Inquiry Learning

Unit title- Now and Then: A kids life in 1850s

Year level- Grade 2
Statement About Significance of the TopicThis topic is important because students need to have an understanding of how childhood and lifestyle has
changed over time.
Understanding/Essential Questions-

By the end of this unit students will identify that not all people have grown up the same.
Life today is the result of development in the past.
How technology has changed childhood.
The connection between a persons place of origin and the way they grew up.
Compare Australian and Asian countries and how they have changed over time.

Focus skills-

Compare life in the 19th Century to the 21st century

Interviewing- prepare questions, record answers, asking clearly
Report information back to the class
Prepare a letter inviting a grandparent to the Old fashioned dress day.
Are able to articulate ways of describing the past e.g. a long time ago, back then

Essential questions-

How has a kids life changes since the 1850s?

What are some similarities or differences you notice about a kids life now and then?
What might it be like to have lived in the 1850s?

Contributing questions-

Students question about kids life in the 1850s?

Terminology

AusVELSCommunication

Design, Creativity and

Technology

English

Thinking

Oral presentations
Interview a grandparent

Design a diorama-room
of Ripponlea

Writing- Students write

a range of interview
questions and
advertisements.

What was it like to be a

kid in the 1850s?

Reading- Students read

about the 1850s
Thinking Skills FocusBrainstorm about what it was like to grow up with certain technology.

Text Focus-

Interviews
Advertisement

Persuasive text

Establishing Prior Knowledge- should be carried out prior to planning

-

Discuss what it was like to be a kid in the 1850s

Discussion of the Past, not just yesterday but 50 years ago- What was it like to grow up in your
grandparents lifetime?

Tuning in-

Activities that will help students focus on the topic.

What it might have been a kid in the 1850s?
What were some surprising information you found from your interview?
What do you notice about the children living in the 1850s?
WOW activity: Ripponlea Excursion
Dress Up Day

Investigating the Topic-

Interview grandparents
Designing questions
Actual interview
Record data
Present to group
Diorama
Play old fashioned games
Food-scones

Bringing It All Together-

Discussion about the past/future

What it was like to grow up as a kid in the 1850s.
Pre-test
Post test

AssessmentAssessment for learning-

Pre test

Assessment as learning-

Self assessment of oral presentation- interview rubric

Student reflection on the unit

Assessment of learning-

Persuasive text
Post test
Student reflection on the unit

TEACHING & LEARNING CYCLE

(Identify step in the T & L cycle and
the literacy learning intention or
sessions focus )

WHOLE CLASS
Tuning In
(Identify a strategy or a tool to help
activate prior knowledge and/or to
introduce the topic.)

Session 1
Pre-test

Discuss with students

the elements of a
letter. i.e. Dear ____,
Letter to
Body paragraph,
grandparents inviting From ______
them along to
morning tea up at the
school.

Session 2What might it have

been like to be a kid
in the 1850s.
[Reading]

Session 3
Developing
interview questions
for an older relative.
(i.e grandma or
grandpa)
[Writing]

Brainstorm- Students
brainstorm what it
might have been a
kid in the 1850s
discussing what they
would and wouldnt
have.

MINI LESSON
(Explicitly model the use of a new strategy or a
tool to assist with the literacy learning
intention or focus of the session and to
prepare students for successful completion of
the set task. Reference to Wing Jan include
page details)

INDEPENDENT
LEARNING
(Extended opportunity for students to work in
pairs, small groups or individually on a set
task. Time for teacher to probe students
thinking or work with a small group for part of
the time. Reference to Wing Jan include page
details)

SHARE TIME AND

TEACHER SUMMARY
(Focussed teacher questions and summary to
draw out the knowledge, skills and processes
used in the session)

ASSESSMENT
STRATEGIES
(should relate to literacy learning intention
or focus of the session. Includes how &
what you will use to make a judgment on
students attempt/work)

Students come up with

important aspects of the
letter. Teacher composes
the letter on the board with
the students.

Students write their letters

to their grandparents.
Making sure students are
writing in good
handwriting and spelling.

Teacher summarises the

letters and talks about the
importance of delivery to
their grandparent. Being
polite Excuse me _____
I have a letter for you

The students
handwriting will be
assessed and their
ability to compose a
letter successfully.

Independently the students

come up with a list of at
least 5 reasons they would
like to be a kid in the
1850s and 5 reasons they
would not like to have
been a school in the
1850s.

The students return and

share their reasons for and
against being a kid in the
1850s.

Students are assessed

on their ability to use
the information from
the reading and come
up with pros and cons
for being a kid in the
1850s.

Students come up with 6

questions that they think
would be appropriate for
their interview. The
teacher ensures that each
interview will include an
opening statement and
closing statement,
thanking students.

Students share some of

the questions they came
up with for their
interviews.

Students come up with

open questions that are
relevant for finding out
what it was like to be a
child in the past.

Think aloudPowerPoint of 1850s

School Life
Research Notes for
Primary Schools.
Students are given the
opportunity to make
comments about the
PowerPoint.
I interview Kate
Students come up with
about her life as a
some ideas with what
kid. What was it like? types of questions we
What was your
might ask to discuss
favourite toy? What
question ideas. I will
did you use to do on
discuss the importance of
the weekend? Etc.
open questions to ensure
interesting responses.

Session 4
Writing an
advertisement to
people in the past
introducing an item
from the future.

Students discuss
some of the
information that
came up from their
interview. What were
some surprising
information you
found from your
interview?

