CREATING BEAUTIFUL TIMELINES USING

EXCELBy Catherine Nehring

LESSON DESCRIPTION The students will work in pairs or small

groups to create a Timeline using Microsoft Excel illustrating current knowledge of the time span of 5 Hominid groups and their distinguishing characteristics.

Day 1: Research the 5 Hominid groups. Day 2: Create a Timeline in Excel.

TARGET AUDIENCE

Middle School Social Studies students.

OBJECTIVES Students learn about 5 Hominid groups

through cooperative research. Students use the information they have

learned to order the Hominid groups along a Timeline and creatively express each group’s defining characteristics using graphics.

Students improve their computer skills by using Excel in a new way.

MATERIALS Multiple sources of information on the 5

Hominid groups. Worksheets to collect and organize their

information. Computers with Microsoft Word & Excel. Grading Rubric.

PROCEDURES 1. Students divide into small groups or pairs.

Together they decide on the division of work in researching and collecting information on 5 Hominid groups: Australopithecus afarensis Homo habilis Homo erectus Homo sapiens neanderthalensis Homo sapiens sapiens

2. Give the students copies of the Note Collection worksheets for each Hominid group to record and organize their research information.

PROCEDURES (cont.) 3. The students collect graphics to illustrate the

defining characteristics of each Hominid group. These can be scanned from hand-drawn illustrations or print sources, from Clip Art, from public domain graphics on the internet, or from a folder of graphics provided by the teacher.

4. Next, the students create their own timelines in Excel or start with a timeline template provided by the teacher. They add graphics, Word Art, text boxes and text in the cells to their timelines to complete the assignment.

PROCEDURES (cont.) MODIFICATION FOR DISABILITIES:

All students should be challenged to work hard and stretch their abilities to new levels. Working with peers on academic tasks is especially motivating for students with disabilities. But if a student cannot benefit from this lesson as is, then I would make several modifications.

a. I would have the text material read to the student.

b. I would have manipulative, hands-on activities to reinforce what was in the text; such as a large timeline with labels, arrows and graphics to place along it.

PROCEDURES (cont.)c. I would have prepared an Excel timeline template,

as well as all necessary graphics and labels ready for the student to copy and paste onto the timeline in the correct sequence.

Timeline : Timeline of HominidsCATEGORY 4 3 2 1

Content/Facts Facts were accurate for all Hominids on the timeline.

Facts were accurate for almost all Hominids on the timeline.

Facts were accurate for most (~3/5) of the Hominids on the timeline.

Facts were often inaccurate for the Hominids on the timeline.

Graphics All graphics are effective and balanced with text use.

All graphics are effective, but there appear to be too few or too many.

Some graphics are effective and their use is balanced with text use.

Several graphics are not effective.

Fonts and Colors The use of font styles and colors is consistent and shows a logical pattern. It helps organize the material.

The use of font styles and colors is consistent and shows a logical pattern for the most part. It helps organize the material somewhat.

The use of font styles and colors is consistent , but is not used effectively to organize.

The use of font styles and colors is not consistent OR detracts from the organization.

Preparation The student had notes about all the Hominids and dates s/he wished to include on the timeline before beginning to design the timeline.

The student had notes about almost all the Hominids and dates s/he wished to include on the timeline before beginning to design the timeline.

The student had notes about most (~3/5) of the events and dates s/he wished to include on the timeline before beginning to design the timeline.

The student had not prepared adequate notes before beginning to design the timeline.

Software Learning The student knows how to use the software and can accurately and clearly answer almost any question related to how to perform certain functions.

The student knows how to use the software and can accurately and clearly answer many questions related to how to perform certain functions.

The student knows how to use some parts of the software and can accurately and clearly answer a few questions related to how to perform certain functions.

The student does not appear to know how to use the software without assistance.

THE END