Activity Overview
The highest member of the Executive Branch is the president of the United States. The U.S. has had forty-five presidents and each one of them has had a great impact on the country.
Students will research a president and create a timeline of the major events of their lives. The timeline of the president should span his life and include his path to the White House, along with any events that occurred after the presidency. The suggestions below provide a mix of events and other factual aspects of the presidents’ lives.
For an alternative to the timeline layout, have students create a timeline poster to incorporate into a presentation or gallery walk. You can add more than one template to this assignment to give students lots of options and adjust the instructions accordingly.
Possible topics to research:
- The education of the president
- Laws passed while in office
- Possible service in the military
- Possible service in Congress
- Controversies surrounding the president
- Notable children
- Hobbies or interests
- Political viewpoints
Extended Activity
For this extended activity, students will either continue with the president from the previous activity, or select a new president. Students will create a storyboard that visualizes specific quotes from their president. Students will select the quotes that they found to be the most profound and insert the quote in the text below the storyboard. Students will then visualize the meaning of the quote in the space above it.
Template and Class Instructions
(These instructions are completely customizable. After clicking "Copy Activity", update the instructions on the Edit Tab of the assignment.)
Student Instructions
Create a timeline outlining the life of one of the Presidents of the United States.
- Click "Start Assignment".
- Add additional cells as needed.
- Identify important events and moments in that president's life and type them into the titles of each cell.
- Write a summary of the event in the description box.
- Create an illustration using appropriate scenes, characters, and items.
- Save and exit when you're done.
Lesson Plan Reference
Rubric
(You can also create your own on Quick Rubric.)
| Proficient 33 Points | Emerging 25 Points | Beginning 17 Points | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Events and Dates | The events chosen for the timeline are significant and important to the overall understanding of the time period. The dates provided are correct. | Most of the events chosen for the timeline are significant and important to the overall understanding of the time period. Most of the dates provided are correct. | Some of the events chosen for the timeline are significant. There may be missing events, or events that are irrelevant. Too many dates may be incorrect. |
| Explanations/Descriptions | The explanations or descriptions provided for each event are accurate and provide insight into the significance of the events. | The explanations or descriptions provided for each event are mostly accurate and attempt to provide insight into the significance of the events. | There are several glaring inaccuracies in the explanations or descriptions of the events. There may be little or no insight int the significance of the events, or the information provided may be too limited or missing. |
| English Conventions | There are 0-2 mistakes in spelling, grammar, and mechanics. | There are 3-4 mistakes in spelling, grammar, and mechanics. | There are 5 or more mistakes in spelling, grammar, and mechanics. |
Activity Overview
The highest member of the Executive Branch is the president of the United States. The U.S. has had forty-five presidents and each one of them has had a great impact on the country.
Students will research a president and create a timeline of the major events of their lives. The timeline of the president should span his life and include his path to the White House, along with any events that occurred after the presidency. The suggestions below provide a mix of events and other factual aspects of the presidents’ lives.
For an alternative to the timeline layout, have students create a timeline poster to incorporate into a presentation or gallery walk. You can add more than one template to this assignment to give students lots of options and adjust the instructions accordingly.
Possible topics to research:
- The education of the president
- Laws passed while in office
- Possible service in the military
- Possible service in Congress
- Controversies surrounding the president
- Notable children
- Hobbies or interests
- Political viewpoints
Extended Activity
For this extended activity, students will either continue with the president from the previous activity, or select a new president. Students will create a storyboard that visualizes specific quotes from their president. Students will select the quotes that they found to be the most profound and insert the quote in the text below the storyboard. Students will then visualize the meaning of the quote in the space above it.
Template and Class Instructions
(These instructions are completely customizable. After clicking "Copy Activity", update the instructions on the Edit Tab of the assignment.)
Student Instructions
Create a timeline outlining the life of one of the Presidents of the United States.
- Click "Start Assignment".
- Add additional cells as needed.
- Identify important events and moments in that president's life and type them into the titles of each cell.
- Write a summary of the event in the description box.
- Create an illustration using appropriate scenes, characters, and items.
- Save and exit when you're done.
