Name: ____________________________________ Date: _______________
Directions: Use the time zone map to answer the following questions about the before you begin the activity.
1.) If the diameter of the Earth is 360 ̊, and there are 24 time zones, how many degrees are in each time zone? _______________________
2.) Is your answer for number one referring to latitude or longitude?
________________________
3.) Several areas of land are striped. What do the stripes indicate according to the key? _____________________________
Directions: Read the following passage actively. Underline important information and write notes in the margins. Answer the comprehension questions as you read.
Most people think of noon as the time at which the Sun is highest in the sky. In fact, for most locations on Earth, the Sun is not directly overhead when the clock reads noon. It used to be common for each city to keep its own time according to the position of the Sun in the sky. Long train rides, particularly easterly and westerly trips, often required travelers to change their watches several times.
About a century ago, this problem was addressed at an international meeting and twenty-four standard time zones were adopted. All of the clocks in a given time zone are set to the same time, and adjacent time zones (time zones that are next to one another) differ by one hour. Each time zone is centered about a line of longitude, or meridian. Since it takes twenty-four hours for the Earth to rotate (or for the Sun to pass over all of the Earth), and a circle is 360° around, the width of each time zone is one hour or 15° in longitude.
Comprehension Question: How far does the Earth rotate (in degrees) each hour? _______________________________
The establishment of standard time zones is intimately linked with the establishment of the standard grid of latitude and longitude. The prime meridian, corresponding to longitude 0° and passing through Greenwich, England, is the

center of time zone zero. Coordinated Universal Time (UTC) is the time at time zone zero and is often given as a standard time for astronomical and navigational purposes. Since the Earth rotates to the east, time zones to the east of time zone zero are ahead; time zones to the west are behind. Accordingly, the time zone to the west of Greenwich, is centered about the 15°W meridian and is one hour behind (-1) Greenwich. Similarly, the time zone centered about 15°E is one hour ahead (+1) Greenwich.
Comprehension Question: If it is 2pm in Greenwich, England, what time would it be in the time zone to the right (East)? ____________________
Comprehension Question: What time would it be in the time zone directly to the West of the Greenwich time zone? __________________
There are four time zones in North America: Eastern (-5), Central (-6), Mountain (-
7) and Pacific (-8). Alaska and Hawaii are in their own time zone (-8). Between the first Sunday in April and the Last Sunday in October, the United States observes
Daylight Savings Time, during which clocks are set ahead one hour of the standard time for their time zone.
Comprehension Question: The Pacific time zone in the U.S. is directly to the West of the Mountain Time Zone. If it is 11am in the Mountain Time zone, what time is it in the Pacific Time Zone?
_____________________________
Activity:
You will need:

Globe

Post it notes

Pencil

The “24 Standard Time Zones of Earth” handout

Lamp and stand
Directions:
1.
Look at the clock on the wall. Round the current time UP to the nearest half hour. Write the rounded time (include am or pm) on a post-it along

with the word “Boston.” Find Boston on your globe and place the sticky note on it.
2.
Use your new knowledge of time zones to make post-its for the locations listed below based on the time you just got for our time zone. The only longitudinal lines marked on your globe are the time zones lines (every 15 ̊).
Be sure to include the time, am or pm, and the name of the city on each post-it.
1.
2.
3.
Barbados, 13 ̊ N, 59 ̊W
Rio de Jeneiro, Brazil, 22 ̊S, 43 ̊W
Madrid, Spain, 40 ̊N, 3 ̊W
4.
5.
6.
7.
Rome, Italy, 41 ̊N, 12 ̊E
Nairobi, Kenya, 1 ̊S, 26 ̊E
Baghdad, Iraq, 33 ̊N, 44 ̊E
Kabul, Afghanistan, 34 ̊N, 69 ̊E
New Delhi, India, 28 ̊N, 77 ̊E
8.
9.
Hong Kong, China, 22 ̊N, 114 ̊E
10.
Tokyo, Japan, 35 ̊N, 139 ̊E
11.
Sydney, Australia, 33 ̊S, 151 ̊E
12.
Honolulu, Hawaii, 21 ̊N, 157 ̊W
3.
Locate the International Time Line in the Pacific Ocean. Label the line with a post-it.
4.
Use the lamp to simulate the Sun rising across the world. Once you have it, show your teacher. If you get an approval, you may move on to the questions below.

Name: _______________________ Date: ___________ Block: ___
Questions:
Directions: Answer each question in complete sentences.
1.
Why are there 24 time zones?
______________________________________________________
______________________________________________________
______________________________________________________
2.
Imagine that the Earth began to rotate slower and the United
Nations decided to change the time zones to fit the new, slower speed. How should the time zones be changed?
______________________________________________________
______________________________________________________
______________________________________________________
3.
Look at the time zone post-its on either side of the International
Date Line. Why do they call it the International Date Line?
(Hint: think about what would happen if you were on an airplane and you crossed the International Date Line going from West to
East)
______________________________________________________
______________________________________________________
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