5 Easy Ways to Practice Telling Time for 1st Grade Students

5 Easy Ways to Practice Telling Time for 1st Grade Students!

I think telling time was one of my favorite topics. It seemed like one of the easiest standards to teach, and the students wanted to learn time so badly, that it made teaching it fun and easy! Win win! Here are 5 fun Ways to practice telling time for 1st grade students.

1. Printable Task Cards

Not sure about you, but I LOVE me some printable task cards. Years ago, when task cards became a THING… they were MY THING! I created everything into a task card, and my students loved them. Now, once digital came along, a few things changed, but my printable task cards were still a go-to during center time! Students love playing in pairs or in groups of four – but they can also use the task cards independently – so it covers all types of collaboration.

Not sure how to use – check out my blog post about task cards here.

Task card set 1

With these task cards, students have an answer document that they can write their answers on (correlating to the numbers on the task card). So if the task card says 20, then on the blank next to 20 is where they write their answer. Students have the option to check their own work, or they can submit their work to you for you to check.

They can also use the task cards on a generic game board. Students move along the game board as they answer correctly. There’s a small answer card for other students to check to make sure the student answered correctly.

Click on the image to learn more.

I have who has?

Here’s a super fun game that you can either play whole group or with just a few students.

Whole group:

First, sit students in a circle. Then hand out cards to students (each student gets one card). if you have extra, give these to students that you know can handle it.
Start with any student. The first student will read their card. I have… (they will say the number on the clock) then who has… (they will say the bottom number).
All students will need to look at their card to see if they have that time.
Once they say their card, have them turn it over.
When all cards are turned over, the game is over.
If for some reason a card is not turned over, and no-one can answer, then someone messed up and the game has to start again.
We timed ourselves to see if we could beat our record – who doesn’t love a little competition!

Small group:

Students divy up the cards among students in group
Then they lay out the cards in front of them so they can see them all
One student starts, then whoever has that card continues. I had them turn over the cards once that card was used.
Super fun and great practice!

2. Digital Task Cards

Now… I cannot lie… I was digital before digital was cool! I did everything I could to get technology into my classroom. If there was a grant, I wrote it. If there was a give-a-way, I applied. In fact, I love technology so much, I ended up at the Technology Department for our parish for several years. It’s definitely where my heart is – I love seeing a mixture of printable and digital in classrooms across the parish.

When I say digital, this includes my Google resources as well as my BOOM! If you want to learn more about Boom – click here to read my blog post.

Google Slides

Even though this is my second choice (number 1 choice is Boom – see below) – I know that some people cannot use Boom or don’t want to create another account – so Google it is. These are super easy to assign through Google Classroom, but the only problem for me is that you have to check their answers. But other than that – the students love them!

With most of my google slides, students will either drag the answer, drag the check mark over the correct answer, or type in the correct answer.

Click on the image to learn more!

BOOM!

If you’ve read anything that I’ve written in the past 5 years, you know that this is my JAM! I absolutely love everything about Boom!

SELF CHECKING
IMMEDIATE FEEDBACK
INTERACTIVE
ENGAGING
FUN
WAIT… DID I SAY SELF-CHECKING AND FUN???
Practicing telling time online is a great way to help students master telling time – they can practice over and over again without any prep from you!

Anyway – this is one of my first sets I made, so the students just look at the clock, and find the correct time, but check out the ones I’ve created recently below. So much fun!

Please click on the images to learn more!

3. Color by code printables

Here’s another item that is always a huge hit in my classroom. Color by number activities. My students absolutely love doing these, so I figured I would create some telling time ones to see if students would like – They didn’t disappoint! I will be creating more, for sure!!

Color by number worksheets

Who doesn’t love coloring? I found an easy way to use these as a center.

Print each sheet about 20 times
Put each set into a sheet protector
place in binder
students grab the one they want to work on

Students gravitate to this center when they want to be at an independent center. They love the fact that they see an end result once done. These turn out super cute – and there’s NO PREP once you place in binder.

click on the image to learn more

4. coding teachers

Are you the techie teacher? If so, you might have some Bee Bots in your classroom. This is a fun way for your students to practice skills, practice with the basics of coding, and have tons of fun doing both!

BEE BOTS

Oh Ya’ll! This is a new favorite of mine. I absolutely love how this integrates coding, a skill (telling time for this set), and fun all into one! If at all possible, ask for Bee Bots for your classroom – you won’t be sorry! If not – see if your technology department or your librarian can buy them and loan them out. Your students will BEG to play!

If you want to learn more about Bee Bots, click here to read my blog post and watch a video.

5. Early finishers and worksheets

Let me start with my early finishers! This was the first type of digital resource I created, and it’s still a favorite! After my students finish their work, they grab a white board and sit on the carpet. I have a PPT/Google Slide presenting on my Activboard with whatever topic I taught for the day. These are looped so that they just keep going until I press escape. So students can jump in at any time. The slides are self-checking – a problem is displayed, students write the answer on their white board, and then the answer appears on the board. Then students check what they wrote, then erase and wait for the next slide to appear.

Practice telling time worksheets

Worksheets… I know there’s a lot of “boos” when it comes to worksheets – but there’s a time and place for them (in my opinion). So we always practice with our telling time 1st grade worksheets to help master this skill. You can grab them here. (or click on the pictures below)

Telling Time to the hour and half hour Worksheets

6. MATCHING AND BINGO

I know I said 5… but – I can’t help myself. I’m always adding things to my centers. Here are a few more fun ways to practice telling time.

My telling time matching game is a quick and fun way to practice during centers. It comes with clocks, times, and word cards if you want students to match up all three. These are great to use in a pocket chart or on the floor. I’ve also added time to the five-minutes if you have students who have mastered time to the hour and half hour!
My Bingo game is SO MUCH FUN! I won’t go into detail here, but here’s a BLOG POST that explains it in detail. It comes as a complete printable, complete digital, or a little bit of both! SO MUCH FUN!

I hope you enjoy teaching time to the hour and half hour as much as I do! I’d love to hear from you if you end up using one of these ideas to help your kiddos!

Stay in touch!

Shanon Juneau

We Are Better Together