Time After Time: How Can We Use Timelines to Reconstruct the Past? Part 2

Learning Resource Type

Lesson Plan

Subject Area

English Language Arts
Mathematics
Social Studies

Grade(s)

2

Overview

The lesson will focus on observing and creating timelines. The teacher will show students example timelines. Students will state things that they notice from the sample timelines. The teacher will read American Symbols: The Lincoln Memorial by Terri DeGezelle. The teacher and students will work together to create a timeline based on American Symbols: The Lincoln Memorial by Terri DeGezelle. Finally, students will break into groups and work to create a timeline with other American Symbols books.

This unit was created as part of the ALEX Interdisciplinary Resource Development Summit.

Social Studies (2010) Grade(s): 2

SS10.2.2

Identify national historical figures and celebrations that exemplify fundamental democratic values, including equality, justice, and responsibility for the common good.

UP:SS10.3.12

Vocabulary

  • historic figures (male and female)
  • celebrations
  • exemplify
  • democratic values
  • recognize
  • founding fathers
  • significance
  • national holidays
  • American symbols
  • monuments

Knowledge

Students know:
  • Fundamental democratic values including equality, justice, and responsibility for the common good.
  • The names and significance of national historic figures, both male and female.
  • The significance of national holidays and the relationship of each to democratic values.
  • The history and significance of American symbols and monuments.
  • Vocabulary: democratic values, equality, justice, responsibility, common good, founding father, national holiday, American symbol, monument

Skills

Students are able to:
  • Identify national historic figures and celebrations.
  • Identify the ways historic figures and celebrations exemplify fundamental democratic values.
  • Recognize our country's founding fathers and other historic male figures.
  • Recognize historic female figures.
  • Describe national holidays, including the significance of each and the democratic values associated with each.
  • Identify American symbols and monuments and describe the history and significance of each.

Understanding

Students understand that:
  • There is an importance and impact of national historic figures and celebrations.
Social Studies (2010) Grade(s): 2

SS10.2.3

Use various primary sources, including calendars and timelines, for reconstructing the past.

UP:SS10.3.13

Vocabulary

  • primary sources
  • calendars
  • timelines
  • reconstructing
  • past

Knowledge

Students know:
  • How to use a calendar.
  • How to interpret a timeline.
  • Vocabulary: primary sources, calendar, timeline, past, historical letter, artifacts

Skills

Students are able to:
  • Read a calendar.
  • Create and use a timeline.
  • Analyze a historical document.
  • Utilize maps, photographs, and other visual historic resources.

Understanding

Students understand that:
  • Primary sources play an important role in reconstructing the past.
MA19.2.17
MA19.2.22
ELA21.2.R1
ELA21.2.1
ELA21.2.4
ELA21.2.22
ELA21.2.28

Primary Learning Objectives

Students will:

  • describe the history of American symbols.
  • use timelines to reconstruct the past.
  • measure objects using standard units of measurement.
  • create a number line diagram (timeline) using whole numbers.
  • utilize active listening skills in a variety of contexts, following agreed-upon rules.
  • answer questions about a text using complete sentences to provide key details.
  • use content knowledge built during read-alouds and independent reading of informational text by participating in content-specific discussions and writing. 
  • establish a purpose before reading informational texts to enhance comprehension.

Procedures/Activities

TW= Teacher will

SW=Student will

Before 

  1. TW review Standard SS3: Use various primary sources, including calendars and timelines, for reconstructing the past.  Examples: historical letters, stories, interviews with elders, photographs, maps, or artifacts.  
  2. TW show sample kid-friendly/high-interest timelines from the internet.
  3. SW discuss things they notice about the sample timelines.  

