In order to understand how the land changes over time because of the people who live there, learners interview an elderly person about the past. Children ask an older family member to describe what the local area was like when they were young in comparison to what it looks like now. They summarize the information and then draw or make a photo collage showing the physical changes to the environment as described by the elderly individual. Alternative variations on the lesson include having a visitor come to the class and going on a field trip.

Additional Tags

social studies

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Pros

• This is a challenging activity for the age group
• It fosters good intercommunication skills
• Provides insight into your learners' family lives
• The lesson connects human impact on the environment to environmental changes over time

Cons

• Finding a visitor of Native American descent may be a challenge; solicit the local history museum or tribal council for assistance in finding a good classroom speaker