Time Traveler’s Guide to World History

Lesson Summary

Time Traveler’s Guide to World History is a group project that allows students to build a year- long, interactive timeline covering the history of the world from 1500- 2017. The timeline is built using date parameters, as well as specific categories for the students to explore. Students then use a shared Google Sheet and Timeline JS to collaboratively build the timeline together as a class. Students are asked to explore topics, ideas, important leaders, achievements, etc. based on their assigned category. These categories include: The Landscape, The People, The Culture, The Government, and The Major Changes during the era. As long as students stay within these parameters, they are free to research and learn about the topics that appeal to them personally. The project is designed to promote group and class collaboration, as well as to have students be excited about researching world history in a way that appeals to their own interests. It will also serve as a wonderful example of all of the history that we covered across the school year.

TIPC Ratings

Research & Information Fluency

Rating:Ideal – Explanation: Students must carefully conduct all of their own research and are required to make detailed and creative timeline presentations demonstrating their historical knowledge.

Communication & Collaboration

Rating: Ideal – Explanation: Students are required to work in groups all year long to build a collaborative timeline with their entire class.

Critical Thinking & Problem Solving

Rating: Ideal – Explanation: Once students have their historical research, they must determine the most authentic and appropriate way to demonstrate and present their information.
Students are also assessed throughout the year, and must make fine- tune adjustments throughout the year in order for their final product to improve.

Creativity & Innovation

Rating: Ideal – Explanation: Students constantly add new technology into their timelines to demonstrate their knowledge and creativity. Many times, these technologies are not suggested by the teacher, but by the students finding better and alternative ways to present information included in the timeline.