Lesson 7: Timelines

Time Required: 4 lessons

Introduction

Timelines are an important visual organizer in history studies. In this unit students will examine a variety of timelines, construct their own personal timeline and a Salt Spring history timeline. A focus will be on developing an understanding of the concept of historical significance: what is placed on a time line and why it is considered important.

Lesson Prep

download & copy timelines from the websites noted
create timeline templates for students, see description below
download & print

Activity 1

Timelines Intro

Visit a website that contains a variety of timelines:

This site has many timelines that can be printed, e.g. food, music, the history of many countries:

www.internet4classrooms.com/timelines.htm

This site contains a technology timeline:

www.pbs.org/wgbh/amex/telephone/timeline/f_timeline.html/

Print 1 timeline for each group of 4 students in the classroom
Organize the class into groups of 4. Give each group a different timeline. Ask them to study their timeline and note what they find interesting.

Each group reports their findings to the class

Discuss why particular events were picked. Hypothesize as to what criteria was used in their inclusion.

Activity 2: Personal Timelines

Introduce the idea of a personal timeline, which includes the events a person finds most important in their life. The teacher could do one first as a model, reflecting with the students upon why she picked the events she did

For homework, the students are asked to discuss the most important events that have happened in their lives with their parents.
From this list, they select the 10 they think are most important to create a timeline. You may want to send home a simple template of a line printed on a half sheet of 11" X 17" paper.
Students include drawings or photos.
When finished, students share completed timelines.
As each is shared begin a class chart of types of events noted on the timelines that is sorted and classified, eg. Family Events, Moving, Vacations, etc.

Activity 3: World Timelines

As a class, brainstorm what the students feel are the most important events in world history. This could be limited to a time period, e.g. the last 100 years.

The teacher may want to add key events to the class list.

Once the list has 20 or more events listed, divide the class into small groups. Ask them to decide on the most important 10 and include reasons why.
When done have each group share their results.
Discuss their reasons for including certain events.
Would some events be more important to particular groups?
Is there a timeline all would agree on?

Activity 4: Salt Spring Timelines

Ask students to create a timeline of Salt Spring’s history by choosing from a selection of photos.
Divide the class into small groups. Give each a set of Salt Spring Timelines Photographs.

After studying the photos ask them to decide on the most important 10 events and include reasons why.

This should include a lot of discussion.

When done, each group shares their results.
Discuss their reasons for including certain events.
Would some events be more important to particular groups?
Is there a timeline all would agree on? Why or why not?

Teacher Resources