Daylight Savings Time

About this resource

Every spring the clocks "spring forward," and primary children have a lot of questions. Many of the top resources for Daylight Savings Time are passages for grades 6-8. This one is built for K-3: a short picture-supported reading page, set-the-clock practice with big clocks, a cut-and-glue Spring Forward Clock with hands that turn, and writing at three levels, so a classroom, including a self-contained special education room, can use it all week.

Children read "Daylight Savings Time" (three short paragraphs, each with a picture): in March, most places in the US spring forward, the clock moves one hour, we set the clock at night and in the morning it is one hour later, and the evening has more light. Then they circle the answers, cut and trace words, put the story in order, draw the hands on clocks for whole hours, draw the clock one hour later, build a clock and write.

The unit teaches one simple idea. It does not teach any rule or law, and the Start Here page tells you to check this year's date on your own calendar (Sunday, March 14 is the example date for 2027). Some places do not change their clocks.

Three writing levels, so every child can do the same unit:

• Level 1: trace and fill in. Three sentences, a word bank, and a blank for the missing word.
• Level 2: three picture boxes (draw a clock, spring and the evening) with a sentence starter and writing lines beside each.
• Level 3: free writing. "I learned that clocks..." is printed; the child draws and writes in their own words.

Every student page has a name line and one short instruction with a picture, so a paraprofessional can run the center from it too.

WHAT'S INSIDE (18 pages)

• Start Here: a five-day plan, the three writing levels, how the craft works, ways to make it easier or harder, and prep
• Read "Daylight Savings Time": three short paragraphs with pictures
• Check your reading: three circle-the-answer questions, then draw a clock and write one fact
• 6 vocabulary cards to cut (clock, hour, spring, forward, light, evening) and a trace-and-write page for the same 6 words
• Retell in order: 4 glue boxes (First, Next, Then, Last) and 5 pictures to cut (4 steps plus 1 that does not belong), with a sentence line for each
• Draw the hands: 6 big clocks for whole hours, with 1 modeled clock and 5 for the child to draw
• Spring forward one hour: 4 rows, with 1 modeled row and 3 where the child draws the clock one hour later and writes the new time
• The Spring Forward Clock craft: 6 pieces to color and cut (4 face quarters and 2 hands), glue the quarters on their faint twins, write the 12, 3, 6 and 9, and add the hands (a brad lets them turn; glue works too), with a finished clock shown
• Three writing pages, one for each level
• Compare before and after: two clocks to look at, with a word bank and sentences to finish
• A family letter to send home, with a draw-and-return box
• A "Who Did What This Week" data page with the answer key
• A credits page (art and font licenses)

Cutting Built For Small Hands

Every cutting page has 5 or more big pieces, lined up in a grid edge to edge so each cut is one straight line. 17 pieces to cut in all (6 word cards, 5 story pictures, 6 clock pieces). Every glue box is the same size as the piece that goes in it.

Who This Is For

Kindergarten to 3rd grade classrooms, self-contained special education classrooms and paraprofessionals who want a spring reading, math and writing unit with real retelling, clock-setting practice, a hands-on craft and three levels of writing, ready to print.

What This Is, And What It Is Not

A printable PDF (print and cut). It is not Google Slides, Docs or PowerPoint, and it has no fillable fields. Print on paper; card stock suits the clock pieces. You need scissors, glue sticks and crayons; a brad is optional. The clocks use whole hours only. It is not a claim about any student's age or rate of progress.