A reader wrote in to ask what to do with a math lesson about reading analog clocks. What happens when a student can already read a clock just fine? Can we cook up a fascinating math project about clocks?
I love to simple ask, “what’s interesting about clocks?” “Interesting” is a powerful enty point for designing a math project?
An Interesting Clock Project
So, what is interesting about clocks? To me, it’s gotta be the odd time units! Why do we divide time into units of 24, 12, and 60?
I will investigate the origins of units of time used across cultures and create a presentation [or an essay, or a comic strip, or a skit].
Now, while you work with on-level students, your students are exploring an intriguing topic that might take her to Ancient Babylon and introduce her to a base-60 number system!
And this will lead beautifully into that lovely question: “What if we made a new version?” After seeing how Babylonians, Mesoamericans, and Chinese developed systems for tracking time, could we make our own units of time that divide the day evenly?
Now we’re cooking!