1. Overview

CHW3M_Julius_Caesar_Timeline_w_Attitude

CHW3M_Julius_Caesar_Timeline_Checklist

You will use a timeline with attitude to show how five of Julius Caesar’s actions could be viewed from multiple perspectives.

Perspectives: (for the legend)

1. Senator / Patricians
2. Plebeians
3. Roman military or veterans
4. Priests

Since this is a timeline, each event needs a DATE. You shouldn’t have to research beyond looking for the exact date of an event. The content of the trial should provide the info that belongs on YOUR timeline.

Use this website for some dates. This site has even more dates.

You are NOT writing in role. You are writing as a historian discussing the score each event would get from various groups’ perspectives.

2. The Timeline

You will carefully label the scale of your timeline. It should not just be +3 progress, -3 decline. You need to set criteria for what each level on the scale means.

Here is a portion of a sample from Ms. G based on other Roman events. It is not fully complete.

CHW3M_Timeline-with-Attitude_Sample (1)

FORMAT: Students often use Prezi for timelines. Word is acceptable. PPT (Google slides) is generally not a great choice. Google Draw is fine. If you want to make a timeline by hand drawing/writing and then take a photo of it, I’m fine with that but it has to be legible.

3. Labeling the Scale – Using Criteria

Once you have identified 5 events, you should begin creating your timeline.

First, you will need to label the scale. That means that every level on the scale needs a description, not just a number.

You have to develop the criteria you’ll use to give each event a score.

Criteria is a very important part of thinking. It means that you have reasons for your decisions. You’re not just randomly assigning everything a +3 or -3. You can actually distinguish between a +3 and +2, or between a -1 and -2.

Avoid Fuzzy Words

Certain words make poor descriptions in your labels:

• good
• great
• bad
  • what exactly do these words mean? Very unclear.

Use your word sense to write expressive descriptions.

There are many possibilities for labelling. Be creative!

4. Event Descriptions

Please be aware of the sentence limit (4) for your event descriptions. You cannot write an unlimited amount. You are being asked to write concisely yet precisely. It’s a very important skill. For instance, as college and university classes become bigger and bigger, you will probably be forced to write within page limits quite often. So, practice here!

Sentences don’t have to be short. By grade 11 you should be able to use commas and semi-colons proficiently. Don’t write run-on sentences (see Writing Tools in google classroom).

Please capitalize all proper nouns (names, countries, religions, etc.). I have noticed that many students do not capitalize these words. Proofread your work before you submit it, please.

The descriptions constitute your knowledge mark. Therefore, they are meant to show your familiarity with the events and their context in the late Roman Republic.

5. Using HTC Terminology in Your Timeline 

The Ontario curriculum emphasizes Historical Thinking Concepts. I have to evaluate your ability to use these concepts. Therefore, I give you vocabulary lists, you have a link to the HTC booklet on this blog, and I encourage you to practice using HTCs all the time!

Bold them, draw my attention to them. Show me you know that you are using them!

To increase your mark, use them in a sophisticated way. For example, don’t just write progress or decline over and over. Use the synonyms I’ve given you. Progress and decline are guideposts of Continuity and Change.

6. Brainstorming a sample timeline for Akhenaton.

a) 5 events:

i) name change, ii) moving of capital city from Thebes to Amarna, iii) building of roofless temple to Aton in Amarna, iv) ignoring letters from foreigner rulers, v) Tutankhamun becomes pharaoh

b) Chosen perspectives: Priests of Amun Ra, Nefertiti, foreign rulers

c) Scale labels:

+3 = Envisioning a new monotheistic future free from tradition

+2 = Experimenting with larger social and religious changes

+1 = Trying something new without challenging traditional polytheistic values

-1 = Annoyingly anti-traditional values

-2 = Ignoring traditional values and ma’at

-3 = Purposefully trying to overrule traditional values and ma’at

d) ideas for write-ups

i) Name change from the perspective of Nefertiti would be +2. She would see it as progress because …

ii) Moving of capital city from Thebes to Amarna from the perspective of Priests of Amun Ra would be -2. They would see it as decline because …

iv) Ignoring letters from foreign rulers from the perspective of foreign rulers would be -1. They would see it as decline because …

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