All About Me: A Personal Timeline Lesson Plan for Preschool & Kindergarten

Discover a fun 'All About Me' lesson plan perfect for preschool and kindergarten. This hands-on activity guides children to become historians of their own lives by creating a personal timeline. Using photos, drawings, and simple craft supplies, students will learn about sequencing events, understand the past and present, and develop crucial storytelling skills. This complete lesson plan includes learning objectives, step-by-step instructions, and differentiation tips, making it an ideal creative arts and history project for early learners.

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Lesson Plan: Jenelle, the Historian: The Story of Me!

Materials Needed:

  • A long piece of paper (butcher paper or several pieces of paper taped together)
  • Photographs of Jenelle at different ages (baby, toddler, current)
  • Crayons, markers, or colored pencils
  • Stickers, glitter, or other fun craft supplies
  • Child-safe scissors
  • Glue stick
  • A family member to be the "audience" (like a parent, grandparent, or sibling)

1. Learning Objectives (Our Big Goals)

  • Specific: Jenelle will identify at least 3-4 important moments from her own life (e.g., being a baby, learning to walk, a favorite birthday).
  • Measurable: Jenelle will create a visual timeline with pictures and drawings arranged in chronological order.
  • Achievable: Jenelle will verbally share the story of her timeline, explaining what is happening in each part.

2. Alignment with Early Learning Standards

This lesson aligns with early childhood learning domains, particularly:

  • Understanding the World: Recognizing that events happen in the past and present, and discussing important events in her own life.
  • Communication and Language: Using language to describe past events and tell a coherent story.
  • Creative Arts & Design: Expressing ideas and feelings through drawing and making.

Lesson Activities: A Journey Through Time!

Part 1: The Historian's Warm-Up (5-10 minutes)

  1. Become a Historian: Sit down with Jenelle and say, "Today, you get to be a historian! A historian is like a detective who studies stories from the past. And your special mission is to be the historian of the most interesting person in the world... YOU!"
  2. Examine the Evidence: Look at a few baby photos of Jenelle together. Ask engaging questions:
    • "Who is this tiny baby? What do you think she was doing?"
    • "Do you remember this? What was it like being so little?"
    • "Look how much you've changed! What are some things you can do now that you couldn't do when you were a baby?" (e.g., walk, talk, draw, ride a scooter).

Part 2: Let's Build Your Story! (The Timeline Activity) (20-30 minutes)

  1. Introduce the Timeline: Lay out the long piece of paper. Explain, "This is our timeline! It's a special map that shows your story from the beginning until today. We'll put the things that happened first over here (point to the left) and the things that happened later over here (point to the right)."
  2. Brainstorm Milestones: Ask Jenelle to think about important or fun things that have happened in her life. Help her with prompts:
    • "What happened first? You were born!" (Place a baby picture at the start).
    • "What did you learn to do next? Maybe you learned to crawl or walk!"
    • "Can you remember your first word? Or a favorite toy you had?"
    • "What about a fun birthday? Or a trip we took?"
    • "What's something new you learned to do recently?"
  3. Create the Timeline: Let Jenelle take the lead!
    • Place Photos: Help her glue the photos in the correct order on the timeline.
    • Draw Memories: For memories without a photo, encourage her to draw a picture. It doesn't have to be perfect—it's her memory! She can draw her favorite birthday cake, her first pet, or learning to ride her bike.
    • Decorate!: This is where the fun creativity comes in. Let her use stickers, glitter, and markers to decorate her timeline and make it uniquely hers. She can draw stars around her favorite memories or a big sun over today.

Part 3: The Museum Tour (5-10 minutes)

  1. Prepare the Exhibit: Hang the finished timeline on a wall at Jenelle's eye level. Tell her she is now the "museum curator" and will give a tour of her life story.
  2. Give the Tour: Invite another family member to be the "visitor." Encourage Jenelle to walk them along her timeline, starting from the beginning. Prompt her with questions like, "And what's happening in this picture, Jenelle?" or "Tell us about this drawing!"
  3. Celebrate!: Give her a huge round of applause for sharing her amazing history! This reinforces her communication skills and builds her confidence.

Differentiation and Inclusivity (Making it Just Right for Jenelle)

  • For Extra Support: If ordering events is tricky, focus on just three main points: "Baby Jenelle," "Toddler Jenelle," and "Jenelle Now." You can pre-draw boxes for her to put the pictures or drawings in.
  • For an Extra Challenge (Extension):
    • The Future Me: Add a special section at the end of the timeline with a question mark. Ask Jenelle, "What do you want to add to your story next?" She can draw something she wants to learn (like swimming) or a place she wants to visit.
    • Dictate a Story: Have her tell you a sentence about each picture, and you can write it underneath for her. This connects spoken words to written text.

Assessment (How We Know We're Learning)

  • Formative (During the lesson): Listen to her answers and conversation during the warm-up and brainstorming. Is she able to recall past events with some prompting?
  • Summative (The Final Product): The primary assessment is the timeline itself and her ability to explain it. Does the timeline show a basic understanding of sequence (past to present)? Can she tell the story of at least 2-3 events on her timeline during the "Museum Tour"? The goal is joyful expression, not perfect accuracy.
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