Meaning of History, People and Events of the Past and Family History Sources for Primary 1

Class: Primary 1
Term: First Term
Week: 1
Age: 6 years
Duration: 45 minutes
Subject: Nigerian History
Curriculum Theme: Concept of History
Focal competence: Demonstrating a sense of identity in daily living
Skills:

• Explaining the meaning of history

Previous Lesson: People and groups found in the Local Government Area
Topic: Meaning And Importance Of History
Subject Matter: meaning of history, people of the past, events of the past, simple sources of family history

Specific Objectives

By the end of the lesson, pupils should be able to:

Cognitive Domain

• Explain the meaning of history in simple terms.
• Identify people and events that happened in the past.
• State simple sources of family history.

Affective Domain

• Appreciate the importance of learning about the past.
• Show interest in listening to stories from the past.

Psychomotor Domain

• Point to examples of old objects or photographs that represent the past.
• Share a simple memory or story about their family’s past.

Social Domain

• Listen respectfully to stories about the past from others.

Reference Materials

The following resources were used in planning this lesson:

• 2025 Revised 9 Years Basic Education Curriculum
• Relevant State Unified Scheme of Work
• Approved Primary 1 Nigerian History textbook
• The HeadTeacher Scheme of work

Instructional Materials

The teacher will teach this lesson with the aid of:

• Old family photographs (e.g., baby pictures of the teacher, old pictures of parents/grandparents)
• Simple old objects (e.g., an old toy, an old cooking utensil, an old piece of clothing)
• A chart showing pictures of past events (e.g., Nigeria’s Independence Day celebration, old school days)
• Storybooks with simple historical narratives

Rationale for the Lesson

This lesson introduces young learners to the fundamental concept of history, helping them understand that events and people existed before ‘now’. It lays the groundwork for developing a sense of identity and connection to their family and community by exploring simple sources of their own past. Understanding history helps pupils appreciate how things have changed over time.

Prerequisite/Previous Knowledge

Pupils can differentiate between ‘now’ and ‘before’ in their daily experiences and can talk about simple events that happened yesterday or last week.

Lesson Content/Board Summary

Meaning And Importance Of History

What is History?

History is learning about things that happened in the past. It tells us about people, places, and events from a long time ago.

Things that happened yesterday, last week, last year, or many years ago are all part of history.

People and Events of the Past

History teaches us about people who lived before us, like our grandparents and great-grandparents. It also teaches us about important things that happened before we were born.

Examples of people from the past:

1. Our parents when they were children.
2. Our grandparents.
3. Past leaders of our country.

Examples of events from the past:

1. When you were born.
2. When your school was built.
3. Nigeria’s Independence Day.

Sources of Family History

We can learn about our family’s history from different sources:

1. Stories: Our parents, grandparents, or older relatives tell us stories about what happened long ago.
2. Photographs: Old pictures show us how people looked, what they wore, and where they lived in the past.
3. Objects: Old items like clothes, toys, or tools used by our family can tell us about their past.
4. Memories: What we remember from when we were younger is also part of our personal history.

Importance of History

Learning history is important because:

1. It helps us understand where we come from.
2. It teaches us about the lives of people before us.
3. It helps us learn from past mistakes and successes.

Teaching Methods/Instructional Techniques

Discussion, Storytelling, Demonstration, Question and Answer, Explanation, Observation, Guided Practice

Instructional Procedures

Step 1: Introduction

Time: 5 minutes

Teaching Skill: Storytelling/Engagement

Teacher’s Activity: The teacher greets the pupils and asks them to share one thing they did yesterday. The teacher then shows a simple old photograph (e.g., their own baby picture or an old family photo) and asks pupils if they know who it is and when it was taken. The teacher explains that this picture shows something from the past.

Pupils’ Activity: Pupils respond to the greeting, share what they did yesterday, and observe the photograph, guessing who is in it and when it was taken.

Learning Point: Introduction to past events

Step 2: Explaining the Meaning of History

Time: 8 minutes

Teaching Skill: Explanation/Demonstration

Teacher’s Activity: The teacher explains that history is simply learning about things that happened a long time ago. Using the photograph and perhaps an old object, the teacher demonstrates how these items tell us about the past. “This picture shows me when I was a baby, many years ago. That is history!”

Pupils’ Activity: Pupils listen attentively and observe the teacher’s demonstrations, understanding that history is about the past.

