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Toy World:Toys then and now

A Unit of Work for VELS Level 2 (Grades 1 & 2)

Acknowledgements

• Schoolsnetunitofwork:“Howareourtoysdifferentfromthoseinthepast?”Availableathttp://www.schoolsnet.com/pls/hot_school/sn_primary.page_pls_unit_detail?x=&p_unit_id=69.

• UKDepartmentforChildren,SchoolsandFamiliesSchemeofWork:“Howareourtoysdifferentfromthoseinthepast?Availableathttp://www.standards.dfes.gov.uk/schemes2/history/his1/?view=get.

• ACARA:AustralianCurriculum,AssessmentandReportingAuthority.AustralianCurriculum:History.Locatedathttp://www.australiancurriculum.edu.au/History/Curriculum/F-10.AccessedJuly2011.

• RevisedbyLyndaRobertson,July2011.

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VELS and National CurriculumLearning Focus Links

Level 2 VELSPhysical,PersonalandSocialLearningDiscipline-basedLearning• Humanities • HistoricalKnowledgeandunderstanding

• Historicalreasoningandinterpretation

• English

InterdisciplinaryLearning• Communication • Listening,viewingandresponding

• Presenting

• ThinkingProcesses • Reasoning,processingandinquiry • Creativity • Reflection,evaluationandmetacognition

Australian Curriculum: History (Grade 1)Key Inquiry Questions• Presentandpastfamilylife• Howhasfamilylifechangedorremainedthe

sameovertime?• Howcanweshowthatthepresentisdifferent

fromorsimilartothepast?• Howdowedescribethesequenceoftime?

Historical Skills• Chronology,termsandconcepts• Historicalquestionsandresearch• Analysisanduseofsources• Perspectivesandinterpretations• Explanationandcommunication

Historical questions and research• Analysisanduseofsources• Comprehensionandcommunication• HistoricalKnowledgeandUnderstanding• Differencesinfamilystructuresandrolestoday,

andhowthesehavechangedorremainedthesameovertime(ACHHK028)

• Howthepresent,pastandfuturearesignifiedbytermsindicatingtimesuchas‘alongtimeago’,‘thenandnow’,‘nowandthen’,‘oldandnew’,‘tomorrow’,aswellasbydatesandchangesthatmayhavepersonalsignificance,suchasbirthdays,celebrationsandseasons(ACHHK029)

• Differencesandsimilaritiesbetweenstudents’dailylivesandlifeduringtheirparents’andgrandparents’childhoods,includingfamilytraditions,leisuretimeandcommunications.(ACHHK030)

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Australian Curriculum: History (Grade 2)Key Inquiry Questions• Thepastinthepresent• Whataspectsofthepastcanyouseetoday?

Whatdotheytellus?• Whatremainsofthepastareimportanttothe

localcommunity?Why?• Howhavechangesintechnologyshapedour

dailylife?

Historical Skills• Chronology,termsandconcepts• Historicalquestionsandresearch• Analysisanduseofsources• Perspectivesandinterpretations• Explanationandcommunication

Historical questions and research• Analysisanduseofsources• Comprehensionandcommunication• HistoricalKnowledgeandUnderstanding• Thehistoryofasignificantperson,building,site

orpartofthenaturalenvironmentinthelocalcommunityandwhatitrevealsaboutthepast(ACHHK044)

• Theimportancetodayofanhistoricalsiteofculturalorspiritualsignificance;forexample,acommunitybuilding,alandmark,awarmemorial(ACHHK045)

• Theimpactofchangingtechnologyonpeople’slives(athomeandinthewaystheyworked,travelled,communicated,andplayedinthepast)(ACHHK046)

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Pre-Excursion Activities1. Our favourite toys

• Askstudentstobringafavouritetoytoschool.Letthechildrenlookateachother’stoysandexplaintoeachotherwhythistoyistheirfavourite.

• Asaclass,deviseasetof“criteria”forwhatmakesatoya“favourite”toy.Leadadiscussionwherechildrenareencouragedtodescribetheirtoysandwhatmakesthemfun!

2. Toys timeline

• Discusswhetherthesehavealwaysbeenthechildren’sfavouritetoys.Didtheyplaywithdifferenttoyswhentheywereyounger?Dotheyhaveoldersiblingswhoplaywithdifferenttoys?Howdotheydiffer,andwhy?

