Grades 2–5
Inventions: Put Them in Order
Put 6 inventions in order, from the printing press (about 1440) and the telephone (1876) to the World Wide Web (1989).
Social studies worksheet · Timelines and sequencing
Then and Now
Interview an older family member and draw how school, phones, travel and toys have changed between then and now.
- Grade level
- Grades 2–5
- Time
- About 25 minutes
- Answer key
- Not needed: answers vary
- Kids practice
- Timelines, Sequencing, Understanding time, Primary and secondary sources
What kids do
“Ask a grandparent or older friend what these things were like when they were your age. Draw then and now.”
Printed on the sheet:
- They were my age in about
- Then (long ago)
Words on this sheet
SchoolPhonesGettingaroundToys andgames
Teacher tip
Send it home over a weekend for a family interview.
How to use it
- Count by tens or hundreds on the timeline ruler first.
- Point out that dates get bigger as you move to the right.
- Read the sheet aloud for early readers and let them answer with drawings.
Watch for
Kids who think everything long ago happened at the same time. Use spacing to show the gaps.
Talk about it
- How long ago was this?
- What question would you ask an expert on this topic?
Take it further
Ask a grandparent what life was like when they were young.
US Letter, prints well in black and white. Free for home and classroom use: print as many copies as you need.
More timelines and sequencing worksheets
Grades 2–3
First, Next, Then, Last
A 4-step sequencing page with drawing boxes: kids tell how to do something in order with the time words first, next, then and last.
Grades 4–5
Decades and Centuries
Learn how decades and centuries are counted (why 1776 is in the 18th century), then answer 8 questions about years, decades and centuries.
Grades 3–5
Space Exploration Timeline
Place 6 space firsts, from Sputnik in 1957 and the Moon landing in 1969 to the Curiosity rover on Mars in 2012, on a timeline ruler.
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