Below are 4 different options for making timelines with your class. I have also included some pros and cons for each. The 4 options are:
Click here for the timeline sample file
Pros
Cons
Click here for the template file you can share with your students.
Pros
Cons
- Animated timeline from timeline.knightlab.com
- Using Popplet on the iPad
- Using Google Slides to make a basic animated timeline
- Using StoryboardThat.com to create scenes of each stage
Animated Timeline - www.timline.knightlab.com (Laptop)
Click here for the websiteClick here for the timeline sample file
Pros
- Easy to embed in blogs
- Years are to scale
Cons
- Adding in photos requires using a link to the image.
- Editing then publishing the spreadsheet
Using Popplet on the iPad
Pros
Cons
Click on the picture to see a full size version of the timeline.
- Quick and easy to make
- Easy to add pictures
- Students can do this independently
Cons
- Can be hard to read on the blog unless you click on the image.
- Can get hard to read if there many cells in the Popplet
Click on the picture to see a full size version of the timeline.
Google Slides Animated Timeline (Laptop or iPad)
Using Google Slides with a slide right transition you can make a very basic animated timeline.Click here for the template file you can share with your students.
Pros
- The students can do this independently
- Easy to embed in the blog
- Updates as changes are made
- Can be edited and created on either the iPad or you Laptop
Cons
- You cannot see the whole timeline on one page
StoryboardThat.com
Pros
- Looks good and the students create their own individual pieces.
- You can customise the all the character positions, colors etc.
- You can create a free account using Google Sign In.
Cons
- Can take a long time for some students to create each scene.
- Embeds very wide in the blog, you need to add a width="600" command to the HTML embed code.
- Storyboardthat.com has a habit of sending lots of update emails about their product after you sign up.
Other Notes
You could create a class timeline and break up the years so that each student only has to make one or two frames. Put it together in Google Slides at the end.