• Givethechildrenthe“Toysfordifferentages”sheet(seeStudentActivityNo.1).Thissheetshowsasmallrangeoftoysthatwouldbesuitableforchildrenfrombabiesto6plus.Givethemthe“Timeline”sheet(seeStudentActivityNo.2)andexplainhowthetimelineworks.Havethemcutoutthepicturesoftoysandgluethemonthetimelineinthecorrectplace.

Extension activity

• Havethechildrenmaketheirowntoycatalogueusingadvertisingmaterial.Explainthattheyneedtoorganisethetoysintheircatalogueaccordingtotheageofthechild.Havechildrensharesomeoftheircatalogues,andexplainhowacollectoroftoysoracuratoratamuseumwouldhaveacatalogueorlistoftheirtoycollection.Dothechildrenthinkthetoysintheircataloguewouldbethesameaswhatisintheirs?

3. Finding out about toys from the past

• Introducetheideathatstudentswillfindoutabout“new”and“old”toys.Askthechildrentothinkabouthowwecanfindoutabouttoysfromthepast.Makealistoftheirideasandgiveeachstudentthe“Survey”sheet(seeStudentActivityNo.3)totakehomeinorderdraw/listwhattoystheirparentsandgrandparentsplayedwithwhentheywerechildren.

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4. What were our parents’ and grandparents’ toys like?

• Usethecompletedsurveysheetstodiscussthetypesoftoyswhichthechildren’sparentsandgrandparentsplayedwithwhentheyweresmall.Makealistofthetoysontheboard.

• ShowstudentsapictureofRioVistahouseandbrieflyexplainthatthehousewasbuiltin1890.TheChaffeyfamilylivedthere,andtheyhadsevenchildren.Thetoystheyplayedwithwouldbeolderthantheirowngrandparents’toys.

• Bringouttheboxof‘ChaffeyToys”whichcanbeobtainedbycontactingtheChaffeyTrailProjectOfficerTelephone(symbol)0350188311oremail:chaffey.trail@mildura.vic.gov.auortheMildura&DistrictHistoricalSocietyemail:mildurahistorical@gmail.com

• Whatmakesthesetoyslookold?Makealistofadjectiveseg.Broken,shiny,rusty,clean.• Whatmaterialshavebeenusedtomakethem?• Dowestillusethesematerialstoday?• Whyaretheredifferencesbetweenthetoys?

• Explaintochildrenthat,intheirnextclass,theywillbelisteningtoaguestspeakerwhowilltalkaboutsometoysfromwhentheyweresmall,andtoysfromtheChaffeyera.Makealistofquestionsforstudentstoasktheguest.

5. Visiting guest speaker

• ArrangeforaguestspeakerfromtheMilduraHistoricalSociety,oragrandparent,tocomeandtalktothechildrenabouttheirchildhoodandthedifferenttoystheyplayedwith.

• Itmaybeusefultorecordtheirtalktoreplaysectionsifnecessary.Ensurestudentsaskquestions,andthattimeisallowedtoviewartefacts.

6. Toy stories

• Readsomestoriesabouttoys(eg.MickInkpen’sKipper’sToybox,orCuriousGeorgeVisitsaToyShopbyMargretandH.A.Reys–bothavailableattheMilduraLibrary).Makealistofadjectivestodescribethecharacteristicsofthetoyinthestoryanddiscusshowthesearedifferenttothecharacteristicsofoldtoys(seeActivity4).

• Askstudentstoselectan“old”toyand“tellitsstory.”Whodiditbelongto?Hasithadanyadventures?Scaffoldthetaskbycompletingthe“story”foronetoytogetherasaclass.

• Consideraskingchildrentoreadeachother’sstoriesandprovidefeedbackusingthe“twostarsandawish”protocol.Thismeansthattheytelltheirpartnertwothingstheylikedaboutthestory,andonethingtheybelievecouldhavebeendonedifferentlyorimprovedupon.

7. Toys and the more distant past

• Reviewthedifferentwaysinwhichwehavefoundoutabouttoysfromthepast–askingparents,grandparents,lookingatphotos,listeningtoaguestspeakerandexaminingtoys.

• Discussotherwaysinwhichwecanfindoutaboutthepast–eg.Books,drawings,paintings,museums.

• GiveeachchildamagnifyingglassandacopyofBreugel’spainting“Children’sGames”from1560(seeStudent

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ActivityNo.4).AlaminatedclasssetandthemagnifyingglassescanbeobtainedbycontactingtheMilduraHistoricalSociety.

