4 effective ways to teach time to kids in first grade
Time is a huge concept kids have to understand. And it’s not just telling time. It’s getting them to understand when things happen. It’s learning what different lengths of time feel like, sequencing the days or months or seasons. Let’s chat about some effective ways to dig a little deeper and teach time to kids in first grade. Because we cannot just throw a practice worksheet at first graders and assume they understand how time works.
Ordering lengths of time
Last Friday, we started our adventure to teach time to kids by brainstorming words that we think of when we think of time. Then, we answered the question, “How long is time?” One of my cuties answered, “Well, it’s pretty much forever!” #SoCute
That discussion led to ordering time lengths….of course, I didn’t have a “forever” card, but that naturally led into, “What would be a really short length of time?” And then, they were able to fill in the “in betweens” super easy!
Now these length of time cards are in my math station where students are able to order lengths of time with a partner.
How Long is a Minute?
Then, we timed how long a minute is. It’s amazing how long a minute actually *feels* when you are sitting still and quiet! 😉 Then, I set my timer for an hour so they could get a feel for that too. No…we didn’t sit still for an hour! LOL! My phone timer just went off after an hour, so they would realize how long that actually was!
Then, we played, “In A Minute I Can…” This is basically like a Minute To Win It against themselves. I set the timer for a minute and see how many times they can….
*write their name
*draw flowers
*build towers
*write sight words
*do jumping jacks
….all in 1 minute! I love using this game to teach time to kids!!
The Grouchy Ladybug Clock Craft
This Friday, we focused on clocks, and telling time to the hour. We read the classic Eric Carle tale, The Grouchy Ladybug (Watch it HERE if you don’t have the book). Not only is this a time book, but it’s also about an arthropod and this week we have been researching arthropods and other animal groups during our animal unit! I just love it when we can make so many connections between subjects!
My firsties just love this book. By the end of the story, they were all screaming, “Really? That’s not big enough???” Gotta love the enthusiasm! If you’re unfamiliar with the book, it’s written around time. Each hour, the grouchy ladybug finds another animal to fight {At 5 o’clock, it came across…). After we read each time, I had someone come up and build that time on our clock as we read. And then we double-checked their clock when we finished. There are over 15 different times in this book so there are lots of opportunities for practice!
Then, I told them we would be making our own clock today. I asked, “If a clock measures time, it needs to be precise.” (We have been focusing on Math Practice #6, Attend to precision…see my math practices packet HERE) So, we discussed, “What is important about a clock so it can precisely tell time?” Because, after all, if a clock isn’t built correctly, it can’t tell time accurately! Even though building a clock isn’t directly in our Common Core standards, I feel it is so important to have kids notice the important characteristics about a clock because they each tie directly to measuring time.
We made this clock anchor chart together and charted our thoughts!
Then, we used some craft templates and made our clock faces together. We talked about the easiest numbers to place on the clock. It’s hard to get evenly spaced gaps if I start at 1 and go around until I get to 12.
Then, they labeled their minute hand and hour hand and added the other “ladybug touches” while I went around with the brads!
I like to reread Grouchy Ladybug and let the kids each change the time on their ladybug clocks as we reread, but we just ran out of time this year!
Analog and Digital Time Matching Game
We had just enough time to do a quick, “Find Your Partner” game matching analog and digital times…and then I added these time cards to the hour to our math station for extra partner practice.
You can find all of these activities to teach time to kids, plus more in my Time Packet!
