World Time Zones
by Shawnti Peachey
Teacher Planning Information
Overview: This activity is designed to have middle school students think about time
differences between various cities and countries in the world, and to understand the
abstract concept of having an International Date Line.
Objectives: In completing this activity the student should be able to:
● Understand the general concept of world time zones
● Understand what is Greenwich Mean Time (GMT)
● Understand what is the International Dateline
● Calculate the time difference between two different locations in the world using a
time zone map.
Oregon Common Core for Math:
6.NS.5 Understand that positive and negative numbers are used together to describe
quantities having opposite directions or values; use positive and negative numbers to
represent quantities in real-world context, explaining the meaning of 0 in each.
7.NS.1 Apply and extend previous understanding of addition and subtraction to add and
subtract rational numbers; represent addition and subtraction on a horizontal or vertical
number line diagram.
Oregon Geographic Content Standards:
6.11 Distinguish among different types of maps and use them to analyze an issue in the
Western Hemisphere
6.13 Classify and analyze the types of connections between places in the Western
Hemisphere.
7.10 Interpret map and other geographic tools to find patterns in human and physical
systems in the Eastern Hemisphere.
Grade: 6-7
Time: 15 minutes
Materials:
● Cardstock (2-3 pieces to put behind clock spinner)
● Tacks (2)
● Pencils (enough for everyone at activity)
● Two copies of clock. Label one clock “AM” and another clock “PM”. Paste clocks
onto cardstock with a tack. Make sure the spinner can spin appropriately.
● Copies of the following:
● World Time Zones and Continents Map (2-3)
● World Time Zones and Countries Map (2-3)
● World Time Zones Map (2-3)
● World Cities Map (2-3)
● World Countries Map (2-3)
* Note: All maps are cited below. If necessary, follow the link to find a
clearer image of each map to print.
● Background Information Page (2-3)
● Warm Up/Challenge Questions & Answers pgs 12 & 13 (2-3)
● Activity #1 (enough for everyone)
● Activity #2 (enough for everyone)
● Activity #3 (enough for everyone)
Sources:
Clock face with hands - https://www.pinterest.com/pin/535365474425485691/
World Time Zones and Continents Map - Colleary, Kevin, Linda Greenow, Walter
Parker C., Emily Schell N., and Dinah Zike. The World. By James A. Banks. Vol. 2.
Columbus, OH: Macmillan/McGraw-Hill, 2009. 239. Print.
World Time Zones and Countries Map - Department of Neuroscience University of
Wisconsin-Madison. http://www.neurophys.wisc.edu/www/maps/tzone.jpg
World Time Zones Map - Aminath Minna Wordpress.com
https://minnuemaly.files.wordpress.com/2011/09/time_zones.jpg
World Cities Map - Compare Infobase Ltd http://www.mapsofworld.com/world-city-
maps/
World Countries Map - Geology.com http://geology.com/world/world-map.shtml
How To Do This Activity
Read the Background Information.
Familiarize yourself with the five time zone maps.
1. World Time Zones and Continents Map
2. World Time Zones and Countries Map
3. World Time Zones Map
4. World Cities Map
5. World Countries
As a group, work together to answer the Warm Up Questions.
Work through Activity #1 and #2. Use the time zone maps to help
you complete the worksheets.
Work through Activity #3. Use clock spinners and maps to help you
complete the worksheet.
If you have time, work as a group to answer the three Challenge
Questions.
* Notes: Activity #1, #2, and #3 do not necessarily have to be
completed in order, however they are in order of difficulty level.
Also, you might need to use more than one map at a time. Not all of
the maps have countries, cities, and time zones. So you might need
to cross-reference the appropriate maps.
Background Information
Since 1884 the world has been divided into 24 different Time Zones, one
for each hour of the day, 0-24. The Prime Meridian, which passes through
Greenwich, England, starts the day at 0. The time is called Greenwich
Mean Time (GMT).
Greenwich labeled with a green dot.
Image and definition from: Colleary, Kevin, Linda Greenow, Walter Parker C., Emily Schell N.,
and Dinah Zike. The World. By James A. Banks. Vol. 2. Columbus, OH: Macmillan/McGraw-Hill,
2009. 239. Print.)
Warm Up Questions
1. What time is it in your time zone?
2. How many hours are you from GMT?
3. Name a country that is +3 hours from GMT.
4. What is the time difference between Oregon and Madagascar?
5. If it is 8:00 am in Oregon, what time is it in Madagascar?
6. If it is 8:00 am in Madagascar, what time is it in Oregon?
7. If you wanted to travel back in time to yesterday, which direction
would you have to fly over the International Date Line, East or West?
8. If you wanted to travel forward in time to tomorrow, which direction
would you have to fly over the International Date Line? East or
West?
Challenge Questions:
1. If you live in Oregon and you want to call a friend who lives in
Sydney, Australia at 2:30 pm in Australia, what time in Oregon would
you have to make the call?
2. If you got on a plane in Portland, Oregon at 10:00 pm and got off the
plane 11 hours later in Tokyo Japan, what time would it be in Tokyo
when you arrive?
3. If you left Oregon at 7:00 am on June 10th, and drove for 27 hours to
get to Kansas, what time would you arrive in Kansas? What date?
Warm Up Question Answer Key
1. Situational
2. Oregon is -8 hours from GMT
3. Madagascar, Saudi Arabia, Iraq, Yemen, Djibouti.
4. 8 hours
5. 6:00 pm the same day
6. 10:00 pm the day before
7. West
8. East
Challenge Questions Answer Key
1. 8:30 AM Oregon time
2. 12:00 AM (Midnight) in Tokyo
3. 1:00 PM June 11th
Activity #1
Countries That Share a Time Zone
Fill in the 3rd column
Location GMT Another country in this time
Number zone
Midway Island, Samoa GMT -11
Hawaii GMT -10
Alaska GMT -9
Mexico City GMT -6
Brazil GMT -3
GREENWICH, GMT 0
England
Paris GMT +1
South Africa GMT +2
Bangkok, Thailand GMT +7
Beijing, China GMT +8
Tokyo, Japan GMT +9
Auckland, New GMT +12
Zealand
Activity #2
Calculating the Distance Between 2 Places
Calculate the difference (2nd column)
City Number
Stockholm, Sweden and each GMT of Stockholm:
of the following
Difference ( Hours + or - )
Paris, France
Beijing, China
Tokyo, Japan
Los Angeles, California
Iceland
Activity #3
Figuring out GMT and Time Differences
Location #1 Location #2
Spin AM clock. Spin PM clock.
Write time here ____:______. Write time here____:______
GMT________ GMT__________
Time Difference between Location #1 and Location #2 _____________.
____________________________________________________________________________
Location #1 Location #2
Spin AM clock. Spin PM clock.
Write time here ____:______. Write time here____:______
GMT________ GMT__________
Time Difference between Location #1 and Location #2 _____________.
____________________________________________________________________________
Location #1 Location #2
Spin AM clock. Spin PM clock.
Write time here ____:______. Write time here____:______
GMT________ GMT__________
Time Difference between Location #1 and Location #2 _____________.
____________________________________________________________________________
