Shopping through Time

Grades
4-8

Subjects
Social Studies, History, Information Technology/Technology Studies

Themes
Change, Technology

Resources
Historic catalogues on this site

Description

1. As a class, make a list of ten objects that your students and their families might order from a mail-order catalogue today.
    
2. Divide your class into small groups of four or five students.
    
3. Assign a different catalogue to each group of students, and challenge them to make an order from this catalogue that includes each of the ten objects. If they can't find an exact item, they must find the closest match (for example, a record player could replace a phonograph).
    
4. Beginning with the group that consulted the oldest catalogue, ask the groups to make presentations about what they would order from their catalogue.
    
5. Each group should compare the items in the old catalogue to the item on the present-day list and identify the items that were not available and what was ordered instead.
    
6. As a class, look at the changes in each item and discuss reasons for the changes.
    
7. Challenge your students to predict how the items on the present-day list might change in the future.