Mini-Lesson

Build a Time Line

Mini-Lesson: Grades 4-6

Objective: Students will build a time line of Nelson Mandela's experiences and accomplishments.

1. Tell students that Nelson Mandela, the famous South African leader who has dedicated his life to the struggle for equality, just turned 90. Explain that a birthday is a good time to reflect on, or think about, one's experiences and accomplishments.

2. Pass out the timeforkids.com story, A Modern Hero. Explain that one way to organize information about a person's life is to create a time line. As students read the article, have them find and underline important information about Mandela's life. Point out that one way to spot information to include in a time line is to look for dates and years in the text. Then, challenge students, in pairs or independently, to organize the information into a time line. For extra support, provide students with copies of the worksheet A Leading Life, which features a time line of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.'s life.

3. Encourage students to decorate their time lines with drawings or images from magazines/newspapers. Display on a bulletin board for all to see.