Stage 1 (Year 2) The past in the present
Students explore, recognise and appreciate the history of their local area by examining remains of the past and considering why
they should be preserved.
Topic:
Games children play
Key inquiry questions:
How have changes in technology shaped our daily life?
Content
The impact of changing technology on people’s lives (ACHHK046)
Students:


discuss the similarities and differences of technology from the past through a range of sources and sequence them over time
use a range of communications forms to explain how one example of changing technology affected people’s lives
1 | State Library of New South Wales: NSW Syllabus for the Australian Curriculum – History (Games children play)
Student learning activity
Activity 1: What game is this?
Source 1: Simon Says
http://www.acmssearch.sl.nsw.gov.au/search/itemDetailPaged.cgi?itemID=33983
2 | State Library of New South Wales: NSW Syllabus for the Australian Curriculum – History (Games children play)
Source 2: Computer games
http://www.acmssearch.sl.nsw.gov.au/search/itemDetailPaged.cgi?itemID=441798
3 | State Library of New South Wales: NSW Syllabus for the Australian Curriculum – History (Games children play)
Source 3: Quoits
http://www.acmssearch.sl.nsw.gov.au/search/itemDetailPaged.cgi?itemID=14849
4 | State Library of New South Wales: NSW Syllabus for the Australian Curriculum – History (Games children play)
Source 4: Pin the tail on the donkey
http://www.acmssearch.sl.nsw.gov.au/search/itemDetailPaged.cgi?itemID=14408
5 | State Library of New South Wales: NSW Syllabus for the Australian Curriculum – History (Games children play)
Source 5: Skipping Rope
http://www.acmssearch.sl.nsw.gov.au/search/itemDetailPaged.cgi?itemID=41358
6 | State Library of New South Wales: NSW Syllabus for the Australian Curriculum – History (Games children play)
Source 6: Cricket
http://www.acmssearch.sl.nsw.gov.au/search/itemDetailPaged.cgi?itemID=14108
7 | State Library of New South Wales: NSW Syllabus for the Australian Curriculum – History (Games children play)
Source 7: Marbles
http://www.acmssearch.sl.nsw.gov.au/search/itemDetailPaged.cgi?itemID=85641
8 | State Library of New South Wales: NSW Syllabus for the Australian Curriculum – History (Games children play)
Activity 2: Games past and present
Which games did children play in the past?
Do children still play these games now?
Sort the games into the columns
IN THE PAST
IN THE PRESENT
9 | State Library of New South Wales: NSW Syllabus for the Australian Curriculum – History (Games children play)
PAST AND PRESENT
Activity 3: School sports in the past
http://www.acmssearch.sl.nsw.gov.au/search/itemDetailPaged.cgi?itemID=388942
Which sports did the children play at this school?
How do you know?
10 | State Library of New South Wales: NSW Syllabus for the Australian Curriculum – History (Games children play)
What sport did they play?
How do you know?
11 | State Library of New South Wales: NSW Syllabus for the Australian Curriculum – History (Games children play)
Background notes for teachers
Games children play
Children have always played games, but these games are always changing.
The games played by your parents and grandparents might be similar or different to the ones you play at school.
Games can change because children invent new rules.
Sometimes children from other countries introduce new games that are fun for everyone to play.
Sometimes new toys are invented, like hula hoops, yo-yos or X-Box and Playstation.
There are also things that help keep games the same.
Some games have written rules, like football, cricket or tennis.
Some games have traditional rules that older parents, brothers and sisters teach to younger kids.
What sort of games do you play at school? Are they old-fashioned games or new games?
These activities aim to develop students’ knowledge and understanding of change and continuity over time.
ACTIVITY 1: What game is this?
Ask students to
1. Look carefully at the photos of the games and activities the children are playing.
2. Talk to other students about each game and ask questions such as
a. What is this game?
b. Have you ever played this game?
c. What are the rules?
d. Do you like the game?
12 | State Library of New South Wales: NSW Syllabus for the Australian Curriculum – History (Games children play)
Activity 2: Games past and present
Ask students to
1. Decide when children played these games: in the past, in the present or both.
2. Sort the games into the columns. They can write the name of the game or draw a picture of the game in the column.
3. Discuss whether the games have changed or remained the same over time.
ACTIVITY 3: School sports in the past
Ask students to
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
Look carefully at the photo of the children at school. (The photo was taken in 1917).
Identify sports equipment they can see in the photo.
Draw a conclusion about which sports the children played at school.
Justify their conclusion by supporting it with evidence in the photo.
Complete the chart with words or drawings that describe the games.
NSW Syllabus for the Australian Curriculum History K - 10
Outcomes
Historical Skills
HT1-3 describes the effects of
changing technology on people’s lives
over time
Comprehension: chronology, terms and
concepts
HT1-4 demonstrates skills of historical
inquiry and communication


sequence familiar objects and events
(ACHHS031, ACHHS047)
distinguish between the past, present and
future (ACHHS032, ACHHS048)
Historical concepts

Continuity and change: some
things change over time and
others remain the same

Empathetic understanding:
developing an understanding of
another’s views, life and decisions
made
13 | State Library of New South Wales: NSW Syllabus for the Australian Curriculum – History (Games children play)
Outcomes
Historical Skills
Historical concepts
Use of sources


explore and use a range of sources about the
past (ACHHS034, ACHHS05)
identify and compare features of objects from
the past and present (ACHHS035,
ACHHS051)
Empathetic understanding

recognise that people in the local community
may have lived differently in the past
Research

pose questions about the past using sources
provided (ACHHS033, ACHHS049)
Explanation and communication


develop a narrative about the past
(ACHHS037, ACHHS053)
use a range of communication forms (oral,
graphic, written, role play) and digital
technologies (ACHHS038, ACHHS054)
Learning across the curriculum


Literacy
Critical and creative thinking
14 | State Library of New South Wales: NSW Syllabus for the Australian Curriculum – History (Games children play)