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Timelines are great way to visualize the time and sequence of a particular event or era. Additionally, they can be used to describe a narrative or detail a process. However you use timelines, there are many resources out there to help you get the most out of this valuable visualization tool.
The most obvious way to use timelines is to utilize them in studying historical events. Sometimes the best way to understand and visualize the actual order of events and the time that takes place in between is to see it in a timeline. Luckily, there are innumerable examples of historical events captured on interactive timelines all over the internet:
- The Washington Post‘s Civil War 150 timeline
- 50 Years of NASA
- The New York Times’ How a Market Crisis Unfolded
- The Guardian‘s Middle East Protest timeline
- Prominent painters timeline
- PBS’s National Parks timeline
- BBC’s British history timeline
- Women’s History timeline
- Evolution of Black History
(Some of the above were found here.)
Of course, the best way to use timelines is to have students create their own. A nice and pretty comprehensive list of timeline tools can be found here, but a few others are listed below:
- Ourstory
- Timeline Maker software ($)
- ClassTools.net Timeline
- Timeline Creator
- Teachnology Timeline Generator
- Simile Widgets’ Timeline
- AllofMe
For those who prefer print-out timelines, there are resources for you as well:
As always, be sure to check out eThemes and all they have to offer on making timelines with students.
How have you used timelines in your classroom? What are some of the best interactive timelines you have found? Are we missing any great timeline generators out there?
Zac Early is an instructional specialist with the eMINTS National Center and would like to thank Carmen Marty, eIS, for the tip.