Strategies for Teaching Elapsed Time

I’m going to be completely honest here, I used to HATE teaching elapsed time to my students. Elapsed time can be a difficult concept for students to master. Especially when it involves word problems. I always felt like I spent so much time focusing on having my students master the concept of elapsed time. When I first started teaching, I didn’t have tons of resources to help my students master this skill. Throughout my 16 years in the classroom, I have found some strategies and activities that help my students become elapsed time masters. Now, I look forward to teaching elapsed time to my students.

 Understanding Time Unit

Understanding time can be difficult for students.  I have found that teaching your students how to correctly read and tell time deepens their understanding. I made this unit to help deepen my students understanding of time. The skills addressed in this unit are time basics, how to read analog and digital clocks, time to the nearest minute, quarter and half hours, and elapsed time. This unit gives students time to explore, understand, and explain time.

When I created this unit, I wanted to include everything a teacher needs in the classroom.

This unit includes:

• A SmartBoard presentation explaining each skill with assessment
• Homework for each skill
• Time centers & games
• A choice board for a project-based learning approach
• Anchor charts for key vocabulary
• An interactive notebook flipbook on the different time skills
• Assessment

 Making an Elapsed Time Clock

When we start our unit on time, I have each of my students make a paper plate elapsed time clock. The clocks are super easy to make. All you need are paper plates, brads, glue, scissors, and a paper copy of the clock face and minute and hour hands.

I like making paper plate elapsed time clocks because they are super cheap to make, and my students can take their clocks home with them to help with their homework. I let my students use this clock when we first start learning elapsed time. I have found that creating these clocks really helps my hands-on and visual learners. When they physically move the minute and hour hands, they begin to understand how a clock works. I let them use these clocks at the beginning of our unit, and phase them out as we progress through the unit.

 

I also use dry erase elapsed time clocks. These clocks have analog and digital clocks. I find that my students are strong with digital time skills and weaker with analog clock skills. It makes sense because they have so much more experience with digital clocks these days. While teaching time, we use these clocks for the students to see the time both ways. They need to make the connection that both clocks are showing the same time. Plus, these clocks are perfect for a quick review. Sometimes I will pass out these clocks and give them time to write both ways. After they have written their answers, I have my students hold up their clocks to show me their answers. By looking at the clocks, I can quickly see what students need small group instruction, and what students need to be challenged.

 

These clocks can also be used when finding the elapsed time. I will have my students write the starting time in the analog clock. I will then give them an elapsed time problem. While they are solving the problem, they can use the analog clock to help them find the answer, and then they will record the time in the digital clock. I love using this strategy with small group instruction. This really helps students who need extra practice. These clocks are also great to include in elapsed time centers as a tool to enhance student learning.

 Elapsed Time on a Timeline Anchor Chart

 Who doesn’t love a great anchor chart!?! I love using anchor charts in my classroom. They are such a great tool to give the students the information they need. I teach elapsed time using different strategies in my classroom, but I have found that my students really love using the timeline method for finding the elapsed time.  When teaching this unit, I always keep this anchor chart out to help my students.

 Elapsed Time Choice Boards

I love giving my students a choice in their learning. After all, every student learns differently. Some students are artists, some musicians, and others problem solvers. I have found that choice boards give my students that freedom in their learning. When students use choice boards, they get to use their multiple intelligences to learn.

I created a choice board for my time unit. It’s a great tool in the classroom and can be used in many different ways. I have used it as early finishers' work, as a math center, and as a math project. This choice board gives students time to work on time independently and includes a checbric for easy assessment.

 Elapsed Time Games

I love a good review game. Games make learning fun, and I believe that learning should be fun! Here are two of my favorite elapsed time games to use in the classroom.

 Elapsed Time Task Cards

I love task cards! You can use task cards in so many ways in your classroom. You can use them in a center, as a whole class Scoot review game, as an early finisher activity, for students who need extra practice, and so much more.

Task cards are such a fun way to review finding the elapsed time. I recently made a Superhero Themed Elapsed TimeTask Card Review Game. I made this because I wanted to make solving elapsed time word problems fun for the students. They love completing these task cards because of the superhero references. The best part is that these task cards can use it can be used digitally in Google Classroom, or you can print the cards out to use in the classroom. They work well in any classroom.

 Elapsed Time Bingo

One of my favorite review games is Elapsed TimeBingo. My students always love this game. I like to play this as a whole class game. I give each student a Bingo card, and project the problems on the smartboard. Those paper plate clocks come in handy for this game too! I wrote another blog post about this game. Feel free to read that post here.