Black History Month Timeline

INTRODUCTION

February is Black History Month.  In computers for the next two weeks we will do a timeline of a famous African-American.

No two students in one computer group may choose the same African-American.  Take a look at the list below and write down three people who you wouldn't mind researching.  The students who come quietly to the rug and sit down with their selections will be chosen first and will have a better chance of getting their first selection.

Choose your selections from this website:

http://www.infoplease.com/spot/bhmbios1.html

You may browse by category on the right side of the page. You may not choose a rapper or pop artist for this assignment.  Sorry!

RESEARCH

On the piece of scratch paper given to you write down important dates (years only) in this person's life. Next to or underneath the dates, write what event occurred during the stated year.

You will need to find important events in this person's life. 

Some examples are:

• birth
• schooling
• jobs
• awards
• good deeds
• marriages
• children
• personal goals
• death

If you were unable to find 10 dates for your chosen person, you may do a Yahoo or Google search for your person to find additional information.

Be descriptive in your events.  One way to do this it to make sure you include a verb and follow it with information describing the verb.  For example:

• 1971     Born in San Diego, CA
• 1993     Graduated from Northern Arizona University
• 1994     Served as a Peace Corps Volunteer
• 1998     Started teaching at SJS

After you have collected at least 10 dates (if possible) you are ready to begin your timeline in MS Publisher.

CREATING ON THE COMPUTER

When the Catalog first comes up, select Blank Publications at the top and then scroll down to select Banner.

The first thing you will put on your banner is a single straight line across the bottom of your paper. Then you will put two straight lines up and down on each side of your single straight line.

Then you will be ready to use the text box tool to insert your years which will be placed at the bottom of the straight line.  Insert your birth and death dates first. Then you can fit your other years next.

Above the long straight line you will use a text box to describe the event for each year.

Add pictures of your person to your timeline to make it more interesting.  You can do a Google image search for these or get them off the Website you use to find your information.