Basic Timelines

Timelines

​A time line is a diagram that shows when events took place. We use them to figure out the date, or when, an event happened. Time lines are always written in chronological order, or time order - the order in which they happened. We read them from left to right, or top to bottom.

Multiple Choice

Timelines must be in _____________ order

• newest to oldest
• chronological

• no
• guess

​All time lines must have...

• title - this tells us what the timeline is about​

• labels - these will typically show the dates, or years, ​of the events being shown

• brief descriptions of the events; we do not need complete sentences

• ​Many timelines incorporate color to help further organize information

​

​Time Line of Holiday Shopping

A timeline shows a vertical or horizontal line with "tick marks" on it. These tick marks are meant to indicate time intervals. These could be intervals of minutes, one year, ten years, a whole century, or any other regular interval, depending on the purpose and scope of the timeline. ​

​This timeline shows intervals of 30 minutes because it's scope is just one day.

Multiple Choice

What interval is being used in this timeline?

• 10 minutes 

• 10 years

• 1,000 years

• 50 years

​We can also interpret, or answer questions, from timelines. For example, I can see that Ben Franklin invented swim "hands", or fins in 1717. But we can also answer more complex questions, by closely reading the dates. For example...

Multiple Choice

How old was Ben Franklin when he invented swim hands?

• 11 years old

• 20 years old

• 5 years old

• 37 years old

Multiple Choice

For how many years did Ben experiment with electricity before completing his kite experiment?

• 6 months

• 6 years

• 25 years

• 1 year

Multiple Choice

In what year did Benjamin Franklin take part in the Constitutional Convention?

• 1706

• 1730

• 1790

• 1775

​Some timelines are created to compare two different topics. A parallel timeline shows two timelines side by side. These timelines share the same values for their tick marks, or time intervals, so that the two sides can be compared. We can read the title to see what two things are being compared.

Multiple Choice

A _________ timeline is used to compare two different topics.

• parallel

• perpendicular

• side by side

• up and down

Multiple Choice

What two things are being compared in this timeline?

• The United States and Benjamin Frankln

• U.S. history and Rocky River history

• The Civil War and Rockport Township

• peanut butter and jelly

Multiple Choice

What happened in the U.S. just before Rocky River became a city?

• The Revolutionary War ended

• George Washington became the first president

• The Cleveland Browns beat the Pittsburgh Steelers

• World War I

Multiple Choice

What was happening in the U.S at the same time that Rockport Township was formed?

• The U.S. was gaining more land

• The Declaration of Independence was written

• World War I

• The Cavs win the 2016 Championship