The Town in 1871 and Now
A 40-minute Grade 2 lesson on comparing the town of the census with the town today.
The Town in 1871 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 compare 1871 with now on named dimensions, citing sources.
Students are successful when they can
- Compares on work, schooling and water.
- Cites a source for each.
- Names something unchanged.
What you need
- The census page, the letter and the water notice
- A comparison grid
- The printable practice sheet linked at the end of this plan
The lesson
Warm-up — Emma was eleven
5 min- Read Emma Shaw's census entry.
- Ask what an eleven-year-old does now.
Teach — compare on named dimensions
13 min- Set three rows: children's work, schooling, water.
- Fill 1871 from the sources and now from the class.
- Say the Grade 2 addition: comparing along named dimensions is more useful than listing differences.
- Add a fourth row for something unchanged.
- Cite a source for each 1871 cell.
“Pick the dimension first. Then the comparison is about something.”
Guided practice — fill the grid
12 min- Pairs fill four rows across two columns.
- They cite a source for every 1871 cell.
- They find one row where less has changed than expected.
Independent practice
8 min- Students complete the then-and-now page.
- Read each item aloud.
Close
2 min- Take one row and its source.
What goes wrong, and why
Each of these is a reasoning error rather than carelessness. The fix addresses the reasoning.
Lists differences with no dimension.
Why: Differences are easy to spot.
Fix: Name the row first. A comparison needs an axis.
Fills 1871 from imagination.
Why: It feels obvious.
Fix: Cite the source for every cell.
Assumes everything changed.
Why: The contrast is striking.
Fix: The fourth row. Some things are recognisable across 150 years.
If they are not there yet
- Two rows rather than four.
- Give the 1871 cell and fill now.
If they finish early
- Add a row for something that changed and changed back.
- Say which change mattered most.
- Predict a row for fifty years hence.
Exit ticket
Compare children's work in 1871 and now, citing your source.
What to look for: A comparison with the census cited. No source means the cite-every-cell rule needs restating.
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.
- The Town in 1871 and NowSort each one into then or now.
Questions about The Town in 1871 and Now
How long does the The Town in 1871 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 The Town in 1871 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?
The census page, the letter and the water notice, a comparison grid 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: lists differences with no dimension; fills 1871 from imagination and assumes everything changed. 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: “Compare children's work in 1871 and now, citing your source.” A comparison with the census cited. No source means the cite-every-cell rule needs restating. 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 The Town in 1871 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 The Town in 1871 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.