Time is a tricky concept to teach, especially in early elementary. If you miss that boat, students will struggle throughout. We also live in a time where young people are exposed to time differently to was ten or fifteen years ago. Many teenagers even struggle with reading an analog clock as watches have been replaced with smartphones and other devices. But regardless of how they read time, elapsed time is an essential concept that forms the bases of a life skill – time management.
Fortunately, teachers have discovered creative ways to teach the concept, and worksheets are handy as it is a skill best taught visually. However, it also requires engaging with the worksheet and using the images to find a solution.
Not all elapsed time worksheets are made equal. A piece of paper with information is not going to serve much purpose. As teachers, we are familiar with the internet overflowing with good and not-so-great teaching materials. After spending hours searching, you may still find yourself at a loss for something worthwhile to use with your students. The good news is that our wonderful colleagues around the world are always willing to support each other. Sites like Pinterest are fantastic resources, providing countless ideas, lessons, activities, and worksheets. Some are free, and some come at a cost, but most can help save you precious time – something more valuable than gold to a dedicated teacher.
Do you want to make sure you make the most of the time you’ve saved from researching? And how can you be sure you’re getting top quality paid resources? Here’s what you need to do to ensure you save time and money while always selecting the best!
Table of Contents
- Things to look for when choosing elapsed time worksheets
- The Best Elapsed Time Worksheets
- Free vs Paid Worksheets
- Instead, invest in a Teach Simple membership
Things to look for when choosing elapsed time worksheets
Because elapsed time can be confusing, choosing one that will not make things worse is essential. It should be clear and visual to help the student build a solid understanding. And no matter how old your students are, always start simply and give a visual example for them to refer to.
Check the worksheet carefully
No matter the source, don’t assume that worksheets are flawless for granted. They may have typos, incorrect facts, or content inappropriate for your academic setting. The only surefire way to make sure is to trial the worksheets yourself.
Make sure the correct vocabulary is used
Teach specific terminology from the start and use it on all your worksheets. Again, visual explanations and images for younger kids can be given, but always in conjunction with the correct terms. For example, they should know the difference between AM and PM. They should also know how many hours are in a day, when the date changes to the next day, how many seconds are in a minute, minutes in an hour, etc. Elapsed time can refer to a few minutes or a few years, so they need be reminded of this constantly.
Make sure the worksheet is meaningful
A quality worksheet stands out from a meaningless piece of paper. When you include questions, ensure they engage the reader’s mind and have meaningful answers. Don’t limit yourself to basic, “yes or no” questions – challenge your students with questions that test the full range of Bloom’s Taxonomy.
It should space or encourages note-taking
By teaching students the importance of taking thorough notes, you are equipping them with a valuable skill that will serve them well in the future. Providing worksheets with ample room to draw flow charts, spider diagrams, and other brainstorming and organizing tools is a great way to start.
The Best Elapsed Time Worksheets
Teach Simple is your one-stop shop for all your resources. Here are some of their elapsed time worksheets and a few other quality resources from around the web.
Elapsed Time Worksheets-Airplane Theme By Quail Trail Products
These worksheets will have your learners taking off with their elapsed time skills. Designed for learners in grade 4, these worksheets focus on telling time in one-minute intervals, with a plane’s departure and arrival times. They include telling time with analog and digital clocks, and some worksheets have word problems to encourage critical thinking.
Elapsed Time Mixed Review Worksheet By Have Fun Teaching
A simple, visual worksheet that can assess the student’s skills using analog and digital time and a calendar for extended periods.
Elapsed Time Story Problems Worksheet By Have Fun Teaching
This worksheet contains real-life scenarios with analog clocks. The students must figure out the elapsed time and draw the hands on the clock.
And for a simpler version without word problems, try this.
Hour Elapsed Time Worksheet By Have Fun Teaching
This worksheet is an excellent quick-fire assessment to gauge progress after an introductory lesson.
Here’s another that focuses on half-hour intervals.
Elapsed Time Rulers Bundle By A Traveling Maestra
This bundle is fantastic. It’s a working document with everything your students need to master elapsed time.
Time Elapsed Task Cards By That One Cheerful Classroom
These Time Elapsed Task Cards, printed 4 to a page, will help students tell time, solve word problems, and figure out elapsed time. And, to make things even easier, a recording sheet and answer key are included!
Time: Intervals and Elapsed Time – 5, 15, 30, 60 Printable Workbook By Twin Sisters Digital Media
This adorable digital workbook provides an interactive way to teach your students elapsed time.
Elapsed Time Worksheets – Beach Theme By Quail Trail Products
Grade 3 and 4 students will love these beach-themed worksheets! This product gives them 5 different ways to practice and master their elapsed time and telling time in 5-minute intervals. It also includes color and black-and-white versions, plus an answer key!
Telling Time/Elapsed Time Worksheets – Autumn Theme By Quail Trail Products
These worksheets are a fantastic way for Kindergarten and Grade 1 learners to develop their time-telling skills! With 3 engaging themes – Autumn Animals, Autumn Activities, and Farming – and 3 different learning styles – matching, cut & paste, and drawing & writing – this product provides differentiated learning and keeps kids entertained!
Where To Find Them Online
If you are strapped for time and want to find resources quickly, here are a few to get you started.
Free vs Paid Worksheets
As a teacher, you understand the limitations that come with relying on textbooks alone – it can easily lead to a lacklustre lesson! That’s why so many educators are willing to invest in supplementary teaching materials such as lesson plans – to add some fun and engagement to the classroom. With the vast array of resources available, however, it can be daunting to find quality content.
Weighing the cost of paid lesson plans can be a bit of a gamble – you never truly know the quality of the materials or if they align with your curriculum until you take a plunge and purchase them. Although they may offer the quality you need, they usually come at a cost, with most behind a paywall, leaving only a brief glance of what is in store. Some paid resources do offer freebies to encourage you to purchase more – though the value of these can often be quite limited.
Instead, invest in a Teach Simple membership
Many resource platforms sell each product individually, and you pay per download. This may make sense if you only need one or two things, but if you are looking for a regular supply of quality resources, a subscription-based service is far more practical and affordable.
At Teach Simple, we provide subscription-based access to all the lesson plans and teaching materials you’ll ever need. Teachers crafted our materials, and each resource is peer-reviewed to guarantee it meets standards. In addition, it offers insightful blogs, classroom management tips and strategies, and loads of inspiration and ideas.
You will never need to look much further for an elapsed time worksheet again. Teach Simple will have what you need, or one of our detailed blogs and articles will fill you with creative ideas and provide links to examples and resources.
