One of those elements of engaging history studies is the creation of a timeline. If you are looking for an easy way to encourage your child to develop a history timeline take a look at this free interactive timeline maker at ReadWriteThink.org.
The interactive timeline maker is easy to use:
- Decide how you will organize your timeline: by date, by time, or by event. You’ll find examples of each for inspiration.
- Create a title for your timeline. The title will be included in the final printout.
- Click the blank timeline in the location you wish to place an element. A popup will allow you to enter a label (usually the date, time, or event), along with a brief description. A full description can be added that will show up in the printout. A great feature is the ability to also add an image. Click the checkbox when you are finished with that element.
- Drag the item to the location you desire on the timeline.
- Continue to add boxes or elements until you have completed your timeline, then click Finish.
- You will then find several options for sharing the final product: save a draft in a format that can be opened for later editing, save final in PDF format, email the final, or print.
Yes, as students get older, they will want to create a much larger timeline in a notebook. But the interactive timeline maker is an excellent tool to get middle-grade students started developing the habit of adding names, places, and people encountered to a timeline. And it’s free!
DIY Homeschooler 