Kaitlin French

Grade 4
TITLE/TYPE OF ACTIVITY

Thinking About Elapsed Time

CONTEXT OF ACTIVITY
This activity will act as a review and extension
about working with elapsed time.
CONCEPTS TO BE COVERED
This activity uses laminated clocks and number
lines to practice with elapsed time calculations.
RELATED VIRGINIA STANDARDS OF LEARNING
4.9
The student will determine elapsed time in hours and minutes within a 12hour period.
LESSON PLAN OBJECTIVES
1. Students will solve elapsed time word problems through number lines and
laminated clocks and illustrate their answers.
2. Students will create and solve elapsed time word problems (in hours and
minutes) using a number line.
ASSESSMENT PLAN
Objective 1: Students will have guided notes that will be used, also, as their
assessment plans. On the top of these notes, I will have an area to write in the
definition of elapsed time that we will review together and some examples of
elapsed time. Mastery will be determined based on the definition they write on their
notes and the examples they choose to use.
Objective 2: Included in our guided notes will be a number of word problems. Part of
these will be practice that we do as a whole group, but the rest will act as an
assessment. These word problems will be followed by a number line or multiple
outlines of clocks. Mastery will be determined by how they draw or illustrate the
elapsed time on their clocks or number lines.
Objective 3: The last problem of these guided notes will be an area for them to
create their own word problem that involves elapsed time. There will also be a
number line there for them to solve their own problem. Mastery for this objective
will be determined by if they use elapsed time (both in hours and minutes) in their
word problems and if they solve their problem correctly using the number line.
MATERIALS NEEDED
Guided Note Packets
Pencils
Laminated Clocks
Whiteboard Markers
I havewho has clocks (challenge problem)

ARTICLE REACTION
The article that I chose to read is called Elapsed Time: Why is it So Difficult to
Teach? by Constance Kamii and Kelly A. Russell. The reason I chose this article is
because I wanted to know what students struggled with and why it was so hard for
students to grasp this concept. I wanted to make sure that when I taught this lesson,
I taught it in a way that the students would understand and relate to. This article
really helped me think about some ways to go about teaching a topic as difficult as
elapsed time. First, I learned that it is hard for students to compute both hours and
minutes at the same time (Kamii & Russell, 2012). Because of that, I knew that the
number line concept would be even more important to use with my students. Using
number lines to represent elapsed time clearly shows a students thinking and helps
them to organize their thoughts between hours and minutes. Another thing that I
learned from this article is that students struggle with elapsed time because they did
not feel connected to the concept (Kamii & Russell, 2012). This also shaped how I
created my lesson. I knew that I needed to incorporate them into this lesson in a
variety of ways. When it actually came down to developing my guided notes, I made
an effort to connect my students to the concept by including their names and
activities that I know they are interested in into many of the word problems. I
learned from the article that I need to help make connections for my students in
order for them to understand this topic and I tried my best to do so through the
guided notes (Kamii & Russell, 2012).
CHILDRENS BOOK
The book I think would work really nicely to introduce this topic or to help students
understand more is called The Long Wait by Annie Cobb. This would be an exciting
book for students because the book is based off two boys waiting in line for a ride at
an amusement park. It also helps introduce things like start time and end time and,
most importantly, elapsed time. As we were reading, I would ask questions like:
How did the boys experience elapsed time in the book?
How did they use that elapsed time?
Did they see any other kinds of elapsed time?
MODIFICATIONS
Challenge: for students who finish early and need an additional challenge, I will
provide slips of paper with two clocks and a number of elapsed time on it. This game
will be for groups of 3 only and looks like this:
(1)

I have: ______(2 hr 15 min)_______

Who has: _____(1 hr 40 min)______

(2)

I have: _______(1 hr 40 min)______

Who has: _______(30 min)______

(3)

I have: _______(30 min)______

Who has: _______(2 hr 15 min)_______

Remediation: for students who are struggling to use the clocks or the number lines, I
will provide a different guided notes sheet that has no clocks or number lines.
Instead, I will provide separate cut outs of clocks and number lines. Students can
choose which they use and which they prefer that helps them solve the problem!

