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An alternative to clock buddies, fraction partners is useful in upper elementary and middle school math classes. It gets students excited about partner work, and it helps reinforce equivalent fractions! Edit to fit your classroom needs (fewer fractions, decimals, integers only, negative numbers, etc.).

Program I get this idea: Clock buddies are chosen by giving each student a clock handout with a blank line next to each hour. Each student then goes to classmates to find a buddy for each hour. If Mike goes to Joe, Joe signs Mike's clock at ___PM and Mike signs Joe's clock for the same time.

A simple and useful way to match learners together in pairs or small groups is to get them lined up and then ask them to go in order of height (from smallest to tallest – a good way to review superlatives). You can then put them together with the student next to them or reorganise them into small groups.

Clock Buddies is meant to be a quick and easy way to create pairs for partnered activities while avoiding the problem of kids always having the SAME partners. It begins with a clock face, with slots for names extending from each hour on the dial.

Here's how Clock Partners works: Students take their page, walk around the room and find 12 different partners. They each write their partner's name on the same line. For example, if I'm partnering with you at 12, I write my name on your page at 12, and you write your name on my page at 12.