Let's Learn About Timelines!
WHAT IS A TIMELINE?
A timeline is a method for grouping events in the order that they occurred. It typically has a line (thus the name: time-LINE), and the events are ordered along the line, either horizontally or vertically. Timelines help us to organize information in order to better understand when things took place and in what order they happened. They can be a very useful tool when learning about history and events from the past.
Timelines - What Are They And How Do We Make One? A lesson geared towards young students (grades K-2) that teaches about what a timeline is, how they work, and how to create one.
You May Also Like:
>> Timelines for Kids (Learn Bright)
>> A Timeline of Baseball - How to Make a Timeline (Simon Kids)
>> Organizing a Timeline (Lincoln Learning Solutions)
YOUR PLACE IN HISTORY
Did you know that history is not just about people and events from long ago? You are a part of history as well! Everything that has ever happened to you, in the past, is part of your history. And your very existence plays a role in "God's story" (HIS-story!), which means that each day and event in your life is a part of history.
Easy Timeline Craft. There is no link or instructions to go with this project, but basically you just take multiple sheets of construction paper and tape them together to create a long banner. Then you print out pictures of the child/student that they can put on the page.
I like to get a picture from the year they were born, and from each of their birthdays every year until the present. Then they just tape or glue the pictures on the page, in chronological order, and label each picture with the year that it took place. The activity is simple, easy, and fun, and having the child create their own personal timeline is one of the best ways to help children gain a keen understanding of what a timeline is and how to use it.
UNDERSTANDING AD, BC, CE, AND BCE
When using timelines, you are going to frequently come across the abbreviations "AD" and "BC", or the abbreviations "CE" and "BCE". So let's learn about what these abbreviations mean.
How Did Jesus' Birth Change the World - and the Way We Keep Track of Time?. Marking the date is something we all do. Seldom do we think about or even know that the reason our years are numbered as they are is because of Jesus' birth at Christmas. In this short video, Scott gives a quick explanation why we count the years as we do and how Jesus Christ is at the center of time and history as we know it.
For Older Students:
>> AD, BC, CE, and BCE Explained (History Skills)
>> Origins of BC and AD (& Dionysius Exiguus) (Patristix)
>> A Brief History of Keeping Time (Be Smart)
>> Dionysius Exiguss: The Monk Who Created Time (NefadAK Holistics)
>> How Do You Correctly Number Centuries in History? (History Skills)
UNDERSTANDING "CIRCA" (c.) ON A TIMELINE
You will often see a "c." before a date on a timeline. The "c." stands for "circa", which basically means "circle". So basically, when you see "c." on a timeline date, you can just imagine that there's a big "circle" drawn around that general area of the timeline, which basically means that historians don't have enough evidence to know the exact year of that particular event, but they have been able to narrow it down to being approximately "around that time".
For example, historians do not know the exact year that Jesus was born, but they have been able to narrow it down to be between 6 BC and 4 BC, which is why on the timeline we use in our classroom, we mark the year as "c. 5 BC".
BP and Circa (c.) in History Explained. This video explains what circa and "Before the Present" mean in history. It also gives you some examples to help you gain confidence in understanding their usage.
WHY DO TIMELINES SHOW JESUS CHRIST BEING BORN "BEFORE CHRIST"?
One of the most confusing parts of a world timeline is the turn of the era where BC turns into AD. The confusing part, is that this pivotal turning point in history is centered around the birth of Jesus . . . but at the time that the new calendar was being created, there was not enough historical evidence to correctly calculate the birth of Christ. That being the case, the birth of Christ should have been in the year AD 1, but after using this calendar for a long time (too long to be able to go back and change it!) further evidence emerged to show that the original calculation for Christ's birth was wrong. Even know we don't know the exact year in which he was born, but historians have been able to narrow it down to being between 6 BC - 4 BC. The irony, then, is that if BC stands for "Before Christ", then that means Jesus Christ was born about 4-6 years before Christ. So yes, that definitely adds a level of confusion to the calendar system and historical timelines.
Since historians have still not been able to calculate the exact year of Jesus' birth, but have at least narrowed it down to being between 6 BC and 4 BC, in our own history program we just round the number to the year c. AD 5. But don't be confused if you come across resources that state that it is is 4 BC or 6 BC, either. All of these dates are just "circa". They're just a "best guess".
What Year Was Jesus Born? (Buck Denver)
What Year Was Jesus Born? This short excerpt (from the movie, Buck Denver Asks... Why Do We Call It Christmas?) helps to explain, to young children, the reason why the year of Jesus' birth is not in year AD 1 on the calendar, the way that Dionysius Exiguus had intended it to be.
For Older Students:
>> What Year Was Jesus Actually Born? (Reasonable Theology)
>> Why Was Jesus Christ Born Before the Birth of Jesus Christ? (History Skills)
SETTING UP A WORLD TIMELINE
Having a timeline in the classroom can be a really effective way of helping students learn about the people and events in history, and gain a clear understanding of the order in which historical events took place. There are many ways to create a timeline for your classroom. Here are a few of our favorite ideas:
Creation to Eternity History Timeline. This printable timeline is designed to be used with any Christian history program. It starts with Creation and ends with Eternity, with a large cross in the middle to show the turn of the era, when Jesus was here on earth and the calendar changes from 1 BC to AD 1.
Make a Timeline Book for Your Homeschool. This video shows how one mom uses the Sonlight History Timeline Book in their homeschool.
The website where this idea originated doesn't seem to be active anymore, but the concept is very simple. As you can see in the picture, all you need is some clothesline mounted on the wall and clothespins that you use to pin up any timeline events you want to list on the timeline.
TIMELINE ICONS & PRINTABLES
Coming soon!
TIMELINE SONG (Memorization Made Easy!)
Coming soon!