Minds On
The order of events
Every story is made up of a series of events. To help readers make sense of a story, authors place events in chronological order. This means that they are written in the order that they happened.
Access the following video, “Order Up,” from the Power Hour of Learning to learn more about the order of events and how to plot a story summary.
Check your understanding
The following story is not in chronological order. First, read through all of the sentences. Then, rewrite the story in the correct sequence.
That’s when I realized I forgot something in the box – the instructions! Today my aunt surprised me by sending me a new bookshelf. I opened the box to find pieces of wood and some nails. Now I have a place for all of my books. I tried to put it together, but it didn’t turn out right. I used the instructions to build the shelf.
How’d it go? This is the correct story sequence:
Today my aunt surprised me by sending me a new bookshelf. I opened the box to find pieces of wood and some nails. I tried to put it together, but it didn’t turn out right. That’s when I realized I forgot something in the box – the instructions! I used the instructions to build the shelf. Now I have a place for all of my books.
Reflect
- Why is it important for events to be written in chronological order?
- How might this help the reader make sense of the story?
Action
Timeline of your life
Brainstorm
Brainstorm
Think about the people you have met, the places you have been, and the experiences you have had. They all contribute to the timeline of your life. Brainstorm a list of significant and/or memorable events that you have experienced in your life so far.
Order
Your next step is to examine your list. Which of these events took place at the beginning of your life? Which of these events took place more recently? Arrange the events you have listed in chronological order. To do this, use numbers to arrange your events in the order they occurred in time. For example, place the number 1 in front of the event that occurred first in your life, a number 2 for the second, and so on.
Organize
Now that your events are in chronological order, you are ready to create a timeline of your life. Do you notice any common themes or patterns in the events you have included? Are there events that are more important than others? Access the following fillable and printable Timeline Template to create your timeline. You can also complete this activity in your notebook.
Consolidation
Journal
In your journal, reflect on the personal timeline you created. Here are some questions to consider in your reflection:
- Why did you choose to include or not include specific events on your timeline?
- How have these events helped to shape your story? How have they helped to shape who you are?
- Where do you want your timeline to go next? What events do you hope will happen in your future? What impact do you want to have on the world?
Be prepared to share your response for
feedback.
Reflection
As you read through these descriptions, which sentence best describes how you are feeling about your understanding of this learning activity? Press the button that is beside this sentence.
I feel...
Now, record your ideas using a voice recorder, speech-to-text, or writing tool.