth beyond height.
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