Learning Point: Meaning of history

Step 3: Identifying People and Events of the Past

Time: 7 minutes

Teaching Skill: Questioning/Identification

Teacher’s Activity: The teacher asks pupils to think about people who lived before them (e.g., grandparents) and events that happened before they were born (e.g., when their school was built). The teacher guides them to understand that these are “people of the past” and “events of the past.”

Pupils’ Activity: Pupils mention their grandparents or other older relatives and recall simple past events they know about.

Learning Point: Past people and events

Step 4: Introducing Simple Sources of Family History

Time: 7 minutes

Teaching Skill: Discussion/Examples

Teacher’s Activity: The teacher introduces “sources of family history” by asking pupils how they know about their own past. The teacher highlights stories from parents, old photographs, and old objects as ways to learn about family history, using examples from the instructional materials.

Pupils’ Activity: Pupils share how they learn about their own past and identify examples of stories, photographs, and old objects.

Learning Point: Family history sources

Step 5: Differentiating Between Now and Past

Time: 5 minutes

Teaching Skill: Comparison/Clarification

Teacher’s Activity: The teacher leads a short activity asking pupils to state if something is happening “now” or “in the past.” For example, “I am teaching now.” “My teacher was a baby in the past.” “You are eating breakfast now.” “You played yesterday in the past.”

Pupils’ Activity: Pupils respond by saying “now” or “past” for each statement, reinforcing their understanding of the time difference.

Learning Point: Now vs. past

Step 6: Simple Family History Example

Time: 4 minutes

Teaching Skill: Application/Sharing

Teacher’s Activity: The teacher shares a very simple family history example, such as “When I was little, my grandmother used to tell me stories about her village.” The teacher encourages a few pupils to share a simple memory or story about their own family’s past.

Pupils’ Activity: Pupils listen to the teacher’s example and share their own simple family memories if they can.

Learning Point: Personal history examples

Step 7: Evaluation/Review

Time: 5 minutes

Teaching Skill: Questioning/Assessment

Teacher’s Activity: The teacher evaluates the learning by asking the following questions:

1. What is history?
2. Mention one person from the past.
3. Give one example of an event from the past.
4. Name one way we can learn about our family history.

Pupils’ Activity: Pupils answer orally and in writing.

Learning Point: Understanding history concepts

Step 8: Note-Taking

Time: 4 minutes

Teaching Skill: Guided Writing

Teacher’s Activity: The teacher guides pupils to copy the essential Board Summary notes on the meaning of history, people/events of the past, and sources of family history into their notebooks.

Pupils’ Activity: Pupils copy the notes carefully into their notebooks.

Learning Point: Recording lesson notes

Step 9: Conclusion

Time: 3 minutes

Teaching Skill: Reinforcement

Teacher’s Activity: The teacher summarises the lesson by reminding pupils that history helps us know about things that happened before, and that our own families have a history too. The teacher encourages them to ask their parents for old stories or pictures.

Pupils’ Activity: Pupils listen and understand the importance of history.

Learning Point: History concept consolidation

Continuous Assessment/Further Study

Type: Homework

Instruction: Ask your parents or grandparents the following questions and write down their answers in your notebook:

1. What was your favourite game when you were a child?
2. Can you show me an old photograph of yourself or our family?

Lesson Keywords

• History – Learning about things that happened in the past.
• Past – A time that has already happened.
• Events – Things that happen.
• Sources – Places or things from which we get information.
• Family – A group of people related to each other.

Differentiation

For weaker learners: Provide more direct examples and use simple gestures to show “past” and “now.” Allow them to simply point to old objects or pictures. Focus on identifying just one source of family history.
For faster learners: Encourage them to share more detailed stories about their family’s past or ask them to draw a picture of something that happened in their family a long time ago.

Suggested Lesson Videos

For further understanding, search on YouTube for: what is history for kids primary 1

Teacher Guide for Using This Lesson Plan

Before the lesson, gather a few personal old photographs (e.g., baby pictures, childhood photos) and some simple old household objects to serve as concrete examples of the past. Begin by engaging pupils with a personal story or by showing an old photo to immediately capture their attention and introduce the concept of ‘past’. Guide the pupils through the meaning of history, helping them distinguish between ‘now’ and ‘then’ using clear, simple language and real-life examples. Encourage active participation by asking questions about their own experiences and family stories. Ensure all pupils have the opportunity to contribute. During the note-taking stage (Step 8), supervise closely to ensure pupils copy the Board Summary accurately. For weaker learners, provide extra visual cues and simplified explanations. For faster learners, encourage them to elaborate on their answers and share more complex observations. Conclude by reinforcing the idea that history is all around us and helps us understand our world and ourselves.