During

  1. TW tell students that they will work together to create a timeline from a story about national symbols.
  2. TW read American Symbols: The Lincoln Memorial by Terri DeGezelle.
  3. TW and SW make a list of dates/events while reading American Symbols: The Lincoln Memorial by Terri DeGezelle.  
  4. After reading, TW and SW will make a shared timeline using dates/events from American Symbols: The Lincoln Memorial by Terri DeGezelle. 
  5. TW model measuring equal spaces and drawing out a timeline. For example: If there are five dates/events from the story, TW model that we would need five slots on the timeline. TW model using three inches for each spot on the timeline. TW/SW use repeated addition to figure out the total length of the timeline. TW model measuring the full timeline and then model measuring out each slot for the timeline at a spacing of three inches each.  
  6. SW assist teacher in placing dates/events on the timeline in order by date.
  7. TW tell students that they will create their own timeline based on other American Symbol books and present rubric to students: https://goo.gl/dn1uLS
  8. SW work in groups/pairs with other American Symbol books to create a list of dates/events. The last 4 pages of the book should be bound with paper clips to conceal a completed timeline. Suggested books include:
    • American Symbols: The Statue of Liberty by Marc Tyler Nobleman
    • American Symbols: The Pledge of Allegiance by Marc Tyler Nobleman
    • American Symbols: The Statue of Liberty by Marc Tyler Nobleman
    • American Symbols: The Star-Spangled Banner by Debbie L. Yanuck
    • American Symbols: The Liberty Bell by Debbie L. Yanuck
    • American Symbols: Ellis Island by Terri DeGezelle
    • American Symbols: The U.S. Capitol by Terri DeGezelle
    • American Symbols: The White House by Debbie L Yanuck
  9. SW work with a list of dates/events to create a timeline.  
  10. SW present timeline to the class.
  11. SW use the timeline in the back of each book to check their student-created timeline. 

After

  1. After all tasks have been completed,  SW complete an exit ticket. https://goo.gl/cUOSFd.
  2. TW/SW revisit the standard, reflect, and discuss what was discovered.

Possible follow-up activity

In a future period of time, student timelines could also be used to create a gallery walk. A gallery walk is an activity in which a teacher hangs student-created timelines and allows students to walk through the timelines without talking. During this time, students will write questions on sticky notes or some other type of document about the other timelines. Students could work to answer each other's questions during reading or math rotations.

Assessment Strategies

Formative Assessment

TW informally assess students during group activities and whole class discussions. TW check student created timelines for understanding: finding dates/events, ordering dates on timeline, writing events with dates, and measuring equal distances between dates/events by using this rubric: https://goo.gl/hAhCAo

Acceleration

Students that need to expand on their understanding can create a timeline featuring the famous Americans from the group according to their birthdates. They can create this digitally or on paper. This timeline can be shared with the group to deepen understanding of the past as it is related to the featured famous Americans.

Intervention

If there are students that require additional help with understanding number order (years in timeline), they should be pulled into a small group to practice number order with the teacher prior to the group activity. If there are students that require additional help to read grade-level text, the teacher can read the book with the students or the teacher can pair students up with a peer helper.

Total Duration

61 to 90 Minutes

Background/Preparation

Prior to teaching this lesson, students need to understand basic calendar skills such as the order of numbers or the order of years. Students will need some basic measuring skills. Students will need to be able to read independently or with peer assistance at a 2nd-grade reading level.  

The teacher will need to bind the last four pages of the American Symbols book that contains a completed timeline with paper clips.  Teachers will also need to search the internet for kid-friendly/high-interest timelines or timeline infographics for the students to observe.

Materials and Resources

  • Kid-friendly/high-interest timelines on the internet

  • American Symbols: The Lincoln Memorial by Terri DeGezelle

  • Books with the last four pages bound with paper clips:  
    • American Symbols: The Statue of Liberty by Marc Tyler Nobleman
    • American Symbols: The Pledge of Allegiance by Marc Tyler Nobleman
    • American Symbols: The Statue of Liberty by Marc Tyler Nobleman
    • American Symbols: The Star-Spangled Banner by Debbie L. Yanuck
    • American Symbols: The Liberty Bell by Debbie L. Yanuck
    • American Symbols: Ellis Island by Terri DeGezelle
    • American Symbols: The U.S. Capitol by Terri DeGezelle
    • American Symbols: The White House by Debbie L Yanuck
  • Paper

  • Pencils

  • Rulers

  • Timeline Rubric: https://goo.gl/dn1uLS

  • Exit Ticket: https://goo.gl/cUOSFd.

Technology Resources Needed

  • iPad or computer to print off rubric and exit ticket
  • Projector

Approved Date

2017-04-09

Owner2

missmac100
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