Children: Then & Now
Developed By
Margaret Gill
Suggested Length
Two 40 minute classes per lesson
Suggested Grade Level(s)
Four
Subject Areas
Social Studies, Language Arts, Visual Arts
Overview
This unit will explore the lives of pioneer children, and compare their lives with
the lives of children in present day society.
Links to Curriculum Outcomes
Students will (be expected to)
 describe examples of the cause and effect and change over time (Social
Studies)
 identify and compare events of the past to the present in order to make
informed, creative decisions about issues (Social Studies)
 contribute thoughts, ideas and questions to discussion and compare their
own ideas with those of peers and others (Language Arts)
 understand that past events, the way people live and the visual arts
influence one another (Visual Arts)
Links to Telling Stories: Themes / Key Words
 Similarities / connections among young people
 Schools as they were in Canada
 Women’s roles / men’s roles
Art Works
 Chad Stretch up West River, Robert Harris, CAG H-618
 Untitled, Charlottetown, Robert Harris, CAG H-664
 For the Rhymer, Robert Harris, CAG H-1657
 Sullivan House, Unknown, CAG H-1924
Lesson #1: Days of Their Lives
Objective
Have students compare their roles and responsibilities in the family
with those of children in pioneer families.
Materials
 pencil
 notebook
 internet access
 print resources
Activities
1. Have students discuss the roles and responsibilities of family
members in their homes today. Decide what they do to help their
families both inside and outside the home. Help students realize
why it is important for each person to contribute to the family
without expecting payment in return.
2. Discuss how the concept of the family includes single parent
families, blended families, grandparents who nurture children, etc.
and how this will lead to varying roles of family members.
3. Have students discuss how the responsibilities of children in their
homes change as they grow older.
4. Invite students to view the referenced artworks by Robert Harris
that depict children who lived about one hundred and fifty years
ago. Based on evidence from the paintings, have students predict
how their lives would have been different from the lives of children
today. Record these predictions and any questions that students
may wish to answer during their research.
5. Using print resources and the internet, guide students in finding
information about the roles and responsibilities of children in
pioneer families. An internet search of pioneer life in Canada, as
well as the web address listed in Suggested Resources, will enable
students to take a virtual tour of a pioneer village.
6. Draw students’ attention to the understanding that the children were
to be seen, not heard. They were to speak only when spoken to,
and were to never, never talk back, even if adults were wrong. This
was how children showed respect for adults.
Have students discuss how children show respect for their elders in
society today.
7. Have students identify and record the type of work done by pioneer
children in
 Rural / urban families. Ask students to watch for evidence of
male / female roles.
 Do we still see evidence of male / female stereotyping today?
Explain.
Ideas for Assessment
Have students compare the roles and responsibilities of children today with those
of pioneer children using the information they have collected. Challenge students
to explain the reasons for the changes in roles and responsibilities over the
years.
Lesson #2: Reading, Writing and ‘Rithmetic
Objective
Students will research information on the one room school and
compare it with their school today.
Materials
 pencil
 notebook
 internet access
 print resources
Activities
1. Have students view the art work by Robert Harris and complete a
synopsis of it under the following headings:
 Title
 Setting
 What is happening
 What the picture represents or tells about
 Other interesting information
2. Have students prepare several questions they would like to answer
from their research. Using print resources and the internet, have
students gather information on one room schools in Canada. Guide
students in finding answers to some/all of the following questions:
 How large was the one-room school?
 How was it heated?
 Approximately how many students would attend classes there?
 What was the role of the teacher?
 What subjects did the students study?
 What was the system of discipline?
 How did students travel to school?
 How were classroom routines different from modern day
routines?
3. Have students interview a grandparent or older member of the
community to find out about their school experience. Encourage
students to use / adapt some of the questions above and prepare
other questions for the interview. Interviews may be taped for
sharing with the class. A time will be scheduled to listen to the
interviews.
Ideas for Assessment
Students may be assessed on how well they prepared for the interview and the
information presented to the class.
Lesson #3: Sharing Music and Telling Tales
Objective
Students will explore forms of entertainment the way a child from
the 1800s would have experienced it, through storytelling and
music.
Related Art Work(s)
 An Incantation, Robert Harris, CAGH 1659
 Storming the Ice Castle by Night, Robert Harris, CAGH 2231
 Sands of Dee, Robert Harris, CAGH 1046
Materials
 pencil
 notebook
Activities
1. Have students imagine a world without electricity. There are no
TVs, computers, stereos, etc. Everyone in the family uses his/her
talent to entertain.
2. Ask students to understand that pioneer homes did not have
access to recorded music. If all music were removed from their
homes, except music played/performed by family or community
members, what type of music would they hear?
3. Have students discuss how the music world influences fashion and
behavior.
 Are representatives of today’s music industry role models for
students?
 Do you think young people would act differently if they had
different role models? Parents and elders, for example?
4. Encourage students to recognize some controversial elements of
the music industry today.
5. Another excellent form of entertainment was storytelling. Explain to
the students that there was more oral communication before
technology entered our homes.
6. Have students select a Robert Harris painting from those listed
above. Have the class begin a story based on the painting. Guide
students to include the main elements of the story as it develops.
7. The whole class may write the first paragraph of the story.
Opportunity might be given for another class to complete a
paragraph or paragraphs, and then send it to another class and
another. Include as many classes as possible until the story is
finished. Classes may then gather to hear the results of the group
effort and to view the painting which inspired the story.
Ideas for Assessment
Have students share observations about the process of working together and
watching the story develop.
Lesson #4: Let the Games Begin
Objective
Students will research games and toys used by pioneer children
and plan an activity session for younger students
Materials





pencil
notebook
index cards (5”x 7”)
internet access
print materials
Activities
1. Explain to students they will be doing research on toys and games
enjoyed by pioneer children. Based on their research, they will plan
an activity session with grade one students.
2. Working in pairs, have students do an internet search using the key
words Pioneer children toys and games. Ask students to look at
the names of the games and read the instructions for those that
most interest them.
3. Remind students that they will be choosing a game to play with
grade one students. Have them keep in mind the materials
necessary, safety, suitability, and interest to younger children.
4. Encourage each pair of students to choose a different game so
there will be a variety of games. Guide students in the best method
to accomplish this.
5. Have students copy the rules and procedure for their game onto
index cards. Students will gather the materials necessary to play
the game, and plan how they will teach it to their young partners.
6. Help students set up stations around the classroom/gym. In
pairs/small groups, the young guests will move from station to
station around the room at timed intervals.
Ideas for Assessment
Students may be assessed on their level of responsibility in working with younger
students.
Suggested Resources
 http://www.parks.on.ca/village/tourvil.htm
Possible Extensions
Children might be encouraged to attend a storytelling festival in their community.