Past, Present, and Future: Addendum

Last week, I posted about how my students were learning past, present, and future. It's still a little difficult for some of the to differentiate, but given that they're only 5 years old, I think they have time to figure it out. Like when "last week" doesn't feel the same as a year ago in your short little existence.

As a culminating activity/assessment, I had them do a "Show Me" Quiz. Each kid had a little handmade booklet with 3 index cards inside. One card said Past, one said Present, one said Future. I put up a slide show with an assortment of pictures and for each one, they had to choose the correct card, put it in their 'Show Me Wallet' and hold it up once everyone was ready. It's a quick way to do a group assessment and easier to administer and grade than a paper and pencil test!

The part that really struck me as strange, though, was when I showed the kids a couple of pictures I had found of "the future". It was so weird, because as they were ooh-ing and ahh-ing over them, I mentioned that they'll very likely see these things in their lifetimes. Their first cars might be flying cars. Their first computer might be like the one shown here. It's crazy to think about. But, then, it's just as crazy for them to imagine their 26-year-old teacher not getting her first cell phone until high school, not using the internet until middle school, and not knowing how to use her iPad as well as they do! :)

Crazy.

These guys never turn out well in movies. I think we should delay work on them. :)