Students discuss some of

the inventions that have
been invented since their
family member was a
child. What are some of
the things that have been
invented since your family
member was a child?
Teacher creates a mind
map.

Students design an
advertisement (poster)
introducing their family
member to something in
their everyday life. [For
example television, ipods,
computer, the internet]

Students discuss what

they have chosen to
advertise. How did you
explain your item?

Students are assessed

on their ability to
explain their item.

Session 5
My Place Ben

The students watch

the My Place Ben
video. What do you
notice about the
children living in the
1850s?

As a class, discuss the

different ways they saw
Ben and Leck earn money
in the clip. Discuss how
Ben and Leck earned
money in comparison to
the way children earn
pocket money today.

Students are asked to

write a persuasive piece of
writing for why Kids of
today have it too easy and
they should work harder
for their pocket money'.
Teacher creates a
brainstorm on the board
modelling some ideas for
their writing.

Students discuss their

ideas for their piece of
writing.

Students are assessed

on their ability to
identify that life for
children in the 1850s
was more difficult.

Session 6
Step back in Time
Teaching
[Dress up day]

Students are
On the whiteboard I have
introduced to the
written in old-fashioned
classroom where they letters.
sit in rows and the
teacher acts as an old
fashioned teacher.
[Behaviour
management with
the cane]

Students copy the letters

on their blackboards.

Students stand up behind

their seat and I will go
around and assess their
work.

Students demonstrate
understanding of the
old fashioned values of
school in the 1850s.

[Writing]

[Writing]

Excursion to Ripponlea.

Session 7
Students discuss the
Diorama of a room at Ripponlea excursion.
Ripponlea
What rooms did we
see? What did you
notice in your
excursion at
Ripponlea?

Students discuss what a

diorama is. Students
discuss how they may
represent a room at
Ripponlea. Teach scribes
some ideas for several of
the rooms at Ripponlea for
things each room would
have.

Students begin developing

their design for their
Ripponlea Diorama.
Teacher questions what
they are doing scaffolds
students who struggle.
Students begin their
diorama

Some students present

their designs to the class.

Students are assessed

on their ability to
replicate a room similar
to the Ripponlea rooms.

Session 8
Students discuss their
Diorama of a room at dioramas. Teacher
Ripponlea
gauges the students
development.

Teacher ensures the

students have identified
topic related specific icons
to the rooms.
Teacher presents a
PowerPoint of images
taken of the rooms at
Ripponlea. Students
discuss the images.

Students continue their

dioramas. Students are
told this will be their last
opportunity to work on
their dioramas.

Students walk around

observing other students
dioramas.

Their final diorama will

be assessed.

Session 9
Post assessment
debate

The teacher writes the

topics for the debates on
the board. Good students
from each table row get to
choose their topic.
Students in the rows of 6
are broken into two groups
of three and told if they
are for or against.

Students work together to

come up with their minute
speeches for or against
their topic.

Students present their

debates.

Students responses and

arguments assess their
comprehension of the
unit.

Discuss what a
debate is. What is a
debate?

Topics:

123-

4-

I would like to live in the

1850s
Schools was better in the
olden days
Schools should bring
back punishments like the
cane and dunce hat.
Being a kid in the 1850s
was easier than now.

Reflection on Unit of workThis unit of work was really successful with the students. I was able to engage the students in
this unit and this achieved as a result of a diverse range of activities utilized throughout out
the unit. The integration with the Step Back in Time Day and excursion to Ripponlea allowed
the students another level of engagement and this was utilized in my unit of work.
Lesson one assessed students prior knowledge with the pre test brainstorm. This
demonstrated that all of the students had little to no idea of what it was like to be a kid in the
1850s this meant that I was able to develop all of the students knowledge and understandings
of this topic. Students then composed a letter which invited their grandparents to speak about
going to school in the olden days. Students worked very effectively.
Lesson two students explored the idea of living as a kid in the 1850s they came up with
points for and against which demonstrated their ability to come up with positives and
negatives for life in the 1850s. This allowed me to see the comprehension of the text and
whether or not they could see positives and negatives. This lesson went well and the students
showed comprehension of the text.
Lesson three this lesson had the students devise interview questions for a grandparent to
understand a bit of what life was like in the olden days. The students worked well and
achieved the outcomes. The students then throughout the unit presented their interviews in
oral presentations.
Lesson four the students worked really well they were able to achieve their intended
outcome. All of the student worked really well and understood the concepts and ideas. Overall
I am really happy with how the unit of work is progressing and has developed. Formative
assessment of their final product was taken
Lesson five the students really engaged with the My Place and it worked as a great prompt
to facilitate discussion about a kids life in the 1850s. Overall the students worked well and
achieved what I had planned. This was a formative assessment on their ability to identify hat
life for children in the 1850s was more difficult.
Lesson six the Step Back in Time lessons went really well and gave the students the change
to engage in the idea of living in the past and what it may have been like. Overall this gave a
great wow factor and depth to my unit of work.
The excursion to Ripponlea The excursion to Ripponlea allowed students to observe what it
was like to live in the eighteen hundreds. This demonstrated how engaging excursions can be
and how relevant excursion can enhance learning experiences and units of works.
Lesson seven and eight was the development of dioramas which depicted life in the eighteen
hundreds this was making connections to Ripponlea and Step Back in Time Day and
reinforcing what they have learnt throughout the unit.
Lesson nine worked as a summarising session of the unit by the students composing
arguments for debates. The students really loved this was altered from original planning as I
thought this was a fun way to re-explore the content covered. Overall the unit was very
successful and achieved what I intended.