Past, Present, and Future

Grade 1 · Social Studies · Study Guide

Understand how time is divided into the past, present, and future.

Time is always moving. We use three important words to talk about time: past, present, and future.

The past is time that has already happened. Yesterday is in the past. Last year is in the past. Long ago, when your grandparents were little, is also in the past. History tells us stories about the past.

The present is time that is happening right now. Today is the present. What you are doing at this very moment is happening in the present.

The future is time that has not happened yet. Tomorrow is in the future. Next week is in the future. When you grow up, that is in the future too.

We can see how things have changed over time by comparing the past and the present. Long ago, people rode horses instead of driving cars. They used candles instead of electric lights. Schools looked very different too.

Timelines are tools that help us see events in order from the past to the present. Historians are people who study the past and help us learn from it.

Thinking about the past helps us understand how things got to be the way they are today. Thinking about the future helps us plan and set goals.

Key terms

past
Time that has already happened, like yesterday or long ago
present
Time that is happening right now, like today
future
Time that has not happened yet, like tomorrow
timeline
A line that shows events in the order they happened
history
The study of things that happened in the past
change
When something becomes different from what it was before

Flashcards

past
Time that has already happened, like yesterday or long ago
present
Time that is happening right now, like today
future
Time that has not happened yet, like tomorrow or next year
timeline
A line that shows events in the order they happened over time
history
The study of things that happened in the past
change
When something becomes different from the way it was before
historian
A person who studies and writes about the past

Questions

  1. What is the past?

    1. What will happen tomorrow
    2. What is happening right now
    3. What has already happened
    4. What we dream about
    Show answer

    Answer: What has already happened

    The past refers to time that has already happened, like yesterday, last week, or many years ago.

  2. Today is in the present.

    Show answer

    Answer: True

    The present is the time that is happening right now, so today is always in the present.

  3. A _____ shows events in the order they happened.

    Show answer

    Answer: timeline

    A timeline is a special line or chart that shows events in the order they happened, helping us understand history.

  4. Which of these is an example of the FUTURE?

    1. Last week
    2. Yesterday
    3. Right now
    4. Next year
    Show answer

    Answer: Next year

    Next year has not happened yet, so it is in the future. The future is time that has not come yet.

  5. Long ago, people used candles for light instead of electric lights.

    Show answer

    Answer: True

    In the past, before electricity was common, people used candles to light their homes at night.

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