⭐
Pick a fun mix of milestones!
Don't just pick birthdays! Your timeline tells the story of how you grew up. Aim to include:
👶
1. Your Birth Event #1 on your timeline!
👣
2. A Big "First" First steps, school, or sport.
🏡
3. A Family Change New pet, sibling, or new home.
🏆
4. Accomplishment Award, recital, or hard skill.
💪
5. A Challenge Something tough you beat!
✈️
6. An Adventure Vacation, camp, or fun trip.
🎨
7. A New Hobby Art, coding, music, or reading.
🎒
8. This School Year A special moment right now.
🚀
9. A Future Goal What do you hope happens next?
My Life Timeline • Project Guide (NYS Aligned) Page 2 of 4 • Clues & Event Types
✏️
The 2-Sentence Rule
Don't just list what happened. Tell us WHY it was important to you!
Sentence 1: WHAT happened? + Sentence 2: WHY did it matter?
❌ TOO SHORT: "2019: I got a dog." (Missing details and why it mattered!)
⚠️ BETTER: "2019 — Age 5: My family got our dog, Max. I was so excited because I had always wanted a pet."
⭐ HISTORIAN LEVEL: "2019 — Age 5: My family adopted our dog, Max. Taking care of him taught me that having a pet is super fun, but also takes real daily responsibility."
Copy this style!
🎒 🏫 Photo / Drawing
2018 — Age 6
I started first grade when I was six years old. I was super nervous at first, but making my first best friend during art class taught me that new things aren't so scary after all.
🎨
🖍️ Option A: Poster
Draw a big timeline line across poster paper with drawings and captions!
💻 Option B: Slides
Use Google Slides or Canva. Group events into 4–5 colorful slides!
📖 Option C: Foldable
Fold paper accordion-style like a zigzag book. Each flap holds an event!
My Life Timeline • Project Guide (NYS Aligned) Page 3 of 4 • Writing Models & Styles
📝
Plan Before You Build!
Jot down your candidate events here first. Once you have your favorites in order, start your final timeline!
| Date or Age | What Happened? | Why Is It Important? |
|---|---|---|
| Ex: 2014 | I was born in Atlanta, GA | The day my story started! |
📅 Timeline Rules
10 or more events In chronological order Spacing shows time Date or age on each
✏️ Captions & Reflection
1–2 sentences each Explains WHY it mattered 5–7 sentence reflection Checked spelling
🎨 Visuals & Effort
5+ pictures or drawings Pictures match events Name and title on project Neat, colorful, proud work
🏅 How It's Graded 100 Points Total
• 10+ Events in order: 20 pts • Captions (What+Why): 15 pts • Spacing shows time: 15 pts • Reflection: 15 pts • Dates or ages: 15 pts • Neatness & effort: 5 pts • 5+ Photos or drawings: 15 pts
🚀 Final Historian Question:
"Does my project look like just a list of random things... or does it tell the real story of how I became ME?"
You've got this! ⭐
My Life Timeline • Project Guide (NYS Aligned) Page 4 of 4 • Research & Checklist
😃 Feelings:
excited proud nervous brave curious relieved determined
🌟 Growth:
responsibility patience kindness confidence teamwork courage independence
Bonus Points
Quest 1: The Family Quote
Interview a parent or guardian and include one direct quote on your timeline! Example: "My mom said, 'You loved reading animal books before you could even walk!'"
Quest 2: World History Match
Find out ONE big thing that happened in the world during the year you were born and write a 1-sentence note about it on your timeline!
Timeline Writing Helper Page 2 of 2 • Ideas & Word Banks
| 5+ photos, sketches, or artifacts that clearly match their events. |
| 5 pictures or drawings included and relevant. |
| 3-4 pictures included, or drawings are rushed. |
| Fewer than 3 pictures or drawings included. |
| 5. Informative Captions |
| NYS WHST.2 / 6-8W2 15 Points | Captions follow What + Why formula; explains personal meaning and growth. | Most captions state what happened and why it mattered. | Captions are too short (only 1 sentence: just what happened). | Captions are single words, incomplete, or missing. |
| 6. Synthesis Reflection |
| NYS WHST.9 & SS C.2 15 Points | 5-7 sentences with thoughtful answers on patterns, turning points, and goals. | 5-7 sentences answering the reflection prompts. | 3-4 sentences, or answers prompts superficially. | Fewer than 3 sentences or reflection missing. |
| 7. Craft & Conventions |
| NYS 6-8W4 5 Points | Neat, colorful, easy to read, name included, pride shown! | Neat and readable with good overall effort. | Somewhat messy or difficult to read in spots. | Unfinished, messy, or lacks care. |
NYS Next Generation Standards • Assessment Suite Page 1 of 2 • 100-Point Scoring Rubric
Standards-Based Evaluation & Conferencing Form
Date: ____________
Student Name: ____________________________________
Period / Class: ______________
Total Score: ______ / 100
| Grading Category & Standard | Possible | Score | NYS Standards Mastery Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1. Chronological Order (10+ events) [SS: A.1, A.3] | 20 pts | _____ | |
| 2. Spacing Shows Time Passed [SS: A.2] | 15 pts | _____ | |
| 3. Clear Dates or Ages on Each [SS: A.1] | 15 pts | _____ | |
| 4. 5+ Visuals or Drawings [RH.7, SS: B.2] | 15 pts | _____ | |
| 5. Event Captions (What + Why) [WHST.2 / 6-8W2] | 15 pts | _____ | |
| 6. Reflection Paragraph [WHST.9, SS: C.2] | 15 pts | _____ | |
| 7. Craft & Conventions [6-8W4] | 5 pts | _____ |
Strengths & Commendations:
Exceptional proportional timeline spacing (SS Practice A.2) Clear explanation of personal significance (WHST.6-8.2) High-quality visual & artifact integration (RH.6-8.7) Deep synthesis of life turning points (SS Practice C.2) Flawless chronological sequencing (SS Practice A.1)
Next Steps for Improvement:
Adjust timeline spacing to reflect elapsed years (A.2) Add Sentence 2 (Why it mattered) to captions (WHST.2) Expand reflection to 5-7 complete sentences (WHST.9) Incorporate at least 5 primary photos or drawings (RH.7) Add clear date or age timestamps to all entries (A.1)
Teacher Feedback & Next Steps:
NYS Practice Note: Prompt students to explain how their timeline demonstrates continuity and change over time (NYS Social Studies Theme: Individual Development & Cultural Identity).
NYS Next Generation Standards • Assessment Suite Page 2 of 2 • Student Feedback & Scoring Sheet