• Havechildrenusethemagnifierstospotallthegameseveryoneisplaying.Thereareusefuldescriptionsofthegamesandbackgroundinformationavailableat:

• http://www.wga.hu/index1.html• http://www.artyfactory.com/perspective_drawing/perspective_14.htm• http://gardenofpraise.com/art28.htm

• Makealistofthedifferentgames.Considerdiscussing:

• Whywerepeopleabletoplayoutinthestreets?• Whywereacrobatssopopular?• Whatwasdifferentaboutlifeingeneralatthistime?• Howarethepeopleinthepaintingdressed?• Whatgamesareplayedaloneandwhichonesareinagroup?• Whattoyscanbeseeninthepainting?Whataretheymadeoutof?• Canwerelyonapaintingtotellusaboutwhatlifewaslike?

Extension activities

• CutacopyoftheBreugelpaintingintosections.Giveeachchildasectionandhavethempaintapictureofthemselvesplayingthegame.Displaythepicturestogethertoforma“bigpicture”likethestreetsceneinBreugel’spainting.

• Havestudentsre-enactscenesfromtheBreugelpaintingandtakephotographs.

8. Prepare for your excursion to the Old Mildura Station Homestead

• BrainstormsomethingswhichstudentsthinktheymayseeattheOldMilduraStationHomestead.

• Givestudentsthenameofagametoresearch(seelistinActivity9)andhavethemexplainiteitherinwrittenorverbalform.

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Excursion Activity9. Victorian Day and visit to the Old Mildura Station Homestead

TheChaffeyTrailProjectOfficercanassistwithprogrammingandco-ordinatingactivitieswithvolunteersfromtheMildura&DistrictHistoricalSocietyandtheOldMilduraStationHomesteadcommittee.Costumesandequipmentisavailablefreeofchargeie:sacksforsackraces.

Somegameswhichcanbeplayedinclude:

• Furtherinformationavailableonlineat:• http://www.literacycommunity.com/grade3/pioneercontent/games.html• http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_traditional_children’s_games• http://victorian.world.sw.tripod.com/id4.html

• ConsiderhavinglunchintheHomesteadRoseGarden.

• Ensureyoutakelotsofphotographstobeusedinthepost-excursionactivity!

• IfyouareunabletovisittheOldMilduraStationHomestead,considerrunningsomeactivitiesinyourschoolyard.

• VolunteersfromtheMildura&DistrictHistoricalSocietyandOldMilduraStationHomesteadteam,pendingavailabilitymaybeavailabletoassistsmallgroups.ie:sackrace,orangerelay,dropthehankiearesomesamplegames.Email:mildurahistorical@gmail.com

• AppleCore• Bandy• BadEgg• BallTag• Baseball• BlindMan’sBlufforBlindMan’s

Wand• BritishBulldog• BullrushGame• Buttsup• CapturetheFlag• Cat’sCradle• Checkers• ChainTag• ChineseJumpRope• ChineseWhispers• Chopsticks• CockyOlly• Conkers• Cupid’sComing• CopsandRobbers• DeerStalker• DodgeBall• DuckDuckGoose• FollowtheLeader• FootHockey

• FortyForty• FourSquare• FootBall• Graces• HeadsDown,ThumbsUp• HeadsUp,SevenUp• HideandSeek• HoopsandSticks• HopScotch• HotLava• House• ISpy• IHaveaBasket• Jackstraws• JumpRope• Jumpsies• KeepAway• Kickball• KicktheCan• Kingey• KissChase• LeapFrog• MaryMack• Marbles• MotherMayI?• MusicalChairs

• MusicalStatues• Postman’sKnock• Queenie,Queenie,who’sgotthe

ball?• Redlight,greenlight• RedRover• Rockpaperscissors• Sardines• Shuttlecock• Silentball• SimonSays• Skippingstones• Sleepinglions• Taboo• Tag• TheNeedle’sEye• ThumbWar• TiddlyWinks• TugofWar• TunnelBall• TwentyQuestions• Twoballsandawall• What’sthetimeMrWolf?

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Post-excursion Activities10. Victorian Day at the Old Mildura Station Homestead

• Theteachermodelswritingastoryusing5photosfromtheOldMilduraStationHomesteadvisit.Makeabook.Teachercoulduseonoverheadprojectortoensurethatthestudentsarepartofthewritingprocess.

