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Timelines 2.0: A Fun, Easy, and Free Classroom Tool
By Chris O’Neal
3/20/08Timelines are one of the most useful and effective tools I've found that can fit in nicely with any classroom's content area and grade level. They are fantastic vehicles for doing research, being creative, and sharing and publishing information. In addition, they are easy to use for simple classroom projects such as tracking birthdays, major significant events, and holidays. Furthermore, they offer a rich opportunity to explore the goings-on behind significant events, allowing students to uncover what led up to wars, significant scientific breakthroughs, changes in culture, or shifts in art styles and music. The possibilities are endless.
A fantastic new timeline tool I've been playing with is xtimeline. This free Web-based tool makes it simple to create timelines, and it has built-in capabilities that allow you to conduct research, embed photos and videos, do group editing, and engage in social collaboration. Imagine combining the power of a traditional timeline tool with the history and edit features of a wiki while making it a social, globally published, living online document. It doesn't get much simpler, or more effective, than this.
Getting started is easy. Just register, log in, and hit Create. Fill in the basic information for your new timeline, then click the next Create button. From there, it's simply a matter of adding your events. You can customize each event with data, images, embedded videos, links to source information, and so on. And each timeline has a discussion section, so a class can debate certain topics, justify the order of events or their significance, and share more details and suggestions. Users can also embed the timelines into blogs, discussion forums, and emails.
To make things even more classroom friendly, you can set timelines so only selected users can view and discuss them. You can create groups as well, and you can set up a timeline in such a way that anyone can view it, but only invited users can edit and discuss it.
I am having a blast with these timelines, and my daughter is already creating one about her life that makes use of photos and videos. I think this tool is going to be hugely popular in classrooms as teachers begin to notice it. Please share with us what you think. Create a sample timeline and post it here. How would you use this tool in your classroom? How about personally?
While you're exploring, be sure to check out a timeline called Significant Persons of the Renaissance. I find this timeline to be especially well done, with a nice combination of research, images, and well-written details.
Timelines 2.0: A Fun, Easy, and Free Classroom Tool
Submitted by Lauren (not verified) on April 8, 2008 - 00:43.
Hi everyone,
Thank you so much for your support of xtimeline! It's been wonderful reading about all these creative ideas you have for using xtimeline in the classroom. The next timeline that I'm planning to create is to chart out my memoir writing project. I've also found it fun to just take 5 minutes each day to learn about a new topic on the site, like the biography of the Dalai Lama and the History of Tibet given the protests recently.
We still have lots of improvements that we will continue to work on for the website, like making the timeline widget more flexible for embedding on other websites, amongst others. Let me know if you have other feedback or ideas. I look forward to seeing the timelines that you and your students create.
Finally, please help us spread the word and tell your friends, family and other educators about xtimeline!
Best,
Lauren
Co-founder, xtimeline.com
Timelines 2.0: A Fun, Easy, and Free Classroom Tool
Submitted by AHarris (not verified) on March 29, 2008 - 05:52.
Hey Chris! As always you do such a great job finding cool tools for us to use in our schools with our students and teachers. I love this xtimeline! I just finished training with a teacher and her class at our middle school on using excel for timelines and how to insert pics, video links, etc. Now I can share this cool tool to expand upon that! The students will love it and so will the teacher. This will also be a great way for students to showcase to their parents at home what they are learning at school. Thanks so much! :-)
Timelines 2.0: A Fun, Easy, and Free Classroom Tool
Submitted by Judy (not verified) on March 28, 2008 - 05:41.
Student use? --The user agreement says you must be 13 years old to use it or did I misunderstand? I love it but trying to figure out how to have them do it is what I am trying to figure out do you log in for them?
Timelines 2.0: A Fun, Easy, and Free Classroom Tool
Submitted by Dee (not verified) on March 31, 2008 - 17:14.
I am having the same problem with the age restriction. I teach 6th graders....do you use just one account that you, the teacher, has set up? Can multiple users be on this account at one time?
Multiple user accounts for Timelines 2.0
Submitted by Judy (not verified) on April 1, 2008 - 04:48.
student use--yes multiple kids can use same account I tried it yesterday.
Timelines 2.0: A Fun, Easy, and Free Classroom Tool
Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on March 26, 2008 - 19:27.
Thanks for showing me this amazing tool. I teach 7th grade science and we are beginning an Archeological Dig in a couple of weeks. Unfortuantely (or fortunately)all of our computers are being used, for testing, during our Archeology unit. Normally we conclude our Archeology Unit with a power point presentation by the students based on the fossils they have found. Since we are unable to do the power point this year we decided to do a timeline. With this site and the software I will present this to my science team and see if we could use it. Again thank you.
Timeline 2.0
Submitted by jks (not verified) on March 26, 2008 - 18:04.
What a great tool! I love finding new and interesting websites that help make learning fun and there are so many websites out there these days it is hard to keep up. My students are really going to enjoy using xtimeline.com.
timelines
Submitted by Patricia (not verified) on March 25, 2008 - 18:15.
thanks so much for the information on timelines. I am always looking for ways to teach the concept of time and sequence and ways to document personal history. i am anxious to navigate my way through this website. i am also gratful that there are others who are willing to explore the internet and share what they have found. i truly appreciate your help and support.
Wow! A Web site worth looking up!
Submitted by Carol B. (not verified) on March 25, 2008 - 13:57.
Thank you for sharing this wonderful resource with other wondering teachers like myself. I can see many uses for this teaching tool. I would use it mainly in social studies, but it would be helpful in reading also. Timelines are on
most states' achievement tests so the students could use this fun tool and still prepare for the "big test".
An outstanding timeline Web site
Submitted by Anvil (not verified) on March 25, 2008 - 12:57.
I have always taught history and author studies using timelines. This website is outstanding. I am creating a timeline right now for the buildup to the War of 1812...Thank you!!
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