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How have homes changed?

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Kitchens: Now and then

±«Óătvs were different in the past. Let’s look at what homes were like over 100 years ago. This may be when your great-great-grandparents were alive.

Look at this picture of an old kitchen. In which ways is it the same or different to your kitchen?

A woman sits at a table in an old kitchen from World War One. There is a sink, a stove, a kettle and pots and pans.
This is what you can find in an old kitchen.
A mangle.

This is a mangle.

It was used to squeeze water out of clothes.

Once water had been squeezed from the clothes, they would dry much faster when they were hung on the washing line outside the house.

A mangle.
Pots and iron.

These are pots and an iron.

The shapes of the pans and the iron are the same as today.

They are different from today because they would all be made out of iron. Nowadays most irons are made from steel and plastic.

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Living rooms: Now and then

Now look at this picture of an old living room. In which ways is it the same or different to your living room?

A girl sits at a piano in an old living room. It has pictures on the walls, a fireplace, tables and chairs and a mirror.
This is what you can find in an old living room.
A cat curled up in front of an old fireplace.

This is a fireplace.

Coal or wood was burned to keep the room warm.

Older children in the family often had to look after the fireplace and get the fire ready each morning.

A cat curled up in front of an old fireplace.
A piano.

This is a piano.

People would play the piano and sing songs together.

Most homes didn't have a radio. There were no smart speakers then.

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How have homes changed in the last 100 years?

We have seen how homes were different 100 years ago. How did homes change between then and now?

What were homes like for your grandparents? You could ask them what is the same and what is different.

This is a photograph of a kitchen from about 50 years ago.

A 1970s kitchen.
A 1970s kitchen.

How is it different from the kitchen 100 years ago?

There are some electrical items so this means the home has electricity. 100 years ago, only very rich people had electricity in their homes.

How is it different to a modern kitchen?

This kitchen does not have a microwave oven. Microwaves became more common in kitchens 50 years ago. Nowadays, kitchens have even more technology in them.

This is a photograph of a living room from about 50 years ago.

A 1970s living room.
A 1970s living room.

How is it different from the living room 100 years ago?

There are electric lamps to light the room instead of the fire. There is a television for entertainment.

How is it different to a modern living room?

The television screen is smaller than those today. In the 1970s, there were only three channels to watch. Not everyone had a colour television 50 years ago.

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Activity: Tap and find the right household item

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