If you look at this example of the Gulf Coast oil spill timeline you will immediately begin to see the usefulness of this tool with your students. 2nd graders used it this year to make a timeline of their own life.
America on the Move is a great online exhibit produced and hosted by the Smithsonian National Museum of American History. America on the Move showcases the evolution of transportation in the United States. America on the Move is divided into three main sections; Exhibition, Collection, and Themes.
The exhibition section is essentially a timeline tour through American history. The exhibition section begins with the construction of the first National Road and chronicles each phase of transportation development through the 21st Century.
The collection section of America on the Move features images of artifacts related to various forms of transportation used throughout US History. Visitors to the site can browse the collection or search by era, region, or form of transportation.
The themes section of America on the Move arranges artifacts and stories into eight different themes. Each theme contains narratives related to various eras in the transportation history of the United States.
Applications for Education
In addition to the great online exhibits America on the Move offers three well-designed educational games for students. Each of the games is requires students to analyze and process information about the history of transportation. In the first game, Where's Everyone Going? students match vehicles to their proper era to learn about transportation in that era. In the second game, Drive Through Time, students spin a clock to select a year. Then they select a scenario and mode of transportation appropriate for that scenario's era. In the third game, Be a Movie Director, students select a storyline and the modes of transportation necessary for the storyline. At the end the students will see the movie they created.
America on the Move also offers teachers some free classroom guides to use while students explore the exhibits.