PROCEDURES
Before:
Students have previously learned about elapsed time in only 1-hour increments. We
will start the lesson by reviewing what elapsed time is. I will start this review by
asking a mathematical question:
(Question 1) Who can tell me what elapsed time is?
Possible Student Answers
Follow-Up
Time on a clock like that indicating the That is the time we see and right now it
wall clock (incorrect response)
says (the time of day). But what does it
mean when we say elapsed? (If they
need more follow up): could we need
more than just 1 time of day?
Time that passes when something is
Can you tell me more about time that
happening
passes? Or can you tell me an example of
what you mean?
The students will then work with me to use the answers they have given me about
what it is and/or the examples they gave me to create a definition of elapsed time.
(Question 2) What definition can we create that explains the term elapsed time?
Possible Student Answers
Follow-Up
The amount of time that goes past when How do we figure out how much time
we are doing something
has gone past when were doing
something?
The time we start something and the
How do we use those numbers to figure
time we end something (incorrect
out the elapsed time?
answer)
Once we have the definition for elapsed time, we will move towards making
examples of elapsed time. The definition I am looking for is: the amount of time that
passes during a particular event.
(Question 3) What are some examples of elapsed time that happens in our own
lives?
Possible Student Answers
Follow-Up
When were on the bus
Can you tell me what the elapsed time on

The time were at home

The time we get to school (incorrect
answer)

the bus would be?

Is that a long amount of elapsed time or
a short amount of elapsed time? Explain
to me why you think so.
Is that an example of a time or of elapsed
time? What tells you so?

After we get a couple whole-class examples on the sheet, I will ask students to create
their own examples if they can. We will then share some with the class before
starting with our other learning activities.
During:
I will start by saying we are going to look at some word problems about elapsed
time. We will start by reading the first word problem.
The first problem will be a number line word problem. That has just a start time and
the elapsed time. Then I will ask the students:
(Question 4) What are some strategies we can use to solve an elapsed time word
problem using a number line?
Possible Student Answers
Follow-Up
We can count from one time to another.
What do we need to put on this number
line, then?
We have to put all the times in order
The numbers we have in the first
(incorrect answer).
problem are the start time and the
amount of time that has passed, can you
come show me how we might draw that
on the number line?
We will complete the word problem on the number line together as a class. While
we solve, I will emphasize that there are many different ways to solve this problem.
We could count up for some problems and take away for other problems, it just
depends what the problem is asking. Then well try the next problem. This problem
will have a start time and an end time, but the elapsed time will not be included in
the problem. I will ask:
(Question 5) How is this problem different than the last problem?
Possible Student Answers
Follow-Up
We have an end time in this problem.
How is our number line going to look
different then?
It isnt different (incorrect answer).
Do we need to solve it any differently
than we had to solve the last one?
Then I will hold up the laminated clocks that we will use and say, we can draw on
these using dry erase markers. Each of you will get two of these clocks. On the first

clock, you will write the starting time that we find in the word problems. On the
second clock, you will write your ending time. You can then draw on the clocks
however youd like to help you understand how much time has passed. Lets do the
first problem like this together. I will then read out the problem and put both blank
clocks on the doc cam.
(Question 6) What strategies will we need to use to solve this problem?
Possible Student Answers
Follow-Up
We need to look at the time between
Can you tell me what you mean by the
both clocks.
time between? How do you think we
could find that?
We need to find the differences between What does the difference mean? How
the two times.
would we use that to solve this problem?
We need to add both the times (incorrect If we add both of these times, what will
answer).
that answer tell us? Will it tell us how
much time went past or will it tell us a
time in the future?
The first word problem with clocks will give 2 times and ask students to find out
how much time has passed. I will model drawing the times onto the clocks (start
time on the first clock and end time on the second clock). Then I will model how to
draw or color to show the minute hand moving to where it is in the second clock or
the end time. We will count together as a class to discover how much time has
elapsed. The next word problem will give a start time for reading groups and how
long those reading groups last. After reading this problem, I will ask the following
questions:
(Question 7) What are we trying to find here?
Possible Student Answers
Follow-Up
The time the TV show ended.
So how can we start solving this
problem?
The amount of time the show was on
What evidence from the word problem
(incorrect answer).
can you use to support that thought?

(Question 8) What is the difference between elapsed time and end time?
Possible Student Answers
Follow-Up
Elapsed time is the time that passes and Can you tell me how they are related?
end time is the time something ends.
End time is the time the elapsed time
So could we find the elapsed time if we
ends.
didnt know the end time?
There is no difference (incorrect
Can you tell me how we solve for elapsed
answer).
time?

