About Time: A First Look at Time and Clocks

by Bruce Koscielniak

Time to read a book.
Time to wash dishes.
Time to do this or that.

You say things like this every day, all the time. But there was a time when time itself was undefined—no one knew the difference between a minute, an hour, or a day.
Then people started creating tools to measure time. First they used the big stuff around them—the sun, the moon, water. Soon after, using the knowledge they got from their natural time-telling tools, people began to build clocks—huge clocks unlike the ones we use today. They also used their knowledge of the sun and moon to create calendars made up of months and years.
Now, centuries later, we have clocks all around us. We can easily figure out how long a month is. But it took many years of tinkering and inventing to perfect the art of telling time. You could take a few moments now to read all about time. If you have a minute, that is. This title has been selected as a Common Core Text Exemplar (Grades 4-5, Informational Texts)

Genres: History, Nonfiction, Science, Picture Books, Childrens, Mathematics, Arithmetic

32 pages, Hardcover

First published November 1, 2004

About the author

Bruce Koscielniak is the author and illustrator of several books for children; he is also a musician who has played the violin and jazz guitar for many years. He lives in the Berkshires region of Massachusetts.

Reviews

[Shiloah · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a great read aloud about the history of clocks and time.

[Shari · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was a very informative book about the history of time keeping although it was a bit long and dry for my children's taste.

[Samantha · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is actually a really interesting book with a lot of interesting information! This is the kind of thing I like to read and would like for kids to read: informational texts that provide more information than what standard public school provides, for better understanding of history and the world. I'd read this again or use it in the future.

[Lauralee Moose · Rating 4 out of 5]

This story introduces children to the concept of time and clocks. The concept of time is explored dating back to a place and time when there were not yet tools to measure time. This is an excellent introduction to the abstract concept of time and how we are able to track the passing of time.

[Lynn · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a good introduction to the concept and history of time. I’m trying to figure out how the incorporate this into a time lesson or a series of lessons without being too boring. This book can help.

[Brian H. · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is super informative and has lots of interesting pictures! This could be an anchor text, but I wonder if the book would appeal to students' critical thinking skills. This is a Common Core G4-5 band exemplar text.