Home›Lesson Plans›Social Studies›History · Grade 2

Then & Now: How Life Has Changed

Students compare life long ago with life today — how people traveled, lit their homes, wrote, and got water — discovering how much has changed, and how much has stayed the same.

Grade 2History40 minutes1 class periodC3 InquiryExplicit teaching4 StandardsC3 + CCSS
Start the Lesson
Assign or share this lesson

Copy link works with Canvas, Schoology, Moodle and any other LMS — paste it in as a resource or assignment.

Lesson at a Glance

Everything you need before the bell rings

Learning Objectives

Students will be able to…

  • ✓Compare life long ago and today.
  • ✓Sort things into then and now.
  • ✓Explain how technology changed life.
  • ✓Name something that stayed the same.
Essential Question

Long ago there were no cars, light bulbs, or computers. How was life different for kids back then — and how is it the same?

0
Lesson Phases
0
Vocabulary Terms
0
Standards Aligned
0
Interactive Task
Sort It · Interactive

Then or Now?

Project this and sort each thing into “Long Ago” or “Today.” Tap one, then tap the basket — and talk about how things changed.

⏳ Sort each thing — long ago or today?Try it
🐎 Long Ago
✈️ Today
Tap a thing, then tap a basket.
The Lesson · C3 Inquiry Arc (Question · Investigate · Conclude)

40 minutes, five moves

Tap any phase to open the teacher moves and student actions.

1

Big Question — No Cars?!

5 min

What if there were no cars, phones, or light bulbs?

👩‍🏫 Teacher Moves

  • Imagine a day long ago.
  • Ask what would be different.
  • Set the goal: then and now.

🎒 Student Actions

  • Imagine long ago.
  • Notice differences.
  • Predict the changes.
2

Investigate — Then or Now

10 min

Students investigate.

👩‍🏫 Teacher Moves

  • Send students to Then or Now?
  • Sort each thing.
  • Talk about the change.

🎒 Student Actions

  • Sort each thing.
  • Explain the change.
  • Compare then/now.
3

Explore More — How Life Changed

10 min

Explore more.

👩‍🏫 Teacher Moves

  • Compare travel, light, writing, water.
  • Show old and new pictures.
  • Explain how tools improved.

🎒 Student Actions

  • Compare old and new.
  • Explain a change.
  • Name the tool.
4

Think It Through — Same & Different

10 min

Think it through.

👩‍🏫 Teacher Moves

  • Ask what stayed the same (family, play).
  • Note some needs never change.
  • Discuss which they’d pick.

🎒 Student Actions

  • Name what’s the same.
  • Explain a need.
  • Give an opinion.
5

Share & Act — Share & Act

5 min

Students take action.

👩‍🏫 Teacher Moves

  • Have students draw then vs. now.
  • Interview an older family member.
  • Hand out the exit ticket.

🎒 Student Actions

  • Draw then vs. now.
  • Plan an interview.
  • Complete the exit ticket.
Standards Alignment

Built to the standards you report on

Aligned to the C3 Framework for Social Studies and Common Core literacy in social studies.

C3
D2.His.2.K-2

Compare life in the past to life today.

C3
D2.His.1.K-2

Create a chronological sequence of multiple events.

C3
D2.His.3.K-2

Generate questions about individuals and groups in the past.

CCSS
RI.2.3

Describe the connection between historical events, ideas, or steps.

Differentiation

One lesson, every learner

Multilingual Learners

ELL / EMERGING READERS
  • Then/now picture pairs.
  • Sentence frame: “Long ago ___; today ___.”
  • Match old tools to new ones.

Support & Access

IEP / 504
  • Use clear then/now picture pairs.
  • Focus on travel and light.
  • Match old to new.

Stretch & Extend

GIFTED / EARLY FINISHERS
  • Interview a grandparent about long ago.
  • Make a then/now timeline.
  • Predict life in the future.
Materials

What to gather

  • 📽️Projector / board
  • 📓Notebooks
  • 💻Then or Now?
  • 🖼️Then/now picture cards
  • 🖍️Crayons
  • 🎫Exit-ticket slips
Vocabulary

Key terms — hover for a quick definition

pasttime that has already happenedpresentright now, todaylong agoa time in the pasttodaythe present timechangeto become differenttechnologytools people make and usecompareto see how things are alike and differenthistorythe story of the past
Evaluate

Exit Ticket

Preview the three formative checks. Tap “Sample answer” to see what mastery looks like — hide them before you print for students.

QUESTION 1
How did people travel long ago, before cars?
By walking, riding horses, or using horse-drawn wagons.
QUESTION 2
Name one thing that is different today than long ago.
Sample: we have electric lights, cars, and computers instead of candles, horses, and hand-writing.
QUESTION 3
Name one thing that is the same today as long ago.
Sample: families, friends, playing, and eating meals together.

Going deeper? Interview an elder.

Have students ask an older family member what was different when they were young, then share one thing with the class. A printable interview sheet is in the Social Studies library.

Study · Flashcards

Study the key terms

Tap a card to flip it, then rate whether you knew it. Built from this lesson’s vocabulary.

🃏 Then & NowFlip
Card 1
Term
Tap to flip →
Meaning
0

Nice work!

Practice · Quiz

Check your understanding

A quick self-check with instant feedback, drawn from this lesson’s key terms.

📝 Then & NowQuiz
Score: 0
1 / 6
Question 1
0%

Nice work!

Practice · Worksheet

Printable worksheet

A print-and-go review sheet with a built-in answer key. Tap “Show answer key” to reveal answers, or print the clean version for students.

🖨️ Then & NowPrint
Name: ________________________
Date: ____________

Part A · Write the word that matches each meaning

Word bank: change, compare, history, long ago, past, present, technology, today
  1. to see how things are alike and different
  2. a time in the past
  3. tools people make and use
  4. to become different
  5. the story of the past
  6. the present time
  7. time that has already happened
  8. right now, today

Part B · Show what you learned

  1. How did people travel long ago, before cars?
  2. Name one thing that is different today than long ago.
  3. Name one thing that is the same today as long ago.
Answer key — Part A: 1) compare · 2) long ago · 3) technology · 4) change · 5) history · 6) today · 7) past · 8) present
Part B: 1) By walking, riding horses, or using horse-drawn wagons. 2) Sample: we have electric lights, cars, and computers instead of candles, horses, and hand-writing. 3) Sample: families, friends, playing, and eating meals together.