Grades 2–3
Calendar Detective
8 calendar questions about days, weeks, months and leap years (Which month comes after March? Which has the fewest days?), plus your own important dates.
Social studies worksheet · Timelines and sequencing
Ancient Times: Which Came First?
6 pairs of events from ancient and early times, from the pyramids of Giza and Stonehenge to the Colosseum, the Vikings and Machu Picchu: circle which came first.
- Grade level
- Grades 3–5
- Time
- About 20 minutes
- Answer key
- Yes, page 2 of the PDF
- Kids practice
- Timelines, Sequencing, Understanding time, Primary and secondary sources
What kids do
“Read each pair of events from long ago. Circle the one that happened first.”
Printed on the sheet:
- The pyramids of Giza are built
- Stonehenge’s big stones are raised
- Vikings reach North America
- The Colosseum opens in Rome
- Gutenberg builds his printing press
- Ben Franklin flies his kite in a
- BC years count down to year 1. So 2560 BC came before 1332 BC, and both came before
- Which pair surprised you? Why?
Teacher tip
Show a photo of each place, from Stonehenge to Machu Picchu, and mark them on a world map as kids decide.
How to use it
- Count by tens or hundreds on the timeline ruler first.
- Point out that dates get bigger as you move to the right.
- Use finished sheets for a quick gallery walk or a partner share.
Watch for
Kids who think everything long ago happened at the same time. Use spacing to show the gaps.
Talk about it
- How long ago was this?
- What question would you ask an expert on this topic?
Take it further
Ask a grandparent what life was like when they were young.
US Letter, prints well in black and white. Free for home and classroom use: print as many copies as you need.
More timelines and sequencing worksheets
Grades 4–5
The American Revolution Timeline
Place 6 events of the American Revolution, from the Stamp Act in 1765 and the Boston Tea Party to Yorktown and the Treaty of Paris, on a timeline ruler.
Grades 2–5
Toys Through Time
Put 6 famous toys in order, from the teddy bear (1902) and Crayola crayons to the Slinky, Barbie, the Rubik’s Cube and the Game Boy.
Grades 2–5
Our School Year Timeline
A year-long class timeline from September to June: one drawing box and caption for each month, then a look back at the whole year.
Free for teachers
Get the free Classroom Drawing Kit
12 printable pages: six step-by-step lessons, a grid activity, draw-and-write sheets and teacher notes, sent with your welcome email. After that, new classroom printables by email.