Timelines: help! (Bigger and Beyond)

[MelInKansas]

Okay, confession. I did not do a timeline at all in Beyond with my oldest. Now her timeline in Bigger has all kinds of problems. I thought we did it just as described but we are already on our second whole page because our timeline goes down, not across. We are at the bottom of our second page and so probably need to start a new one even.

I created a grid with the 1/2 centuries along the top and 7 rows beneath. So, 1450, 1500, 1550, 1600, etc across the top. Each week the timeline instructions say to find a certain column and write the name of the person, dates of their life, and draw a small picture. This takes up a whole box with my DD's handwriting. So the next week's timeline entry usually goes below the previous week's because it overlaps into the same 1/2 century. Then the week after we might move across one column but I have had her put it below the previous entry and maybe this is where I've gone wrong.

To demonstrate:

1450 1500 1550 1600 ....
X
X
X
X
X
X
X


And therefore we run out of vertical space long before we are done and long before the horizontal space is filled up. Is she supposed to do the 3rd entry right next to the first one, up in the top row but in the 1500 box? Even if we did that, I don't know if one full (double size) page is enough to fit it all. Anyway we've been doing it wrong for this long, but it would be nice to know how it's supposed to be done. If there's a timeline in Preparing maybe I can redeem myself. And my DD is Beyond is starting her timeline too so I could use advice.

Thanks for any input.

[jer2911mom]

Here is a picture Julie shared of their Beyond timeline:

http://s268.photobucket.com/user/happym ... 1.jpg.html

And here is one she shared for Bigger:

http://s268.photobucket.com/user/happym ... 9.jpg.html

We start our timelines on the first row of each column like you see in her pictures. That would help you not run out of vertical space.

HTH,
Kathy

[jhperry]

Yes, if your next entry is for the 1500 column, you start in box 1 (at the top). Add however many you are instructed, going down the column, then move back to the top when entering info for 1600. Does that make sense? You will only have blank boxes at the bottom of some columns (that don't have as many entries as others), not at the top.

For Beyond, we use a piece of cardstock turned horizontally. For Bigger, we used the inside of a file folder. It was challenging to fit everything in the boxes but I think it helped them learn to write and draw smaller. In Preparing, we chose to use index cards taped together with packing tape...this was my favorite. They had plenty of room, they folded up nicely (we just kept in a baggie with the blank cards), and it was neat to see how long they stretched by the end of the year. Once you get to CTC, you get to use the beautiful student notebook pages.

Hope that helps!

[countrymom]

If you can find the wall space somewhere (we used the laundry room ) you can use 3 x 5 cards to do the timeline and that gives more room. I put teach date on a card and put them across and then each entry was put on a card and we placed it in the correct column. Like the pp said, some columns have fewer cards than others. Just a thought, it helped us with the space problem. For olders I think they can do it on a page, for youngers it is a little hard.

[MelInKansas]

Thanks everyone. Obviously my first problem was trying to go down and across. I don't know where I got that idea. I like the 3X5 card idea on the wall... would just struggle to find the wall space to do it on. I guess I could also get a big posterboard or a couple so we can take it out and put it away (we do school in the dining room mostly and I try as hard as I can not to have my dining room look like a school room).

[mom23]

The Bigger timeline is supposed to be 12 rows down. If you're doing 7 you will run out of space before you're done with some of these! I don't think you'll fill every single box down in every column, but 12 should be the most you need for any one of the 1/2 century blocks.

[Yaya68]

How about using index cards and an index card mini binder? Would that work? That's what I was planning on using. We have done this for vocab words and spelling words as well. The space prob is solved...but of course...no display of time line. I don't think my kiddos would care so much...(maybe my 7yo-who wants to keep everything on display around the house ) We really don't have the wall space for a timeline... except maybe my bedroom...and that ain't happening.

[lmercon]

Here is a timeline cover sheet and grids that you can download and print out. They were made by a mom who used to be here. I'm sure she wouldn't mind that I shared them. I use two file folders and tape them together to create three sections. This works great!

http://daisyhomeschoolblog.blogspot.com ... files.html

hth,
Laura

[erdrmom]

I just finished drawing out the timeline for my son who is starting Bigger on Monday. I taped an 11 x 17 piece of paper inside a file folder. Along the 11" side of the paper I drew horizontal lines every 0.9", which allowed for 12 equal rows. Along the 17" side of the paper I drew vertical lines every 1.5", which gave me 11 columns. I used my husband's carpenter's square to draw the lines because it was easier to do since it was longer than a ruler.

HTH