Lesson Plan Reference
Rubric
(You can also create your own on Quick Rubric.)
| Proficient 33 Points | Emerging 25 Points | Beginning 17 Points | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Events and Dates | The events chosen for the timeline are significant and important to the overall understanding of the time period. The dates provided are correct. | Most of the events chosen for the timeline are significant and important to the overall understanding of the time period. Most of the dates provided are correct. | Some of the events chosen for the timeline are significant. There may be missing events, or events that are irrelevant. Too many dates may be incorrect. |
| Explanations/Descriptions | The explanations or descriptions provided for each event are accurate and provide insight into the significance of the events. | The explanations or descriptions provided for each event are mostly accurate and attempt to provide insight into the significance of the events. | There are several glaring inaccuracies in the explanations or descriptions of the events. There may be little or no insight int the significance of the events, or the information provided may be too limited or missing. |
| English Conventions | There are 0-2 mistakes in spelling, grammar, and mechanics. | There are 3-4 mistakes in spelling, grammar, and mechanics. | There are 5 or more mistakes in spelling, grammar, and mechanics. |
How Tos about Biography of a President Timeline
Design a collaborative classroom display for presidential timelines
Encourage student engagement by creating a shared space where everyone posts their timeline. Arrange timelines chronologically on a wall or bulletin board to visualize connections between presidential terms. This approach lets students compare, discuss, and reflect on different leaders' impacts.
Assign research partners for deeper exploration
Pair students or create small groups to research presidents together. Collaboration sparks discussion, allows division of tasks, and builds teamwork skills. Partners can focus on different aspects (education, laws, controversies) and combine findings for a richer timeline.
Model timeline creation with a sample president
Demonstrate step-by-step timeline building using a well-known president. Show how to pick key events, add brief summaries, and choose visuals. This gives students a clear example and sets expectations for their own work.
Incorporate primary sources for authenticity
Guide students to find quotes, speeches, or photos from their chosen president. Adding primary sources makes timelines more authentic and helps students connect with history firsthand.
Facilitate a gallery walk to share timelines
Host a gallery walk where students view and discuss each other's timelines. Encourage feedback and questions to promote critical thinking and peer learning. This activity turns individual projects into a collaborative learning experience.
Frequently Asked Questions about Biography of a President Timeline
How do I create a biography timeline for a U.S. president in my classroom?
To create a biography timeline for a U.S. president, have students research key life events such as education, political milestones, significant laws passed, controversies, and post-presidency activities. Students can organize these events chronologically on a timeline or visually on a poster, summarizing each event and adding illustrations for clarity.
What are some important events to include in a president's timeline project?
Include events like the president’s early life, education, military or congressional service, election campaign, major achievements in office, controversies, notable family details, hobbies, and significant actions after leaving office. These aspects help give a well-rounded view of the president’s life and impact.
What is a good extension activity after making a president biography timeline?
A great extension is to have students create a storyboard that illustrates meaningful quotes from the president. Students select impactful quotes, visualize their meaning through drawings, and write the quote beneath the illustration, deepening their understanding of the president’s values and communication style.
Can students work in groups or individually on a president timeline assignment?
Yes, students can complete the president timeline assignment either individually or in groups. Group work can encourage collaboration and a diversity of perspectives, while individual projects promote independent research and creativity.
What templates or formats can I use for a president's timeline lesson?
You can use digital timeline templates, poster boards, or interactive software where students add events, descriptions, and illustrations. Offering multiple formats lets students choose the method that best fits their learning style and presentation preferences.
More Storyboard That Activities
Executive Branch
- Lincoln Memorial (Washington DC) • ~MVI~ (warped) • License Attribution (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0/)
Testimonials
“By using the product, they were so excited and they learned so much...”–K-5 Librarian and Instructinal Technology Teacher
“I'm doing a Napoleon timeline and I'm having [students] determine whether or not Napoleon was a good guy or a bad guy or somewhere in between.”–History and Special Ed Teacher
“Students get to be creative with Storyboard That and there's so many visuals for them to pick from... It makes it really accessible for all students in the class.”–Third Grade Teacher
© 2025 - Clever Prototypes, LLC - All rights reserved.
StoryboardThat is a trademark of Clever Prototypes, LLC, and Registered in U.S. Patent and Trademark Office
