New at Build Your Library – Timeline Figures
March 3, 2013
I posted once before about how to use a Timeline or Book of Centuries in your studies. I thought I would take it a step further, and make it even easier for you to use a timeline with your children. As far as I’m concerned, they are one of the most helpful tools when studying history. Now, when you use a Build Your Library grade level program, you will have a set of timeline figures to add to your timeline.
I go into a bit of detail on the other post about how to set up a timeline
– you can use these figures on a display board, a wall timeline, or in a Book of Centuries. Just color them in, cut them out (I suggest printing them on card stock to make them a bit sturdier), and glue or tape them directly to your timeline.
You may find that a display board gets a bit crowded after a while – you are limited on the amount of space you have. I highly recommend a large wall style timeline during the elementary years, because it makes it easier for a child to “see” the scope of history. Around 5th or 6th grade, I think a Book of Centuries or a timeline in a binder works well – you aren’t limited in space, because you can always add more pages where they are needed. You can do it as simply as pasting figures to a page in the correct divider tab – or make it more detailed by adding information for each figure that you add.
Here are a few more samples of what the timeline figures look like:
You will notice that I started the timeline at 5000 BCE. Due to the size constraints, I begin at early recorded human history. Even with a full wall timeline, it would be impossible to include all of pre-history on this type of timeline. However, if you want to include pre-history from the Big-Bang through to human history, the Darwin and Evolution Unit Study not only covers that topic, it includes a Timeline of Life project that shows the scope of history in a fun way for children to see just how vast time is. You can see pictures of that project here:
As with anything – don’t feel you need to use every single timeline figure – in fact, if you have a very artistic child, they may learn more by creating their own timeline figures. Timeline work should be enjoyable, not a chore – I hope that I am able to make homeschooling your child just a little bit easier by giving you the tools to teach your children.
