Read the book, The Grouchy Ladybug, by Eric Carle.
Write the 17 times (e.g. “noon or 12:00 PM” and “five or 5:00 PM”) from The Grouchy Ladybug on a separate piece of paper. Times are every hour from 5:00 AM through 5:00 PM, and 5:15 PM, 5:30 PM, 5:45 PM, and 6:00 PM.
Give each child a piece of paper (each has their own time). Ask them to fill in the clock and write down what happens in the story at their time.
Read the story a second time and students write in the activity happening on their paper.
Let students draw their scene on their paper.
Have students read their scene aloud and show their drawing.
When students illustrate their page, ask them to draw a sun where the sun would normally be at the time of their part of the story (e.g. right at the center top for noon).
— Via Memory Anderson on Eric Carle’s website
Note: With a larger class, have two students do each time, making a total of two books.
- Students can position the hands of an analog clock to match a written time
- Students can position the sun in the sky to match the time of day
Lesson Plan Materials
See this idea and more ideas in detail on Eric Carle’s website.
Also see ideas for introducing book on Educators.about.com.
Common Core State Standards this Lesson Supports
- CCSS.Math.Content.1.MD.B.3 Tell and write time in hours and half-hours using analog and digital clocks.
- CCSS.Math.Content.2.MD.C.7 Tell and write time from analog and digital clocks to the nearest five minutes, using a.m. and p.m.
- CCSS.Math.Content.3.MD.A.1 Tell and write time to the nearest minute and measure time intervals in minutes. Solve word problems involving addition and subtraction of time intervals in minutes, e.g., by representing the problem on a number line diagram.
AASL Standards for the 21st Century Learner
- AASL 1.1.6 Read, view, and listen for information presented in any format (e.g., textual, visual, media, digital) in order to make inferences and gather meaning.
- AASL 4.1.8 Use creative and artistic formats to express personal learning.