1 | State Library of New South Wales: NSW Syllabus for the Australian Curriculum – History (Holidays – Past and Present)

Stage 1 (Year 1) Present and past family life

Students learn about similarities and differences in family life by comparing the present with the past. They begin to explore the

links, and the changes that occur, over time.

Topic: Holidays – Past and Present

Key inquiry questions: How has family life changed or remained the same over time?

How can we show that the present is different from or similar to the past?

How do we describe the sequence of time?

Content

Differences in family structures and roles today, and how these have changed or remained the same over time (ACHHK028)

Differences and similarities between students' daily lives and life during their parents’ and grandparents’ childhoods, including

family traditions, leisure time and communications. (ACHHK030)

How the present, past and future are signified by terms indicating time such as ‘a long time ago’, ‘then and now’, ‘now and then’,

‘old and new’, ‘tomorrow’, as well as by dates and changes that may have personal significance, such as birthdays, celebrations

and seasons (ACHHK029)

Students:

discuss similarities and differences from generation to generation

define and use terms relating to time, sequencing objects or photographs from the past

2 | State Library of New South Wales: NSW Syllabus for the Australian Curriculum – History (Holidays – Past and Present)

Student learning activity

Focus questions:

What did people in the past do during their holidays?

What do you do during your holidays?

How similar or different are your holidays to the Allen family’s holidays?

Activity 1:

The Allen family was a wealthy family who lived in Sydney around 1900.

Mr Allen loved to take photos of his family and carefully put them into photo albums with commentaries.

Students will use photos from the Allen family’s photo album to discover what family holidays were like in the past.

The learning activity is designed to help students identify and understand the similarities and differences between leisure time in

their lives and life in the past.

A video about the Allen family is available at

http://www.sl.nsw.gov.au/discover_collections/society_art/photography/allen_family/index.html

Ask students to:

Look carefully at the photos in the Allen family’s album.

Describe what the children did each day.

Describe what they do during their holiday that is similar or different.

Use terms such as ‘a long time ago’, ‘then and now’, ‘now and then’, ‘old and new’.

Activity 2:

Students write or draw a picture to show

What the Allen family did each day of the week during their holiday in the olden days.

3 | State Library of New South Wales: NSW Syllabus for the Australian Curriculum – History (Holidays – Past and Present)

What they do in the holidays today.

Activity 3: (extension)

Use the descriptions to create a story (historical narrative) about how the Allen family spent their holiday in 1900.

Use a range of communication forms (oral, graphic, written, role play) and digital technologies to tell the story.

4 | State Library of New South Wales: NSW Syllabus for the Australian Curriculum – History (Holidays – Past and Present)

Monday Tuesday

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5 | State Library of New South Wales: NSW Syllabus for the Australian Curriculum – History (Holidays – Past and Present)

Wednesday Thursday

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6 | State Library of New South Wales: NSW Syllabus for the Australian Curriculum – History (Holidays – Past and Present)

Friday Saturday

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7 | State Library of New South Wales: NSW Syllabus for the Australian Curriculum – History (Holidays – Past and Present)

Sunday

http://www.acmssearch.sl.nsw.gov.au/search/itemDetailPaged.cgi?itemID=874621

8 | State Library of New South Wales: NSW Syllabus for the Australian Curriculum – History (Holidays – Past and Present)

What did the Allen family do during their holiday?

In the olden days What I do today

Monday

Tuesday

Wednesday

Thursday

Friday

Saturday

Sunday

9 | State Library of New South Wales: NSW Syllabus for the Australian Curriculum – History (Holidays – Past and Present)

Background notes for teachers

Holidays in the past

Holidays have changed from what they were like in the past. There are many reasons for these changes. One reason is the change

in technology.

Now we can go on a plane to another city or country in a few hours or days. But 100 years ago passenger planes were not around.

Now we can get in a car and drive to other states. But 100 years ago cars were rare and roads were rough and bumpy.

Now we can watch colour 3D movies at home on the TV. But 100 years ago TV wasn’t invented and movies were still in black and

white and silent.

Did you know the first commercial movie with sound was not shown until 1923? 100 years ago museums were popular but zoos

were still fairly new. Theme parks like Dreamworld, Sea World and Movie World did not exist. Australian culture has changed over

time, and this has changed how we play and where we go on holidays.

Activity 3 Similarities/differences

Monday

Christmas day 1899 for the Allen family.

What presents did they receive?

What presents did you receive last

Christmas?

Toys and games.

Tuesday

It was a very hot day so the children decided to

go swimming.

What do you do on a hot day?

Design of swimming pools, air conditioning,

refrigerated goods.

10 | State Library of New South Wales: NSW Syllabus for the Australian Curriculum – History (Holidays – Past and Present)

Wednesday

The Allen family went for a picnic. Look at the

clothes they are wearing.

What do you wear when you go for a picnic?

Clothing: long dresses, hats, children fully

covered.

Thursday

The Allen family visited the zoo. What was their

favourite ride?

Have you ever visited the zoo? What was your

favourite ride?

Zoos no longer allow elephant rides. Rides

are now mechanical and power driven.

Friday

Joyce, Denis and Margaret Allen played with their

pet birds.

Do you have pets? What games do you play?

Children still play with their pets. There are

many other games to play indoors and

outdoors.

Saturday

Denis had a birthday party in the back yard.

How did you celebrate your last birthday?

Children still have birthday parties in their

backyards. There are many places to go for

birthday parties, e.g. bowling parties etc.

Sunday

The Allen family went for a drive into town.

How do you travel to town or to the city?

The Allen family travelled to town in a horse-

drawn carriage. Today children travel in

cars, buses, trains, trams, planes.

11 | State Library of New South Wales: NSW Syllabus for the Australian Curriculum – History (Holidays – Past and Present)

NSW Syllabus for the Australian Curriculum History K - 10

Outcomes Historical Skills Historical concepts

HT1-1 communicates an

understanding of change

and continuity in family life

using appropriate historical

TERMS

HT1-4 demonstrates skills

of historical inquiry and

communication

Comprehension: chronology, terms and concepts

distinguish between the past, present and future

(ACHHS032, ACHHS048)

Use of sources

explore and use a range of sources about the past

(ACHHS034, ACHHS050)

identify and compare features of objects from the past and

present (ACHHS035, ACHHS051)

Empathetic understanding

recognise that people on 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)

Continuity and change: some

things change over time and others

remain the same

Cause and effect: events,

decisions or developments in the

past that produce later actions,

results or effects

Empathetic understanding:

developing an understanding of

another’s views, life and decisions

made

12 | State Library of New South Wales: NSW Syllabus for the Australian Curriculum – History (Holidays – Past and Present)

Learning across the curriculum

Literacy

Numeracy

Information and communication technology capability