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Clock Partners - File Download

I get a lot of requests for the above clock partner wheel so I downloaded it to my file downloads.
This is modified slightly from a similar activity I did during a conference.

I introduced clock partners in my science class this past Wednesday and the students loved scheduling times with one another to meet as partners. My principal walked in while students were moving around getting their clocks filled up and he enjoyed watching the activity. Whew!

I have a class that requires some heavy differentiating. I choose to wait to introduce it to this group until I get a better feel for the students and their ability to work in small groups. I wrote about clock partners more in depth last January (if you click on "clock partners" under labels on the right it should take you to my original post on the subject).

I plan for the first month or so to have students meet as partners twice a week to work on an activity in the notebook. It is my hope that by doing that that students will quickly learn the expectations and how to work in small groups.

I gave them an activity to do right after they filled in their clock partners and the next day I gave them another activity (Safety Acrostic). I go over expectations for behavior each time and set the timer (I tell students they will never have longer then 10 minutes). If a group is unevenly matched I will monitor and help the group as needed but I will not rearrange groups. Students often want to sit on the rug to work but for the first month I will keep them at their desk to better monitor groups.

After about a month I will make it a point, when lesson planning, to put them in clock partner groups at least once a week.
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Comments

Mendy said…
Thanks, Eve! I was actually just looking for a file like that - I think I'm going to use that this year!
August 26, 2009 at 7:34 PM
Eve Heaton said…
Glad it is helpful. My classes love using it. We have another activity today where they will be put with their clock partner.

Eve
August 27, 2009 at 5:01 AM
Jared said…
I came across this once when I was a substitute teacher, but this year, I think I'll try it with my class (it is high school).

I was wondering... does it only work out if there is an even number of students? Will everyone be able to get all 12 slots filled? My class is probably going to be between 25 to 30.

Thanks... any advice would be appreciated!
September 2, 2009 at 11:37 PM
Eve Heaton said…
Jared - This is what I wind up doing. I model it with a couple of students and get their slots filled in. I tell students they have to have a mix of boys and girls. You can a person twice but only if you have exhausted other students in the class. If someone asks you and the time slot is open you have to take it. There is no making faces or being rude. They will never be put into groups longer then 10 minutes and anybody can work with anybody for 10 minutes. What always happens is that there are left over students that need time slots filled up and no one has them available. So then I create groups of three. I look at the child who has a slot open and if they are a "high" student I will find a low students and ask who they have at that time opening. Those two add the new "high" student to their time clock and you have a group of three. If the student is "low" I find a high student and add them to their group. It has worked remarkably well. I am making a HUGE effort to find at least one activity a week where they have to partner up (initially two times a week to get them use to doing it). So far they are working in groups so much better then last years students (attributed to using them more). I always go over the expectations before I partner them or have them tell me the expectations (no making faces, everyone has to be involved, etc.). Good luck and I hope that helps!

Eve
September 3, 2009 at 4:50 AM
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