CU 8.05How Long Is a Minute?

1. 1

   Invite the child. Show the timer: 'When I turn it over, the sand falls. When all the sand is at the bottom, one minute is over.'

2. 2

   Turn the timer and watch the sand together without doing anything else.

3. 3

   Say: 'That was one minute.' Ask whether it felt long or short.

4. 4

   Choose a task card, such as stacking blocks. Turn the timer and stack until the sand runs out.

5. 5

   Count the blocks and record the number on the sheet.

6. 6

   Invite the child to choose a task and turn the timer.

7. 7

   Sit in silence for one minute together, then talk about whether it felt longer or shorter than stacking blocks.

What catches the child’s eye

• The thin stream of sand falling and the pile growing at the bottom
• A minute of silence feeling much longer than a minute of play

Extensions, easiest to hardest

1. Compare a one-minute timer with a three-minute timer
2. Count how many times the child can hop, clap, or write their name in one minute
3. Watch the minute hand of a clock move from one mark to the next while the sand falls
4. Use the timer to share turns at a popular work