Beyond-the-Basic Productivity Tools (BBPT)

Lesson Idea Name: Civil War Timeline

Content Area: Social Studies
Grade Level(s): 4th grade

Content Standard Addressed: SS4H5 Explain the causes, major events, and consequences of the Civil War.

Technology Standard Addressed: 6. Creative Communicator Students communicate clearly and express
themselves creatively for a variety of purposes using the platforms, tools, styles, formats and digital media
appropriate to their goals.

Selected Technology Tool: ReadWriteThink Timeline

URL(s) to support the lesson (if applicable):

http://www.readwritethink.org/files/resources/interactives/timeline_2/

Bloom’s Taxonomy Level(s):

☒ Remembering ☒ Understanding ☒ Applying ☐ Analyzing ☐ Evaluating ☒ Creating

Levels of Technology Integration (LoTi Level):

☐ Level 1: Awareness ☐ Level 2: Exploration ☐ Level 3: Infusion ☒ Level 4: Integration
☐ Level 5: Expansion ☐ Level 6: Refinement

Universal Design for Learning (UDL): Students have the opportunity to individualize their timeline by
choosing which events they deemed the most important and finding pictures to go with each one that they
feel best represents the concept. After finishing they have the opportunity to present their material or simply
post their work in and around the classroom.

Lesson idea implementation: After reviewing the chosen event (in this case, the Civil War), allow students to
fill out a worksheet listing important events/people/objects and dates if they apply, so that they can later
transcribe this onto their timeline. The students should then be able to fairly easily create their individual
timeline with at least 10 events. Make sure that they acquire a picture for each event, and a date to go with
it.
After completing their timelines, students can print and share with the class. This can be a great
opportunity for presentation, or If preferred you can post these around or outside of the classroom to
showcase their work. This activity will give them a better grasp of the event they are studying, and a higher
understanding since they are putting a timeline together by themselves.
Reflective Practice: To further extend this lesson, or to make this more appropriate for older ages, I might
assign each student or group of students a different person important to that event, or a smaller event within
the large event (Such as the battle of Kennesaw Mountain to go within the Civil War category), and have them
share each other’s timelines at the end of the unit. This way all of the students will have a deeper
understanding of each event within a broader event.

Spring 2018_SJB
 Beyond-the-Basic Productivity Tools (BBPT)

Spring 2018_SJB