• Havethestudentsdigitalphotosprintedoff,tousefordiscussion.Getstudentsintotheir‘excursion’groupingstodiscuss.(ifpossiblehavetheparenthelpersavailabletoassist)

• StudentsmakeupastoryabouttheirdayasaVictorianchildattheOldMilduraStationHomestead.Usingthephotos,placethephotosinsequenceorderandwriteanarrative.Studentscouldinclude:

• Howtheyfeltaboutgettingdressedup• Thenamesofthedifferentgamestheyplayed• Thegamestheyenjoyedthemostandwhy• WhattheythinklifewouldhavebeenlikeforchildrenwholivedinVictoriantimes• Whethertheywouldratherplaywiththeirowntoysortoysfromthepast.

• TeachercoulddevelopaPowerPointslideshowusingonephotofromeachstudent,toshowtherestoftheschoolcommunity.

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Optional In-Depth Case StudyPunch and Judy

1. Introducing puppets• Lookatarangeofpuppets,ifpossiblebotholdandnew,andhavechildrendescribethem.Whataretheirsimilarities

anddifferences?Howdotheywork?

2. Puppets as entertainment• RemindstudentsaboutthepicturethatBreughelpaintedaboutchildren’sgames,particularlytheacrobats,which

wereapopularformofentertainment.Recallthewaysinwhichwecanfindoutaboutthepast,whichhavealreadybeencoveredinpreviousactivities.Explainthatwecanlearnaboutthepastthroughtraditionsthatarestillperformed,suchasMayDayoraPunchandJudyshow.Diariesalsotellusaboutthepast.

• SamuelPepyskeptsuchadiaryandwroteaboutaPunchandJudyshowhehadseeninLondonover400yearsago.Explaintochildrenthatyearsagoapuppetshowwasapopularmeansofentertainment.Thepuppetshowmightcomeroundtothevillagewheretheylivedortheymightseeitiftheywereluckyenoughtogoonholidaytotheseaside.Haveanychildrenseenapuppetshowattheseaside?

• UsetheFactFilesheet(seeAppendix8)toexplainthehistoryofPunchandJudy.

3. A Punch and Judy Show• ShowthechildrenavideoofaPunchandJudyShow(DVDavailablefromtheMilduraHistoricalSocietyonrequest

http://prestonspunch.folkaustralia.com/dvd.html).

4. Investigative Task• Asaclass,makealistofkeyquestionsforstudentstofindoutaboutMrPunchandtheotherpuppets.Have

studentscompleteanInternetsearchtofurthertheirknowledgeofPunchandJudy.

5. Craft activity• Havechildrenmaketheirownstickpuppetsusingthe“PunchandJudyOutlineSheet”(availableathttp://www.

schoolsnet.com/pls/hot_school/sn_primary.page_pls_unit_detail?x=&p_unit_id=69),orbydrawingtheirown.Thesecanthenbecutoutandgluedontosticksforthechildren’sownperformance.

Extension activity• Usethestickpuppetstoperformashowforclassmates,orforanotherclass,explainingthehistoryofthepuppets

priortotheperformance.

Adaptedfromhttp://www.schoolsnet.com/pls/hot_school/sn_primary.page_pls_resource_detail?x=16180339&p_res_id=146

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Student activity No. 1Toys for different ages

Kite Rattle Crayons

Teddy bear Video game Toy aeroplane

Skipping rope Paint and paintbrushes Blocks

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Student activity No. 2Toy Timeline

YOUNGEST

Ithinkthistoyisforababybecause

Thistoyisforanolderbabybecause

Ithinkthistoyisforwhenthebabyisolderbecause

Thistoyisforatoddlerbecause

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Achildneedstobealittleolderforthistoybecause

Thisisforanolderchildbecause

Thisisforanevenolderchildbecause

Thisisforanolderchildbecause

Thisisfortheoldestchildbecause

OLDEST

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Student activity No. 3Toy Survey

DearParent/Carer,atschoolwearelookingattoysfromthepast.Thechildrenneedtotalktotheirparentsandgrandparentsabouttoystheyplayedwithwhentheywereyoung.Thechildrenneedtocompletethechartbydrawingorwritingthenameofthetoys.Thisworkwillbeusedinournextlesson.Ifyouhaveanyphotographsofthechild’sparentsorgrandparentswithachildhoodtoy,wewouldlovetoseetheminclass!

Parents

Grandparents

Copyright 2000 – Educate the Children –Authorofthisworksheet:KatieMarlForhundredsoflessonplans,worksheetsandarticlesforPrimaryEducation,pleasevisit:http://www.educate.org.uk

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2Years

3Years

4Years

5Years

6Years

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Student activity No. 4Bruegel Painting

Availablefromhttp://gardenofpraise.com/art28.htm-GardenofPraise,freeeducationalresources