Your next great Lessn starts here.

Travel and Talk: A Journey Through Time – Time travel with transportation – Imagine riding horses instead of cars – How did people talk long ago? – Before phones, letters were sent by messengers – Changes in transportation – From horse carriages to super-fast trains – Communication evolution – From sending letters to chatting on smartphones | This slide is designed to spark the imagination of first graders by comparing past and present modes of transportation and communication. Begin by asking students to imagine how people traveled long distances before cars and airplanes were invented. Discuss the evolution from horseback and carriages to modern vehicles. Then, shift to communication, explaining how people used to send messages through letters carried by messengers, as opposed to today’s instant digital communication. Use props or pictures to make the comparison more tangible. Encourage students to think about how these changes have made life different and to appreciate the advancements in technology.

Transportation: Past and Present – What is transportation? – Moving from one place to another – Ways we move around – Walking, biking, cars, flying – Travel long ago – No cars or planes before – How it’s changed – Now we have many fast options | This slide introduces the concept of transportation to first graders by defining it and discussing the various modes available today versus the past. Begin by explaining transportation as the way people travel from one place to another. Highlight the common modes of transportation like walking, biking, and more advanced methods such as cars and airplanes. Contrast this with the past, where these modern conveniences were not available, and people had to rely on simpler means like walking or horse-drawn carriages. Emphasize the evolution of transportation and how it has made traveling quicker and more comfortable. Encourage students to think about how they travel to school and how that might have been different in the past.

Transportation: Then and Now – Traveling long ago with horses – People rode horses or in carriages to move around. – Modern fast cars, buses, and trains – Today, we can travel quickly and comfortably in various vehicles. – Comparing past and present travel – Look at old and new ways of moving from place to place. – How transportation changes affect us | This slide introduces students to the concept of transportation and how it has evolved over time. Begin by discussing how in the past, horses and carriages were the main modes of travel, which was much slower. Contrast this with the modern forms of transportation like cars, buses, and trains that allow us to travel long distances quickly. Engage the students by asking them to think about how these changes in transportation might have affected people’s lives and the way we live today. Encourage them to consider the speed, comfort, and convenience of modern transportation compared to the past. This will help them appreciate the advancements in technology and its impact on our daily lives.

Then and Now: Communication – What is communication? – Sharing thoughts and feelings with others – Ways we communicate today – Talking, writing, computers, and phones – Communication in the past – Long ago, no computers or smartphones existed – Changes over time | This slide introduces the concept of communication to first graders, explaining it as the way people share their thoughts and feelings. Highlight the different methods of communication used today, such as speaking, writing, and digital devices like computers and smartphones. Contrast this with the past, when these technologies were not available, and people had to find other ways to communicate. The aim is to help students understand the evolution of communication methods from the past to the present. Encourage them to think about how they communicate with their friends and family and how that might have been different in the past.

Communication: Then and Now – Writing letters took days – People wrote on paper and mailed it. – Instant messages with technology – Emails and texts reach us immediately. – Imagine waiting a week A week’s wait for news is now seconds. – Speed of communication has changed | This slide aims to show the stark contrast between past and present communication methods. Emphasize how in the past, writing and sending letters was a slow process that required patience, as it could take days or even weeks for a message to be received. Contrast this with the modern convenience of instant messaging through emails and texts, which allows us to communicate across the globe in mere seconds. Encourage students to imagine what it would be like to wait for a week to hear news from someone, helping them appreciate the speed at which we can now connect and share information. Discuss how this change has impacted our daily lives and the way we interact with others.

Activity Time: Draw and Share! – Draw your favorite travel method – Draw your favorite communication way – Imagine past travel and communication – How did people long ago travel and talk? – Get ready to share with the class | This activity is designed to engage first-grade students in understanding the evolution of transportation and communication. Provide students with drawing materials and ask them to illustrate their favorite current modes of travel, such as a car or bicycle, and their preferred methods of communication, like calling on a phone or sending messages. Encourage them to think creatively about how these methods might have looked in the past, prompting them with examples like horse-drawn carriages for travel and writing letters for communication. After the drawing session, create a sharing circle where each student presents their artwork and discusses the differences they imagined. This will help them grasp the concept of change over time in a fun and interactive way.

Class Activity: Time Travel Adventure! – Pretend we’re in the past – Imagine future travel & communication – Act out our time-travel ideas – Use props or actions to show old and new ways of moving and talking – Guess the time periods we’re from – Is it a horse carriage or a spaceship? A letter or a video call? | This interactive activity is designed to help students understand the evolution of transportation and communication by imagining and acting out scenarios from different time periods. Encourage them to think about how people traveled long distances in the past, such as by horse-drawn carriages or walking, and how they sent messages, like through letters or telegrams. Then, have them brainstorm futuristic methods of travel and communication, like flying cars or holographic messaging. Provide a safe space for them to act out their ideas creatively and have the class guess the time periods. Possible activities: 1) Drawing a carriage vs. a car, 2) Writing a letter vs. sending an email, 3) Pretending to ride a horse vs. flying a drone, 4) Using tin can phones vs. pretending to video chat. This will help them visualize the changes over time and engage with history in a fun way.