Timelines and Traveling the World: History and Geography Projects
The Beauty of the Timeline for History and Geography Projects
When we study history, typically we move chronologically, discussing different topics and regions. It can be difficult to see the “big picture” of how events occur at about the same time across the world. For example, your history book may have separate chapters on the Renaissance and the Reformation, as if one happened first, and then the other. However, many of these events actually occurred during the same time frame. Did you know that Michelangelo completed his painting of the ceiling of the Sistine Chapel just a few years before Martin Luther posted his Ninety-five Theses? Timelines provide a chronological snapshot of the flow of history and can help us connect individual events to their larger contexts.
My middle-school students created some amazing timelines in our online classroom for our Foundations of World History class! I would love to be able to show you everyone’s work, but here are just a few examples.
Notice in Lydia’s timeline that Egyptian hieroglyphics, Sumerian cuneiform, the building of Stonehenge, the desertification of the Sahara, and the first Chinese towns appeared at roughly the same time!
And did you know that in the mid-12th century, Ethiopia was founded, King Henry II (Henry of Anjou) ruled England, Genghis Khan became ruler of the Mongols, and the Aztecs began migrating southward to what is now Mexico City? Grace shows us how these events occurred within a relatively short time frame.
Finally, Emillia’s color-coded timeline shows that events all over the world were affected by unification and colonization during the 19th century.
Traveling the World with Geography Projects
While no one could possibly travel to all of the fascinating places in the world, WikiProjects are a good way to visit new places virtually! Throughout the year, students completed several different types of projects and presented the information in our online classroom. Here are just a few examples of the many wonderful student projects from our World Geography class.
In his country study atlas entry, Evan describes the beautiful country of Papua New Guinea and shares some basic statistics about this island nation. That’s quite a volcano!
For one of our projects, students chose a national park in the U.S. or Canada. Hannah took us on a virtual tour of Yellowstone National Park. This example from her project shows the famous geyser, Old Faithful.
Students really enjoyed the Mystery City project. Eden provides some great clues to the city that she chose. Can you guess the name of this Asian city?
Projects can really enhance students’ online learning and make history and geography come alive! If you would like more information about my history or geography classes, please feel free to visit https://excelsiorclasses.com/susan-eggers/.
About the Author
Susan Eggers holds a bachelor’s degree in history and a master’s degree in Russian history. She has completed coursework toward her Ph. D. and has conducted research in libraries and archives in Moscow and St. Petersburg. Her first teaching position was at the college level, and after she started homeschooling her three children in 2003, she began teaching history and geography online. She and her family live in upstate South Carolina, where they enjoy reading, gardening, and playing with their two large dogs.
