thinkinghistory.co.uk

Skip to: [ content ]

Chronological Understanding

For some reason the mystery of chronological understanding has always been swirling around in my brain. The very first piece I wrote for Teaching History, back in 1979, (yes, 1979) was partly concerned with developing chronological understanding. I think it’s partly because I like overviews – in the language of the Annales school I’m a historical parachutist rather than a truffle hunter although a microlite is a better as well as more up-to-date image for someone who enjoys taking the long-view and seeking the links and comparisons across long spans of time.

This section contains two articles and several activities which try to unravel some of the puzzle of chronological understanding.

 

UPDATE December 2011 Notes on Chronological Understanding A summary of a talk for Primary and Secondary teachers at the London History Forum [ click here ]

 

Articles on Chronology

Diachronic Dancing Alan Kelly’s fascinating quickstep through the issues of developing understanding ‘over time’ – that’s what diachronic means! [ Diachronic Dancing ]

Time for Chronology? This article originally appeared in Teaching History in 2004. Look closely and you may pick out some of the ideas that have found their way into the new NC KS3. [ Time for Chronology? ]

 

Top of the page

 

Activities that help develop Chronological Understanding

Here is a list of activities:

The Big Human Timeline	Use your students to create a memorable timeline that will help them understand all kinds of issues of chronology (Added Jan 11)
Making sense of BC and AD	Turn you pupils into a timeline and accelerate their understanding of vital chronological terms
Punishments through Time	An introductory activity that will get students thinking and asking questions and will reinforce their chronological understanding
Comparative Lifetimes	A group activity for comparing periods of history – good for KS2 and KS3 – good for A level synoptic understanding.
Wine Gums, Timelines and Really Big Overviews	The only edible timeline in existence, guaranteed to stretch and develop students’ chronological understanding.
Which ‘Big Events’ were most important in KS3 History?	An overview activity for the end of KS3.
Which people were the most significant in KS3 History?	An overview activity for the end of KS3 that asks students to think about significance.
Timelines for Understanding Duration	Simple techniques for developing a key aspect of chronological understanding

________________________

Top of the page

This Page

 

See articles

See activities

Chronology Section

Chronology Introduction

Chronology Update 2011

Diachronic Dancing

Time for Chronology?

Activities