Time Is Ticking

with Miss Wilson's Grade Ones

Our class had been learning about measurement. Part of measurement is learning to tell time. As with all units we sat down and discussed what we already knew about time and what we wanted to know. Not just how many minutes till lunch, but seasons and why we have them, what makes an alarm clock know that it has to ring and many more questions. We decided that this was a topic we wanted to now more about. We, then identified who and what we would need to answer our questions. We then went on a search for books, people and every kind of clock we could think of.

At the same time we were studying time, we were also studying our five senses and how are senses are connected to our brain. One of the questions that drove our research about alarm clocks was " Is the brain like an alarm clock? It  just knows when to ring?" We found out that YES! the alarm clock is like the brain! The alarm clock, just like the brain has a sensor that is triggered and tells the alarm clock to ring. The powerful learning connection was made as we read non-fiction books about the brain and it explained how stimuli triggers sensors in the brain that tell us whether the stove, for  example is hot or cold.

        We made clocks

        We played Time Bingo.

        We made a journal of our week's activities and the times we do them at.

        We estimated how long it would take to do tasks and then timed ourselves.

        We wrote in our journals form the perspective of being a clock maker.

        We learned about the parts of a clock.

        We learned how to tell time to the hour and half hour.

        We researched how they told time a long, long time ago.

        We made sundials.

        We reflected on and celebrated what we learned.

Our time collection

Where should go to find the answers to our questions? Some said a clock expert, others volunteered their parents, still others suggested the computer and books. And so the exploration began.

We gathered books and asked parents to donate clocks to our classroom for a museum collection. We searched internet sites for clock makers and we learned how to make sundials!