Elapsed Time Freebies

Hello darlings!  If you read Jamie's last post, you know that we just finished our Time Unit in third grade.  Jamie has some FABULOUS resources so make sure you check out her post!  I just wanted to share with you a few quick ideas to make your time unit more interesting.

Below you will see my Time placemats.  They are simply one clock outline copied onto a large piece of construction paper and then laminated.  These were created by my good friend Kelly when she taught with me over 7 years ago, so yes, they last!   I made you a new one here since I don't have her original.   These mats are awesome because I can quickly move around and see who gets it and who is still confused.    We also used them for "leap frogging" the elapsed time.  Kiddos could draw on the clock itself.  I LOVE the handheld clocks that some companies sell, but I feel that kiddos rely too much on physically moving the hands and when we ask them to do it on paper it doesn't transfer over.  I use the handheld clocks for my struggling kiddos who need that concrete example.  Most of my third graders are cool with the pictorial representation.

These kiddos are working on telling time with the "Time Code"- quarter after, half past, and quarter til.  We divide the clock into fourths and I show them that 1/4 of 60 minutes is 15 minutes.  (60 divided by 4=15)  We talk about how 15 minutes is a quarter of an hour.  I make the distinction that this is NOT like a quarter of a dollar or 25 cents.  That would be 1/4 of 100.  Click here for the Time Code Freebie and Brochure.

After I am confident that my kiddos can tell time, we move onto Elapsed Time (which of course I spelled wrong on the anchor chart...)  We start off with the leap frogs  and then we move onto timelines.  In our Singapore Math Program, kiddos also have to convert minutes to hours.  We do this by subtracting out 60 minutes until we can't subtract it any more.  Of course my advanced kiddos can divide by 60.  

TO apply this to real life, I bring in a bunch of DVD's and set them around the room.  Kiddos then go around and convert the run time into hours and minutes.

A fun review game my students play involves Cell Phones.  Each kiddo gets his/her own cell phone for the day.  They were WAY TOO excited about this, considering it was just paper!  But hey, whatever works!  I have seen those adorable games that involve making wrist watches and then having kiddos walk around and tell the time on each person's wrist.  I took that concept and updated it.  

I don't know about you, but I don't wear a watch.  I always look at my cell phone to tell the time.  Click here to download the FREE game.  

Directions:

Give each student a cell phone and a recording sheet. Students must walk around and exchange cell phones. They record the time on their recording sheet, but they can’t move on until the person who owns the cell phone agrees that the time is correct. 

This game can also be played as SCOOT. Place one phone on each student desk. Students SCOOT from one desk to another, recording the answers on their sheet.

Do you see anything weird about the picture above?  I am glad my kiddos have learned to work cooperatively with everyone.  Go Cards!!!!

I hope this post proves to be useful to you.  We always love to hear about people who use our stuff or got a great idea from a post.  Comments are ALWAYS welcome! It helps us to know we are not just writing a bunch of stuff for nothing.  =)

Blessings!