Timelines By Mrs. Podhurst

What is a timeline? Timelines tell a story through a visual display of events. They are a way of displaying events in chronological order, the order in which the event occurred. They help you understand how different events relate to each other through the passage of time

Why use timelines? Timelines are a quick, visual display of events in chronological order. Often, they are used in history to show when important events occurred. However, they can be used for displaying a lot of different information in sequential order.

How are timelines constructed? Most timelines are of linear construction, meaning they start out by making a straight line. Events are arranged from left to right. The oldest event, or the event that occurred first, is placed on the timeline on the left, first position. Then each sequential event is placed on the timeline in the order in which they occurred.

A timeline starts out like this… Then you add the events to the timeline in the order in which they occurred.

Sample of a basic American History timeline…

More samples…

More samples…

Still more…

A good timeline includes: Are sequential (years and events are labeled in correct order!) Are easy to read (neat) because they were PLANNED, drafted, and THEN published! Represent periods of time in a PROPORTIONALLY accurate way Make effective use of color without overdoing it Use blank s p a c e to keep things easy to read: space on borders, space between labels…

A timeline is Not… all CRAMMEDtogetherandIMPOSSIBLEtoread!

Good timeline tips… Write neatly so it is easy to read. Use a couple of colors for organization and/or theme. Appropriate spacing also for ease of reading and neatness. Plan out your work before publishing. Formatting the timeline might take several “redos” before it looks good.

Things to know when making and reading timelines: Label date of event in parentheses example: (1964)

Things to know when making and reading timelines: “Lightning Bolts” show a break in time. Use them to replace a span of many years that you cannot fit onto your page.

A “Bracket” shows a span of years

Vocabulary to be familiar with when working with timelines. Circa or c.- a word used when historians do not know the exact date; it means about B.C. –used to describe the time before the birth of Christ ; the dates get smaller as time passes, so the larger the number, the earlier the date A.D. – Anno Domini (latin) meaning in the year of the lord. AD dates get larger as time passes, so the larger the number, the later the date. B.C.E. – before common era, another way to refer to BC dates C.E. – another way to refer to AD dates

More vocabulary… Decade – a period of 10 years Century – a period of 100 years Age – a long period of time marked by a single cultural feature Era – a long period of time marked by great events, developments, or figures Ancient – very old, or from a long time ago

Now you give it a try… Write two paragraphs that summarize your typical day. Then arrange the events in chronological order. Finally, display the events on a timeline. Be creative when designing your timeline and remember to make it neat and easy to read. It is a visual display of the paragraph you wrote.

Mrs. Podhurst’s Day… Finally, I’m ready for bed. (9:30PM) Too early in the morning I wake up. (6:00AM) I am at my desk by (7:15AM) Then I get dressed. (6:15AM) At the end of the day I have dinner with my husband. (7:30PM)

Your Turn! The End