Mrs.

Sahl
Math Block

Lesson Cycle

Lesson Title/Topic: Start to End: How Much Time in Between?

Target Concept: Calculating elapsed time.
Standards/Rationale: (7) Geometry and measurement. The student applies
mathematical process standards to select appropriate units, strategies, and tools to
solve problems involving customary and metric measurement. The student is expected
to: (C) determine the solutions to problems involving addition and subtraction of time
intervals in minutes using pictorial models or tools.
Lesson Objectives: Using a number
line, the student will be able to
calculate time elapsed between time A
and time B with at least 80% accuracy.

Assessment: The student will turn in

one teacher-given elapsed time
problem. The student will not only
have to report a number answer, but
will also have to show that they were
able to use the mountain strategy
correctly. The student will need to have
minimal errors in their work, displaying
at least 80% proficiency.

Materials:
Dry-erase pockets with number line worksheets inside, whiteboard erasers, dryerase markers, whiteboards, The Long Wait book, Elapsed Time anchor chart,
poster with elapsed time example problem, notebook paper, and Elapsed Time
worksheet.
Lesson Cycle: (Direct instruction)
The teacher will:
Focus/Mental Set: (10 min) The
teacher will begin the lesson by asking
students to move to the carpet on the
side of the room where the whiteboard
is located. The teacher will then read
The Long Wait, by Annie Cobb and Lisa
Woodruff. As the teacher reads, he or
she will ask students questions to keep
them focused. The teacher can ask
students things like, How many of you
have ever had to wait a long time to go

The student will:

The student will take a seat on the
carpet and listen to the teacher read.
Students are used to carpet time and
will know what is expected of them and
how to behave appropriately. The
students should be actively listening
and answering questions that are
posed by the teacher. Through the
story, The Long Wait, students should
begin to realize that the days lesson
will be about calculating time. The

on a ride at an amusement park? and

While you were waiting, were you
thinking about the time passing and
trying to figure how much time youd
have to wait? After the reading is
done, the teacher will ask students to
go back to their seats for the next part
of the lesson.
Teacher Input: (10 min) The
teacher will either pass out or have
students come up and get a dry-erase
pocket that has a number line
worksheet in it, a dry-erase marker,
and a whiteboard eraser. Next the
teacher will discuss the story that s/he
just read and communicate the idea
that elapsed time isnt just something
we think about when were at an
amusement park. The teacher could
say something like, While Josh and
Zack had fun trying to figure out how
much time would pass as they waited
in line for the amusement park ride,
you dont have to be at an amusement
park to have to think about elapsed
time. You and I deal with elapsed time
each and every day. For example, ... .
After the discussion, the teacher will
use the Elapsed Time anchor chart to
instruct students on the new strategy:
the Elapsed Time Mountain strategy.
After the teacher goes over the
strategy, s/he will then walk students
through a problem using the example
problem poster. *Instructions for this
are located on the back on the poster.
As the teacher directs students through
the strategy, using the example
problem, the teacher will also be
monitoring for learning and
encouraging students to ask questions
as needed. Once the activity is over,
the teacher will have students
exchange their dry-erase pocket with a

students should also begin to realize

that they have been in situations just
like the storys main characters (i.e.,
waiting in line, trying to figure out how
much time will pass until...). When the
reading is done, students will go back
to their seats to be ready for the next
activity.
The student will receive, or go up to
the front of the room to get, a dryerase pocket that has a number line
worksheet in it, a dry-erase marker,
and a whiteboard eraser. Next, the
student will listen to teacher insight on
the story and will begin to think about
the various ways that people encounter
elapsed time problems each and every
daynot just while waiting for a turn
on an amusement park ride. After the
discussion, the student will focus on
and listen intently to the teacher as
s/he uses the Elapsed Time anchor
chart to teach students about the new
strategy: the Elapsed Time Mountain
strategy. After the teacher goes over
the strategy, the students will be
walked through a problem by the
teacher. Students will use their supplies
to work through an example problem
and they will need to focus on each
step of the strategy. They will need to
actively participate in order to get the
most out of the instruction. Throughout
the entire activity, students will be
allowed to ask questions if they are
confused and need clarification. Once
the activity is over, students will
exchange their dry-erase pocket with a
whiteboard and get out a few sheets of
notebook paper. Then students will be
placed into groups of five for the next
activity.

whiteboard and get out a few sheets of

notebook paper. Then s/he will place
students into groups of five for the
next activity.
Guided Practice: (15 min) Plan a
Friends Fun Day Activity. Once the
students are in groups, the teacher will
tell students to plan a (pretend) fun
day together: Each student will choose
1 activity that they want to do, such as
go to a movie, go bowling, or go eat
ice-cream. Students will have to work
together to number their activities in
the order in which they want to do
them and will also have to assign each
activity a time. This time cannot end in
zero minutes [i.e., :00]. During the first
part of this activity, the teacher will
walk around the room, making sure
that students are working and
understanding what to do. After the
students fun day schedule is made, the
teacher will then ask them to use their
whiteboards to calculate time elapsed
between one time/activity and another.
For example, the teacher will say
something like Students, please draw
a number line on your whiteboard and
calculate the time elapsed between
your first activity and your fourth
activity. Students will work
independently but may help group
members only once theyve finished
their own calculations. To check for
understanding, the teacher will then go
around the room to see if each group
member came up with the same
answer. The teacher will assist
students who dont understand or did
not get the calculations correct. The
teacher should encourage students to
ask questions at any time during this
activity. Once this activity is over, the
teacher will get students ready for

