Reply To: Which Timeline of Life to buy?
Howdy,
So, I’m obviously biased. I saw Alison’s Timeline and thought I could do better!
The biggest and most important difference in our timelines is the “red lines.” Mine show evolutionary relationships. Theirs doesn’t, the Alison’s red lines mysteriously start and stop, mine are all connected in the Precambrian Era with “Life Begins” and go until there is an extinction event.
I don’t include jellyfish (which saddens me too) because there wasn’t space. I wanted to include all 5 vertebrate classes, plants, and fungi because those are the big research topics in elementary.
I originally drew a lot of these creatures, but the only relationship they had was “invertebrate” which isn’t a real evolutionary connection. So sponges, jellyfish, and other squishy sea creatures would essentially be on their own line from start to finish, and a line devoted only to Jellyfish wasn’t a good use of space. Alison’s gets around this by just having clusters of creatures instead of placing them on lineages.
There are a few other creatures I drew and couldn’t include because of space and I just make that part of the children’s follow-up work. (“What are other animals you know about? Where might they go on the timeline? Oh! There’s no line for Cnidaria? How interesting!)
I wish I had found Priscilla Spears sooner because then I wouldn’t have had to do as much work! She reviewed my work when it was done and she approved it. I made small tweaks after talking with her, but there is nothing I’d change now. I worked with a colleague who was a biologist during the early planning stages.
The info cards are great. I have wanted to make my own, but just haven’t had the time. Instead we use books and the children practice more research skills. There are pros and cons to both approaches.
You can get my timeline in the “budget” option which is polyester fabric. https://www.rhymeandreasonacademy.com/shop/science/biology/all-three-timelines/
You can print on canvas, I’ve done that. I found it got a bit dirtier from floor use and pencil smudges, but it help up fine. I donated my canvas one to another school.
I really like the vinyl option. It’s very durable, washable, and the graphics are crisp. This is what I’d recommend.
My Timeline is integrated with the other great lessons, so the highlights of First Great lesson is shown in the Precambrian, the colors match the headings on the Timeline of Humans. The Timeline of Life colors match my Clock of Eons and Long Black Strip too. I don’t think it’s essential that everything matches, but I like it and it helps the children make connections.
Alison’s included the continent configurations on the timeline, mine are expanded but separate here: https://www.rhymeandreasonacademy.com/shop/science/physical-science/geologic-time-cards/
Hope this helps!