Long Ago and Now
A 40-minute Kindergarten lesson on comparing how people lived in the past with how we live today.
Long Ago and Now is a free 40-minute Kindergarten to Grade 2 social studies lesson plan for Common Core standard D2.His.2.K-2 — compare how people lived in the past with how we live now. It is timed across 5 sections, gives the exact wording to use where the wording carries the mathematics, names 3 misconceptions with the teaching move that addresses each, and ends with an exit ticket and a printable worksheet with its answer key.
- Grade:
- Kindergarten to Grade 2
- Length:
- 40 minutes
- Standard:
- D2.His.2.K-2
Kindergarten to Grade 2 · History
D2.His.2.K-2
Compare life in the past to life today.
Objective
Students will be able to name something that has changed and something that has stayed the same.
Students are successful when they can
- Names a change.
- Names something unchanged.
- Says how they know.
What you need
- Old and new photographs of the same kind of scene
- A two-column chart: changed, stayed the same
- The printable practice sheet linked at the end of this plan
The lesson
Warm-up — spot five differences
5 min- Show an old classroom photograph beside a modern one.
- Take five differences quickly.
Teach — not everything changed
13 min- Fill the changed column from the warm-up.
- Then ask what is the same in both pictures. Children, a teacher, chairs.
- Say that the second column is the harder and more interesting one.
- Add three things to it.
- Ask how we know any of this — from the photograph, which is a source.
“Something has stayed the same for a hundred years. What is it?”
Guided practice — fill both columns
12 min- Pairs sort twelve cards into long ago and now.
- They add two things to a shared 'stayed the same' list.
- Take feedback on the second list.
Independent practice
8 min- Students complete the long-ago-or-now page.
- Read each item aloud.
Close
2 min- Take one change and one thing that stayed.
What goes wrong, and why
Each of these is a reasoning error rather than carelessness. The fix addresses the reasoning.
Thinks everything was different in the past.
Why: Differences are what the pictures show first.
Fix: The second column, required. Continuity is half of history.
Thinks the past was long ago in colour terms — grey.
Why: Old photographs are grey.
Fix: The world was in colour; the cameras were not. Say it plainly once.
Thinks 'long ago' means when their grandparents were born, always.
Why: It is the furthest back they can name.
Fix: Use a specific marker on the photograph. Long ago needs anchoring to something.
If they are not there yet
- Six cards rather than twelve.
- Give the changed column and fill the other.
If they finish early
- Find something that changed and then changed back.
- Say what will be different when you are grown up.
- Say what you would miss most from now.
Exit ticket
Name one thing that has changed since long ago, and one that has stayed the same.
What to look for: Both columns filled. Only changes means the stayed-the-same list needs another airing.
Printable practice for D2.His.2.K-2
Free to print and copy, answer key included. Each sheet can generate a fresh set of problems for a retake.
- Long Ago or Now?Sort each one into long ago or now.
Questions about Long Ago and Now
How long does the Long Ago and Now lesson take?
40 minutes, split across 5 timed sections: warm-up 5 min, teach 13 min, guided practice 12 min, independent practice 8 min, close 2 min. The minutes are stated per section and add up to the stated length, so the plan can be cut or extended at a section boundary rather than abandoned halfway.
Which standard does Long Ago and Now teach?
D2.His.2.K-2 — D2.His.2.K-2, History for Kindergarten to Grade 2: “Compare life in the past to life today.” In plain terms, compare how people lived in the past with how we live now.
What do I need to teach this lesson?
Old and new photographs of the same kind of scene, a two-column chart: changed, stayed the same and the printable practice sheet linked at the end of this plan. Everything listed is either ordinary classroom equipment or a free printable from this site — there is nothing to buy and nothing to prepare beyond photocopying.
What mistakes should I expect in this lesson?
Three, each a reasoning error rather than carelessness: thinks everything was different in the past; thinks the past was long ago in colour terms — grey and thinks 'long ago' means when their grandparents were born, always. The plan gives the thinking behind each one and the teaching move that addresses the thinking rather than the symptom.
How do I know whether the lesson worked?
The exit ticket asks: “Name one thing that has changed since long ago, and one that has stayed the same.” Both columns filled. Only changes means the stayed-the-same list needs another airing. That tells you whether the class needs a reteach or a thirty-second conversation before you plan tomorrow.
Is there a worksheet to go with Long Ago and Now?
Yes — 1 printable D2.His.2.K-2 worksheet, linked at the end of the plan and free like the rest of the site. Each one comes with an answer key and 25 versions, so the practice after the lesson can be a different paper on every desk.
Is Long Ago and Now free to use?
Yes. The plan, its printables and their answer keys are free to read, print and photocopy for your own class, with no account and no email capture. It was last reviewed on 7 September 2026. Please do not resell it or republish it as your own.
Last reviewed 2026-09-07. Aligned to D2.His.2.K-2 of the C3 Framework for Social Studies State Standards.