Last night my daughters said, “but it’s still sunny outside” when we told them it was time for dinner. It was then that I remembered that daylight saving time begins next weekend. So next weekend it will be even brighter outside when we start dinner. Not to mention that next Sunday my daughters who already wake up early will wake up even earlier. 

I’ll do my best to explain daylight saving time to my daughters, but they might still be a little too young to fully grasp the concept. That said, if you or your students are wondering why we have to change our clocks next weekend, here are few short explanations.

Daylight Saving Time Explained

Daylight Saving Time 101

Daylight Saving Time Explained

TED-Ed has two lessons that aren’t specifically about Daylight Saving Time but are related to the topic. First, The History of Keeping Time explains sundials, hourglasses, and the development of timezones. Second, How Did Trains Standardize Time in the United States? explains the role of railroads in the development of the timezones used in the United States (and most of Canada) today.