I will then allow the students to solve the rest of the problems on their own while I
walk around to observe, help, and answer questions. Students who finish quickly
will begin working on the I havewho has problems to work on with other
students. Those who are struggling to complete these problems will either get extra
help from one of the three adults in the room, or they will get the version of the
packet without number lines and clocks.

After:
I will review with the students what elapsed time means and how we can solve for
it. I will also ask if there were any problems that were harder than others. We will
look over these problems and talk about why they might have been harder for them
than the others.
I will collect the problems they completed as a means of assessment, but they will
get it back as a resource to use when doing future elapsed time problems.
Smartboard Lesson:
The lesson called Elapsed Time that I found at
http://exchange.smarttech.com/details.html?id=e754328f-09b5-4076-8f8f1e95e97b594b was very helpful. I feel that if I was designing this unit, I would first
do the lesson I planned and later in the week, I would do this smartboard lesson. It
is a great extension to what we were talking about in this lesson. I also think it
should come a little after they have had some practice with elapsed time because the
problems in the smartboard lesson are down to the very minute and sometimes
hard to calculate. I think it would benefit the students to have an interactive lesson
like this to practice with (especially the elapsed time game involved!).
Visual Representation:
As we go through the first four problems together, I will have them up on the doc
cam for them to follow along with. I will also have a large post-it paper on the board.
As we complete a problem, we will draw on the post-it paper exactly how we did on
the laminated clocks and the number lines. This will help as a resource for my
students to look back on as they go through the rest of the problems.
NCTM Process Standards:
Problem Solving: Students will build on their mathematical knowledge by solving
problems about elapsed time and understanding what exactly elapsed time is and
where we see it in our daily lives. They will also learn and apply new strategies in
order to be able to solve these problems. Lastly, students will reflect on their
problem solving as we review the problems together after our lesson.

Reasoning and Proof: In order to solve these problems, students will need to prove
their answers in a concrete form, whether its showing work on paper clocks, or
showing their work on a number line.
Communication: I am asking a variety of questions throughout this lesson. As we
go about, I am looking for students to answer these questions and engage in
mathematical thinking as we communicate. They will also have to express their
ideas clearly through writing and to their peers when they play the I haswho has
game.
Connections: Students will constantly be making connections to their daily lives
through the word problems given to them in this packet. They will also be tasked to
make a word problem about their own lives at the end of this packet.
Representation: Students will be using representation through the entire lesson.
They will need to use their resources of clocks given to them and the number lines
provided to represent their thinking and to help them solve the problems shown to
them. This will help them organize their thoughts and help them record their
answers to the problems.

References
Cobb, A., & Woodruff, L. (2000). The long wait. New York: Kane Press.
Kamii, C., & Russel, K. (2012). Elapsed Time: Why is it So Difficult to Teach? National
Council of Teachers of Mathematics, 43(3), 296-315.

Name: ___________________________

Date: _________________________

Directions: Write a definition as a class. Then, write some examples of elapsed

time.
Elapsed time _________________________________________________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________________________________________________.
Examples - ___________________________________________________
___________________________________________________
___________________________________________________
___________________________________________________
Directions: Follow along with Miss French as she completes these problems
with you.
1) We start eating lunch at 11:55. We have 50 minutes to eat lunch and play
outside at recess. What time do we come back in from recess?

2) Michael goes home each day and plays football with his friends. He starts
when he gets home at 3:10. They play football until its time to do homework
at 4:30. How long do they spend playing football?

3) Caleb got on the bus at 7:35. He arrived at Berkeley Glenn at 7:50. How long
was he on the bus for?

4) We start reading groups at 1:00. We have 1 hour and 20 minutes for reading
groups. What time do we end reading?

Directions: Complete the rest of the problems on your own. Raise your hand if
you have any questions!
5) We work in the morning from 8:15 to 9:20 when we go to specials. How long
are we doing schoolwork before you go to specials?

6) You get back from specials at 10:05. We then have social studies and writing
until 11:50. How long do we have social studies and writing for?

7) You wake up at 6:45 for school. Your bus comes to pick you up at 45 minutes
later. What time does your bus come?

8) You begin watching a movie with a friend at 6:10 at night. The movie is 2
hours and 25 minutes long. What time does the movie end?

Directions: Now it is your turn to create a problem! Create your own elapsed
time problem. It can either have a start time and an end time OR a start time
and an amount of elapsed time! Then, solve your problem using the clocks and
number line.
Problem:
_________________________________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________________.