Teaching Day-by-Day: Time Out for Time

Week One - It's about time
1. Tour the International Date Line that separates one day from another by visiting www.GreenwichMeridian.com
2. We might have IM buddies or pen pals all over the world, so we need to understand different time zones. Use a map or globe to pick 10 cities in the U.S. and other countries. What time is it in those cities when it's 3:00 p.m. where you live?
3. Brainstorm expressions that use the word time, like "time of your life," "time is money" and "time flies." How would you explain what these idioms mean to someone who doesn't speak English?
4. Find out the official time in different regions of the United States by visiting the website www.time.gov

5. How much time do animals have? Research threatened and endangered species. What is being done to protect these animals?
6. Music time. Listeners react to different tempos used in songs. Compare how you feel about presto, andante and largo tempos. Why do people get more out of exercise when listening to music?
7. Art reflects culture and the times. Compare/contrast cave art, renaissance art, impressionism
   and pop art to determine what they say about their times.

Week Two - Time of our lives


8. Time to sing the (birthday) blues, in honor of Robert Johnson, "King of the Delta Blues." Have students write their own blues lyrics, using rhythm, rhyme and word choice in the 12-bar structure.

9. All months have author and illustrator birthdays, but May seems to have more than its share. Make a calendar honoring at least one author a week. Brainstorm ideas about how to celebrate his or her birthday.
10. The Year I was Born. Have students conduct interviews and research online and at the library to find details about what was going on in the world during the year they were born.
11. How do you fill your time? Keep a log of the things you do during the day. Use this information to create a circle graph.
12. Mother Goose is celebrated on May 1. How many Mother Goose rhymes can your students
    remember? Discuss how memory works.
13. My best day. Have students search their memories for the best day of the year, so far. What made it so special? How about the best day out of school?
14. Time capsules are one way to store memories. Discuss and decide what music, books, fashion,
    fictional characters, events and toys should go into 2005-2006 capsule.

Week Three - Time to read


15. May is "Get Caught Reading Month." How much time do students spend reading? What do they read at home? When do they find time to read? Do an in-class survey and compare results with other classes and grades.
16. Never enough time to read? Put away those textbooks, DEAR. Stage "Drop Everything And Read" times throughout the day. Keep the reading choices short and let students talk in pairs or small groups about what they've read.
17. How many words can you read in a minute? Take the challenge. Are there things you read fast? What kind of writing do you read more slowly? Does your reading speed change during the day?
18. Once upon a time… Rewrite familiar fairy tales as if they took place today.

19. People can time travel by reading books. Find at least three books that take place in the past, present and future.
20. Read a science fiction story set in the future. How different is the world of the future? Do people change?
21. Back in time. Is there a time and place you wish you could have seen? Explain your choice.

Week Four - Time marches on


22. Eyewitness to history. What historical events have your students' family and friends witnessed? Ask the class to pick one event to write about and illustrate.
23. What has man used to tell time? Create a list of clocks through history. Make a sundial or hourglass (sand clock). How closely can you estimate time?
24. Research different calendar formats used throughout time. Have students compare/contrast the calendar used in the U.S. to other calendars in use today, as well as those from antiquity.
25. Want to "Think Like Einstein?" Visit http://www.pbs.org to see where the ideas about time travel started.

26. Make a time line using events from history or science.
27. Think about the story of Rip Van Winkle. Discuss what would be most changed when you wake up from a 50-year nap.
28. Time's a'wasting. Develop a list of what you think are the 10 biggest time wasters for kids your age.

Week Five - Time to go


29. Will children stay up later once school is out? Role-play a parent and child talking about a new bedtime. What arguments work?
30. Children will want to get outside by this time. Organize relay races, sporting events or other kinesthetic activities that are timed.
31. Invite students to create posters, brochures or flyers that advertise great summer reads.

May, 2005, Vol.35, No.8