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Do you know your computer will make a great timeline without purchasing any special software? While there are several commercial programs available for purchase, you can do a great timeline with Microsoft Excel. Excel is available on every FCPS computer!
Timelines are one of the most-used teaching tools. They help students in every grade level and every curriculum area to understand relationships. Whether representing changes over time, illustrating cause-effect relationships or depicting historical events, timelines are a great way to make the connections necessary for learning. Younger children might do a graph with only pictures; older students can add factual information and special features. The following is just one example; you will find many more applications to fit your classroom objectives.
Toni Jeffries, SBTS: Westgate & Marshall Road
There are many possibilities for customizing your timeline. The following directions will create a timeline similar to the example. As you go along, you’ll find many other things to expand and individualize your timeline. (Click here to view a sample timeline).
- Open Microsoft Excel. Go to the view menu at the top, select toolbars and make sure you have checked standard, formatting, and drawing.
- Select a row in which you want the main dates for your timeline to appear (row 8 is a good place to start). Enter each date in a separate cell, skipping cells in between for spacing.
- Next choose a row for the events (it may be above or below the dates or both). Type each event you want included in a separate cell, skipping cells in between for spacing. Each event should be in the same column as its corresponding date.
- If you wish to include pictures, click under the event, choose insert and picture on the toolbar, click on clipart and choose a graphic. Size it by dragging inward on the corner handles. (Reposition it, if needed, by clicking in the middle and dragging it with the mouse.)
- To color the date row, click the gray row number (on the left of the screen) to select the row with the dates. On the drawing toolbar, choose a fill color with the arrow next to the paint bucket to color the row.
- Next, find the drawing toolbar at the bottom of the screen and choose the straight line tool. Draw vertical lines connecting the boxes and/or pictures that go together.
- If you want a title for your timeline, you can choose the rectangle tool from the drawing toolbar. Draw a box and type in your title.
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