π Seeing Time
A timeline is a visual way to show when events happened and in what order. Timelines help us understand history, see patterns, and compare events happening in different places at the same time.
π Key Vocabulary
Chronological
In order of time (earliest β latest)
BCE/CE
Before Common Era / Common Era (same as BC/AD)
Decade
10 years
Century
100 years
Millennium
1,000 years
Era / Period
A distinct time with shared features
π Reading a Timeline
Things to Look For
- π Title β What is the timeline about?
- π Scale β What time period does each section represent?
- β¬ οΈβ‘οΈ Direction β Usually left = earlier, right = later (or top β bottom)
- π Events β What happened? When?
- π Spacing β Equal spacing = equal time periods
π Example Timeline
Key Events in Aotearoa New Zealand History
~1280 β First Polynesian settlers arrive
1642 β Abel Tasman sights Aotearoa
1769 β James Cook arrives
1840 β Te Tiriti o Waitangi signed
1893 β NZ first country to give women the vote
1987 β Te Reo MΔori becomes official language
2022 β Matariki becomes public holiday
βοΈ Creating a Timeline
Steps
- List your events with dates
- Put them in chronological order
- Choose your scale (years? decades? centuries?)
- Draw a line with equal spacing
- Mark the events in the right places
- Add a title
βοΈ Activities
Activity: Your Life Timeline
Create a timeline of your life! Include at least 8 important events:
- When you were born
- First day of school
- Moving house, getting a pet, etc.
- Something that happened this year
Draw your timeline here
π©βπ« Teacher Notes
Curriculum Links
- Social Studies: Continuity and change
- History: Chronological understanding
- Mathematics: Number lines, scale