Daylight Saving Lesson Plan: Discover the origins and benefits of daylight saving

Grade Levels: 3-5, 6-8, 9-12

This lesson accompanies the BrainPOP topic, Daylight Saving Time and builds understanding of why we change our clocks every March and November. Students demonstrate understanding through a variety of creative projects.

Step 1: ACTIVATE PRIOR KNOWLEDGE

Ask:

  • What do we do to our clocks when daylight saving time begins? What do you do when it ends? Why do we change the clocks at all?
  • Which do you prefer, the start of daylight saving time (springing forward), or the end (falling back)? Why?

Generate a list on the board showing students’ responses to the question

Step 2: BUILD BACKGROUND

  • Read aloud the description below the Movie player.
  • Play the Movie, pausing to check for understanding. 
  • Have students read one of the following Related Reading articles: “Way Back When,” “Did You Know,” “Around The World,” or “Quirky Stuff.” Form small groups with students who read different articles, and have them share with each other what they learned.

Step 3: APPLY
Students synthesize their ideas and express them through one or more of the following creative projects. They can work individually or collaborate. 

  • Make-a-Movie: Produce a movie about how William Willet came up with the idea for daylight saving time, and advocating for its inception.
  • Make-a-Map: Create a concept map identifying the benefits of daylight saving time historically and today. 
  • Creative Coding: Code a flag that represents the Energy Policy Act of 2007.

Step 4: REFLECT & ASSESS 

  • Reflect: After sharing creative projects with each other, students reflect on what they’ve learned about daylight saving time. Prompt them by asking questions such as: 
    • What are some of the main reasons that we observe daylight saving time? 
    • How does daylight saving time help us use less energy?
  • Assess: Wrap up the lesson with the Daylight Saving Time Challenge. 

Lesson Plan Common Core State Standards Alignments

Filed as:  3-5, 6-8, 9-12, CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RI.3.1, CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RI.3.3, CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RI.4.1, CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RI.4.3, CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RI.4.7, CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RI.5.3, CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RI.5.7
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