social studies and technology activities for kids - Bing - Free Printable

Let’s go step by step to figure out which person (long ago or today) would have used each object.

We are comparing “long ago” (old-fashioned times) with “today” (modern times). The two people shown are:
- A girl in old-style clothes (bonnet, dress) → represents “long ago”
- A boy in modern clothes (t-shirt) → represents “today”

Now let’s look at each object:

1. Camera – Modern cameras are digital and common today. Long ago, cameras existed but were very different (big, film-based). But the camera drawn here looks like a modern point-and-shoot or DSLR style — so it’s more likely used today.
→ Color the boy (today) for the camera.

2. Old telephone (candlestick phone) – This is an antique phone from long ago. People didn’t have smartphones back then.
→ Color the girl (long ago) for this phone.

3. Dress with collar – This style of dress (with big collar, buttons down front, full skirt) was worn long ago. Today’s dresses usually look different.
→ Color the girl (long ago) for this dress.

4. Television with antennae – Old TVs had rabbit ear antennae and boxy shapes. Modern TVs are flat screens without external antennae. So this TV is from long ago? Wait — actually, some older TVs still had antennae even into the 80s/90s, but compared to today’s smart TVs, this one is outdated. However, note: the drawing shows a classic CRT TV with antennae — that’s more associated with mid-to-late 20th century, which might be considered “long ago” relative to today’s tech. But wait — let’s think again: the worksheet contrasts “long ago” (like 1800s–early 1900s) vs “today”. Actually, TVs weren’t around in the 1800s! So maybe this is tricky.

Wait — let’s reconsider the context. The worksheet is for young kids (kindergarten level), so they’re simplifying history. Typically in these worksheets:
- “Long ago” = pre-electricity or early industrial era (no electricity, no electronics)
- “Today” = modern electronic devices

But television requires electricity — so if we’re being strict, TV couldn’t exist “long ago” in the sense of horse-and-buggy days. However, looking at the other items:

- Gramophone → definitely long ago (late 1800s/early 1900s)
- Candlestick phone → late 1800s/early 1900s
- Dress → Victorian/Edwardian style → long ago
- Camera → modern design → today
- Electrical outlet → only exists where there’s electricity → today
- TV → even though old-style, it still requires electricity → so probably meant to be “today”? But wait — the TV drawn has antennae and knobs — that’s vintage, not modern. Hmm.

Actually, let’s check standard kindergarten curriculum logic:

In most “Long Ago and Today” worksheets for K-1:
- Objects that require electricity or are high-tech → TODAY
- Objects that are manual, non-electric, or historical → LONG AGO

So:
- TV → needs electricity → TODAY? But the drawing is of an OLD TV. That’s confusing.

Wait — perhaps the key is: which person WOULD HAVE USED it? Not when it was invented, but who is depicted as using it in their time period.

The girl is dressed in historical clothing — she represents someone living in the past (say, 1800s). She wouldn’t have seen a TV, camera (modern type), electrical outlet, or gramophone? Wait — gramophone WAS around in late 1800s!

Let me list inventions:

- Gramophone: invented ~1877 → could be used “long ago” (if “long ago” includes late 1800s)
- Candlestick phone: ~1890s → also late 1800s
- Dress: Victorian era → 1800s
- Camera: first cameras early 1800s, but the one drawn is modern → so probably intended for “today”
- TV: first practical TVs 1920s-1930s → too recent for “long ago” if “long ago” means 1800s
- Electrical outlet: requires widespread electricity → 20th century → today

This is messy. Let’s look for clues in the worksheet design.

Notice: For each object, there are TWO choices: girl (long ago) or boy (today). We must pick ONE per object.

Standard answers for such worksheets (based on common teaching materials):

✔ Camera → today (modern device) → color BOY
✔ Candlestick phone → long ago → color GIRL
✔ Dress → long ago → color GIRL
✔ TV → today (even if old-style, it's still 20th century, and kids learn TV as "modern" compared to no TV) → but wait, the drawing is clearly vintage. Alternatively, maybe they consider TV as “today” because it’s electronic? I think for simplicity, since TV requires electricity and wasn't around in the 1800s, it should be TODAY → color BOY
✔ Electrical outlet → definitely today → color BOY
✔ Gramophone → long ago (invented 1877, popular before radios/TVs) → color GIRL

Yes, that makes sense.

Final matching:

- Camera → Boy (today)
- Candlestick phone → Girl (long ago)
- Dress → Girl (long ago)
- TV → Boy (today) — because although the drawing is old, TV technology is modern compared to pre-electricity era; also, in many curricula, TV is grouped with “today”
- Electrical outlet → Boy (today)
- Gramophone → Girl (long ago)

Double-checking gramophone: Yes, Edison’s phonograph was 1877, so if “long ago” includes late 1800s, then yes. And the girl’s dress looks Victorian, which matches that era.

TV: Even though the drawing is of an old TV, the concept of television is modern. In fact, in many similar worksheets, TV is marked as “today”. For example, if you search “long ago and today worksheet”, TV is often colored for “today”.

Electrical outlet: Obviously today — no outlets in 1800s.

So final assignments:

Row 1:
- Camera → Boy
- Phone → Girl

Row 2:
- Dress → Girl
- TV → Boy

Row 3:
- Outlet → Boy
- Gramophone → Girl

That seems consistent.

Final Answer:
Color the following people for each object:
- Camera: Boy (today)
- Candlestick phone: Girl (long ago)
- Dress: Girl (long ago)
- Television: Boy (today)
- Electrical outlet: Boy (today)
- Gramophone: Girl (long ago)