How to Create a Poster Board Timeline

Most of us can recall creating a story time line during our elementary and during our high school years. However, sometimes we need to create story time line at a later point in life. This can be for many reasons. Sometimes a good time line can help an aspiring author compose a bibliography, other times it can help an archaeologist piece together history. Easily create a story time line by following these simple steps.

Instructions

Difficulty: Moderately Easy

Things You’ll Need:

• Personal computer
• Printer
• Word processor
• Internet connection
• Knack for writing
• 2-by-4 foot poster board
• Scissors
• Felt marker
• Ruler
• Glue stick

How to Easily Create a Story Timeline

1. Do the research. This is the longest and most excruciating part of any time line construction. You must conduct all of the pertinent research. The internet is a great tool for this and you should be able to find all of the information you are looking for online.
2. Take the notes. As you come across relevant pieces of information, take notes and save them in your word processor. Make sure to label the notes with their place and date in time, so you can easily create entries for your story time line with them later.
3. Draw the time-line. Using the ruler and a felt marker, draw a thick line across the middle of the poster board. This will be the actual line of time. At the first part of the line (left side of the poster board) enter the start date of the time line. At the far right of the poster board enter the final date in the time line.
4. Convert the notes into entries. This is the second lengthiest step in creating your storyboard time line. You must now take all of your notes and create entries with them. Use short and simple sentences with fact. Make sure to clearly label and date these entries for placement on the time line later.
5. Arrange the entries. Once you have finished creating your entries you must organize them chronologically.
6. Print and cut out entries. Proofread all of your finished entries and make sure to look out for spelling and grammar errors. Then print out the pages and cut out each individual entry.
7. Paste entries to the time line. Now that you have all of your entries cut out, you can begin to paste them in chronological order on the time line using your glue stick.

Tips & Warnings

• You may want to draw several drafts before deciding you have finished; the more you allow your brain time to stew on the subject, the more information you will come up with for your time line.
• Be careful when creating time lines as an adult, these can cause a flash to the past for some which could result in the experiencing of a mid-life-crisis.