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Ten Ways to Use Timelines in Your Homeschool

Disclosure: I received this complimentary product through the Homeschool Review Crew.

I am time-challenged. Perhaps that may be why I’ve never really taught history with timelines. After reviewing The Individual Timeline Set: America’s History from Home School in the Woods, I learned quickly that we’ve been missing out on a fantastic learning tool! The good news is that these historical timeline figures work great for any grade, so time is on our side – yes it is!

What are History Through the Ages Timeline Figures?

The timeline figures from Home School in the Woods are a supplemental product designed to go along with and reinforce virtually any history curriculum. I received a digital download of America’s History timeline set that covers the first explorers to people, places, and events of the 21st century. There are over 420 printable black and white figures in this set. The set is available in four formats: Wall size with text description (sizes range from 2.5″ to 4″), and wall size with just name and date. Short on wall space? No problem. The other two formats are sized smaller (1.5” to 2.75″) for use in notebooks, lapbooks, or with index cards, and contains the same information as the larger size.

The details of the drawings are magnificent! Leave them black and white, or use colored pencils to make them pop! Timelines are available for several time periods including: Creation To Christ (Beginning – 100 AD), Resurrection to Revolution (0 -1799 AD), Napoleon to Now (1750 AD – Modern Day), and American History (Explorers to 21st Century).

Ten Ways to Use Timelines

While looking over the 420 figures, I was thinking of the many ways families could use them to teach. I always think of the older kids. First, because mine are both in high school, and second, many people think that middle and high-schoolers are too old, too big, or simply too cool for games. That is absolutely wrong, and a crucial time when many give up homeschooling. So, I’m usually thinking of ways to keep learning fun for them as well as myself, because at this point, I’m learning with them!

  • The first way is obvious. Tape to a wall, or tape inside a notebook. The cool thing is that Home School in the Woods allows you to do either or both!
  • Biographies. Enhance biographies by finding out what else was going on in that time of history. What things led up to the discovery, the invention, the war, or other moment in history. The additional information will add interest to any topic or person you may be studying.
  • Topical timelines. The timeline figures are great for plotting out the date of any topic. In my set of America’s History figures making a timeline of explorers, presidents, women, or statehood came to mind.
  • Jeopardy. We love taking any curriculum and turning it into a competitive game of Jeopardy. With so many figures, you could make various categories.
  • Time Chunks. Working on a small section at a time, really dig in and learn about what was happening. The timeline figures are fantastic to use with unit studies! We do not have school in summer, so we revisited our most recent history project once more. My daughter and I chose significant figures from the project, and put them on a timeline. Seriously, these timelines can fit with any history study! These smaller chunks can be added together to form a larger timeline over the years.
  • Before or After? Test one’s sense of time with a game of draw two. Or three, or even more depending on ability.
  • Matching game. The figures with text are fantastic for cutting apart, and matching the description with the face, place, or event.
  • Make a historical paper chain. This may sound like something for elementary aged kids, but older kids can get in on this as well. The figures make fun dinner-time topics for families. Simply tape the figure to the inside of a paper chain. Every evening at dinner, “unlink” a piece of the chain to see who or what is taped on the inside. Include the entire family, and imagine what can be learned while you’re passing the meatloaf.
  • Geography. The variety of figures can adapt to anywhere on the globe.
  • Guess Who? Remember that game? If you still have it, the smaller figures with the name and date fit perfectly in the little windows. This is such a fun way to test how well you can describe a person or event sight unseen by the other player.

What did I think of the Timeline Set: America’s History?

I love that Home School in the Woods has made such a versatile product! Not only do timelines provide a framework of where, what, and when, using the figures is a terrific tool for both visual and kinesthestic learners. It’s great that the timeline sets can be used with any age spanning any curriculum.

My friends at the Review Crew reviewed different timeline sets, unit studies, lap books, as well as other awesome products from Home School in the Woods. Check them out by clicking the banner below!

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