Students will distinguish between different periods in recent history and place important events in historical context. Displaying and adding to the timeline throughout the year helps students understand and relate events in each stage of history and facilitates the exploration of historical cause and effect, as well as synthesizing learning experiences in different subject areas.

2.1 Types of Questions; 4.5 Continuity and Change; 4.6 Understanding Place; 6.1 Causes and Effects in Human Societies; 6.4 Historical Connections; 6.6 Being a Historian; 6.8 Movements and Settlements

• Five Events in Vermont History [DOC]
• Enough paper to represent a time span of 400 years
• Research materials on the cultural history of the Champlain Valley, including This Lake Alive!, the Lake Champlain Basin Atlas and the articles provided here

Prepare for the lesson by measuring and marking years on the paper you will using for the timeline. The timeline will span about 400 years, beginning in 1600 (although it can span a longer time period if you choose); with 40 ft. of paper, 1 ft. = 10 years.

Begin the lesson by presenting Five Events in Vermont History without disclosing their dates. As a class, students put the events in order using clues from the descriptions and previous knowledge. These fives events will be the first items on your Timeline of Vermont History.

Ask for five volunteers to take responsibility for the first five events to go on the timeline. Each of the rest of the students will supply one item for the timeline as the year goes on. They will choose a person, event, or object to represent on the timeline and use available research materials to supply the following information:

• Describe the person, event or object.
• Explain why it is important.
• Make an illustration.
• Share a primary source material related to the person, event or object.

Students can present their items and add them to the timeline as party of a special weekly ceremony. Furthermore, students can add items as a class at any time. Use the timeline as a reference material, asking students to always investigate "what else was going on."

Assess each students' work as they present their items to add to the timeline. Do they have a clear idea of what the item is and its historical significance? Do they provide an illustration and a primary source material (or a reference to a primary source material)? Rate individual ability to use research materials.

Write journal entries about two events that happened around the same year, or two people that lived around the same time. Ask students to identify a "turning point" in history and describe why it is a turning point.