Plan a Friends Fun Day Activity. Once

students are in groups of five, they will
begin to plan their groups (pretend)
fun day together. In order to
accomplish this, each student will
choose 1 activity that they want to do,
such as go to a movie, go bowling, go
eat ice-cream, ect. Collectively,
students will have to number their
activities in the order in which they
want to do them and will also have to
assign each activity a time. This time
cannot end in zero minutes [i.e., :00].
Students will have to work together,
collectively agreeing on their days
schedule and making sure that
instructions have been followed
correctly. After the schedule is made,
the student will then have to use their
whiteboards to calculate time elapsed
between one time/activity and another.
For example, the teacher will say
something like Students, please draw
a number line on your whiteboard and
calculate the time elapsed between
your first activity and your fourth
activity. Therefore, students will have
to individually work out the elapsed
time on their whiteboard. When
individual students are done, they may,
however, assist group members as
needed. If students need further
explanation or help, they are allowed
to ask the teacher, who will be walking
around examining student work. Once
this activity is over, students will get
ready for independent practice by
keeping their supplies and moving to
groups of twostudent chosen pairs.

independent practice by telling them to

keep their supplies but to now move to
groups of twostudent chosen pairs.
Independent Practice: (15-20
min) Rally Coach Activity. After
students have paired up, the teacher
will hand out the Elapsed Time
worksheet that contains 5 problems.
The teacher will then instruct the
students to complete the first four
problems on the worksheet using the
Rally Couch structure, meaning partner
A solves the first problem while partner
B watches, listens, checks, coaches,
and praises. For the next problem,
students swap roles. The teacher will
instruct students to use the structure
only for problems 1-4. For the last
problem, the teacher will instruct
students to solve it independently,
work out the answer on a sheet of
notebook paper, and turn it in for a
grade. The teacher will communicate to
students that grades are based not
only on arriving at the correct answer
but also on showing work that
illustrates that the student understands
and can use the mountain elapsed time
strategy. Once this activity is done, and
all students have turned in their work,
the teacher will have students go back
to their assigned seats.
Closure: (5 min) When students are
back to their assigned seats, the
teacher will close the lesson by asking
students why they think it is important
to master elapsed time calculation. The
teacher can also ask students
questions to check for understanding,
encourage them to ask questions, or
let them offer any thoughts on the
topic.

Rally Coach Activity. After students

have paired up, they will receive the
Elapsed Time worksheet that
contains 5 problems. Students will then
complete the first four problems on the
worksheet using the Rally Couch
structure, meaning partner A solves the
first problem while partner B watches,
listens, checks, coaches, and praises.
For the next problem, students swap
roles. Students have worked with this
structure before and will be
comfortable with the format. They will
know how to coach and how to work
while being coached. Students will only
use the structure for problems 1-4. For
the last problem, problem #5, the
students will solve it independently.
They will work out the answer on a
sheet of notebook paper and turn it in
for a grade. Based on teacher
instruction, students will understand
that grades are based not only on
arriving at the correct answer but also
on showing work that illustrates that
the student understands and can use
the mountain elapsed time strategy.
Once all students have turned in their
work, they must return to their
assigned seats.
When students are back to their
assigned seats, they will focus on the
teacher, listening to questions and
thinking about their own responses.
Students will reflect on the lessons
activities and why they think it is
important to master elapsed time
calculation. During the closure activity,
students may ask questions and offer
any thoughts that they may have.

Options:

Enrichment: If students finish early,

have them log on to a classroom

computer and go to
http://www.internet4classrooms.com.
In the website, have students click on
skill builders third grade skills
mathematical processes
#3.Telling Time and #7 Tell how
many hours and minutes pass during
an activity. There are 12 activities
total, but students will not have time to
complete them all. Simply have
students work on what they can within
the remaining time.

Modifications/Correctives:
ADHD student: This student is easily
distracted and is always moving around
the classroom. He has a difficult time
with concentrating for even short
periods of time. The teacher will need
to make sure that the student is seated
close by so that s/he can cue him
visually to promote and manage levels
of engagement. The teacher will also
need to involve this student in the
movement of the lesson. For instance,
the teacher can have him come up and
read part of the story, reveal the
elapsed time on the anchor chart, or
even take post-its off of the example
problem poster, so long as it does not
interfere with his or other students
learning. *For this student and any
other special needs student that is
present, the teacher MUST follow IEPs.
References:

Reteach: For the students who had

trouble understanding the mountain

strategy and did not effectively pick up
the elapsed time calculation skills that
they should have, the teacher will need
to instruct these students differently.
In order to accomplish this, the teacher
will perform small-group tutoring.
During tutoring, the teacher will have
students use their wooden learning
clocks to calculate elapsed time and
then transfer those calculations to a
number line. By doing this, students
should be able to form better
connections between previous learned
skills/knowledge and new
skills/knowledge, leading to a deeper
and better understanding.