Grades 2–5
Three Generations
A family history timeline: kids interview a parent and a grandparent, record their birth years and a memory from each, and plot all three generations.
Social studies worksheet · Timelines and sequencing
Space Exploration Timeline
Place 6 space firsts, from Sputnik in 1957 and the Moon landing in 1969 to the Curiosity rover on Mars in 2012, on a timeline ruler.
- Grade level
- Grades 3–5
- Time
- About 25 minutes
- Answer key
- Yes, page 2 of the PDF
- Kids practice
- Timelines, Sequencing, Understanding time, Primary and secondary sources
What kids do
“Put a dot on the timeline for each event, then write its letter above the dot.”
Printed on the sheet:
- Sputnik, the first satellite, orbits Earth
- Yuri Gagarin becomes the first person in space
- Apollo 11 astronauts walk on the Moon
- The first Space Shuttle flies
- The first piece of the
- The Curiosity rover lands on
- 1. Which event happened first?
- 2. How many years after the first person in space did astronauts walk on the
Teacher tip
Show a photo or a short clip of each mission, from Sputnik to the Curiosity rover, as kids place it on the timeline.
How to use it
- Make a human timeline: kids hold event cards and line up in order.
- Start with a timeline of the school day or the child’s own life.
- 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
- What would your timeline look like?
- How does this connect to where we live?
Take it further
Make a class timeline on the wall and add to it all year.
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 2–3
My School Day Schedule
A daily schedule timeline: kids write 8 parts of their school day in order with start times, then use before and after to talk about it.
Grades 2–3
Before and After: Maya’s Year
Read 6 events from Maya’s year (piano lessons, a lost tooth, a garden, the beach, 2nd grade, a birthday) and answer before-and-after questions.
Grades 3–5
George Washington’s Life Timeline
Place 6 events from George Washington’s life, from his birth in 1732 to crossing the Delaware and becoming the first President, on a timeline ruler.
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