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Then They Thought, Now We Think

A 40-minute Kindergarten lesson on comparing how people saw things in the past with how we see them now.

Then They Thought, Now We Think is a free 40-minute Kindergarten to Grade 2 social studies lesson plan for Common Core standard D2.His.4.K-2 — compare how people in the past saw things with how people see things 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.4.K-2

Kindergarten to Grade 2 · History

D2.His.4.K-2

Compare perspectives of people in the past to those of people in the present.

Objective

Students will be able to say how people in the past saw something differently from us.

Students are successful when they can

  • States the past view.
  • States the present view.
  • Says why the views differ.

What you need

  • Paired statements: then and now
  • The printable practice sheet linked at the end of this plan

The lesson

Warm-up — a long way

5 min
  1. Ask how far away is far. Take answers.
  2. Say that a hundred years ago the answer would have been very different.

Teach — they were not silly, they had different lives

13 min
  1. Take journeys. Then: a day by cart was normal. Now: two hours feels long.
  2. Ask why the views differ. Because what was possible differed.
  3. Do letters and messages the same way.
  4. Say the key move: people in the past were sensible, given what they had.
  5. Warn against the easy answer that they did not know any better.
“They were not silly. They had carts, and we have cars.”

Guided practice — match and explain

12 min
  1. Pairs match four then-statements to four now-statements.
  2. For two of them they say why the views differ.
  3. Take feedback on the hardest.

Independent practice

8 min
  1. Students complete the then-and-now-views page.
  2. Read each statement aloud.

Close

2 min
  1. Take one then-view and its now-view.

What goes wrong, and why

Each of these is a reasoning error rather than carelessness. The fix addresses the reasoning.

Says people in the past were stupid.

Why: Their choices look wrong from here.

Fix: Ask what they had to work with. Sensible given the cart is the honest verdict.

Assumes people in the past all thought the same.

Why: The past is a single blur.

Fix: Mention that people then disagreed with each other too.

States a difference in things rather than in views.

Why: Objects are easier than opinions.

Fix: Ask what they THOUGHT about it. The indicator is about perspective.

If they are not there yet

  • Two pairs rather than four.
  • Give the then and collect the now.

If they finish early

  • Say what people now might be wrong about.
  • Find a view that has not changed.
  • Say what would change your view.

Exit ticket

How did people long ago think about a long journey? How do we?

What to look for: Two views and a reason for the gap. 'They were silly' means the what-did-they-have prompt needs repeating.

Printable practice for D2.His.4.K-2

Free to print and copy, answer key included. Each sheet can generate a fresh set of problems for a retake.

Questions about Then They Thought, Now We Think

How long does the Then They Thought, Now We Think 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 Then They Thought, Now We Think teach?

D2.His.4.K-2 — D2.His.4.K-2, History for Kindergarten to Grade 2: “Compare perspectives of people in the past to those of people in the present.” In plain terms, compare how people in the past saw things with how people see things now.

What do I need to teach this lesson?

Paired statements: then and now 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: says people in the past were stupid; assumes people in the past all thought the same and states a difference in things rather than in views. 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: “How did people long ago think about a long journey? How do we?.” Two views and a reason for the gap. 'They were silly' means the what-did-they-have prompt needs repeating. 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 Then They Thought, Now We Think?

Yes — 1 printable D2.His.4.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 Then They Thought, Now We Think 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.4.K-2 of the C3 Framework for Social Studies State Standards.