Biography Timeline
Find the big events in a famous person’s life, then build a timeline for our class book!
-
Step 1: What is a timeline?
A timeline shows events in the order they happened, from first to last. Watch a video to find out more.
Play: What is a Timeline? (1 minute)This video plays from YouTube. Nothing loads from YouTube until you press play.
Play: How to Use a TimelineThis video plays from YouTube. Nothing loads from YouTube until you press play.
-
Step 2: Find the big events
Your biography is full of facts. Only the BIG events go on a timeline. Watch the story, then play the sorting game.
-
Step 3: Plan your timeline
Read your biography. Find 6 to 8 big events. Write the date and a few words for each one in your Event Planner.
Put a sticky note in your book each time you find a big event. Then it is easy to find again.
-
Step 4: Learn how to build a timeline
Watch how a timeline is built, one step at a time. You will make boxes that are all the same size, then add dates, words and pictures.
You can build your timeline in PowerPoint or in Google Slides. The steps show both.
-
Step 5: Look at a finished timeline
Look closely. Every box is the same size. Every event has a date, a few words, and a picture.
A sample timeline about Amelia Earhart, a famous pilot. -
Step 6: Build your timeline and check it off
Now build your own timeline. Tap each item when it is done.
My Timeline Checklist
Finished? Share your timeline with your teacher or save it where your teacher tells you, so it can be printed for the class book.
Grown-ups: how did this activity go? Send us feedback
For teachers
Second graders read a biography of a famous person they choose, find the big events, plan them, and build a timeline in PowerPoint or Google Slides, using the slide as a page layout tool. The timelines are printed and bound into a class book. The full notes for teachers and parents cover choosing books, teaching students to find important events, the build steps, and the checklist.