Steps for Learning - Activity One: Adventures Past & Present
The purpose of this activity is to provide students with an opportunity to explore family life in the past and compare it to their present- day experiences.
1. Introduce Venn diagrams to your students. Tell the class that Venn diagrams are used to compare how things are the same and how they are different. You may do this by viewing the Venn diagram interactive at readwritethink.org
As a class, use this interactive tool to create a Venn diagram. Ask the students for suggestions on things to compare and contrast.
Teacher Note: You may also wish to create Venn diagrams on a board or chart paper.
2. Have the class view the Wunderkind Little Amadeus episode entitled “Pumperl in Trouble.” Provide each student with a copy of the “My Life/Little Amadeus’ Life” handout. Tell the students that they will use the handout to record their observations about Little Amadeus’ life as they watch the program, and then to make their own Venn diagrams. Ask them to think about how Little Amadeus’ life differs from their own lives, and how it is the same. Some possible things to discuss include food, clothing, transportation, play, buildings, pets, neighborhoods, land features, money, etc. Encourage the students to be keen observers of the differences between life in the past and life today as they watch the program.
Teacher Note: You have the option of using the Comprehension Checker at this point in the lesson if you feel your students need further support to understand the story events. You may also choose to assign it as homework.
3. Divide the class into small groups of four students and ask each group to create a Venn diagram using the information generated on its handouts.
Teacher Note: You may wish to create the Venn diagram as a class with students in K-2.
4. Tell the students to think about the similarities and differences in music in Little Amadeus’ life, and music in their own lives. For example, you might discuss how music was performed live during Mozart’s time, and the different options that are available today. You might talk about how classical music was a part of Mozart’s life, and how it is still part of our lives today. Have the students add this information to their Venn diagrams.
Post students’ work to use as a shared resource in the classroom.
