How to Write a Life Line

A life line is a chart that shows the major events in someone's life in chronological order. A life line will usually begin with birth and end with death, or the most recent major event in that person's life. Life lines are a way of organizing major life events in a single chart. They can be useful when learning a person's history or trying to write a biography.

Instructions

• 1

  Choose the subject of your life line. The subject can be a person, like George Washington, or a group, such as a company. If you are making a life line about yourself, then you would be the subject.

• 2

  Write the name of the subject on the top of the piece of paper.

• 3

  Write down the birth date of your subject on the bottom half of the paper, along with a clarifying phrase such as "The subject was born." Make sure to write this date on the far left side of your paper. If your subject is a group, like a company, you would write down the date the company started.

• 4

  Draw a dot just below the birth date. You will draw a dot under each event you write down.

• 5

  List all of the major events of your subject's life in chronological order. The events should appear in a horizontal line next to the birth date. Major life events are any events that had a deep and meaningful impact on the subject's life.

• 6

  Draw a line, connecting all the dots.

• 7

  Add illustrations or pictures, if you have them, that will add to the lifeline. For example, if "Gave birth to first daughter" is listed on the life line, then put a picture of the daughter next to it.