Application of Timelines in Research

    This lesson involves the application of the timeline text feature in research.  I begin to discuss with students how special events in their lives can be documented in a timeline.  We discuss milestones in students' lives-prior experiences such as birth, birthday celebrations, first outing with family, special vacations, etc.  Students plot these events onto a timeline graphic organizer (see resource). 

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     Students are given timelines of different events in history or in a person's life(see resource).  Students work in pairs to interpret the events of their assigned timelines.  Each pair writes a brief description of their timeline to and prepare to present their analysis to the class.  Research projects are part of Common Core shifts in literacy.  In order to effectively and efficiently conduct research, students must understand how to interpret data.  Timelines help to organize research in  sequential order so students can see logical progression of events.

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     As an extension to this lesson, I ask students to create a timeline project.  They are given a strip of construction paper folded in to four sections to form an accordian book (see resource for directions).  Each section represents a special event in their lives.  It is a sequential timeline of their own lives.  i model by showing an example of my daughter's timeline that she created when she was their age.  We discuss important events or milestones in our lives.  Students brainstorm ideas of events that are significant for their individual timelines.  Common core has real world applications and what better way to teach sequencing and timelines than through one's own life experiences.

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     Using the learning progression rubric, I ask students to self-assess where they are at on the rubric.  Students unanimously said they were at level 2 because they felt they have learned how to identify 6 or more text features, but need help on applying them (see video).