40 Minute Timer
Forty minutes for exams and long work sessions.
Activity
Time
Station rotations
4 × 40 minutes, 60s to switch · 40 minutes total
Press Show to class for the board or projector. The disc shrinks and turns yellow, then red. Space starts and pauses. The screen stays awake while the timer runs.
Time's up!
Great work, everyone.
What a 40 minute timer is good for in class
- A test or exam section.
- A full workshop period: mini-lesson, work time and share.
- Long-form writing such as an essay draft.
Running one of these every day? See the test timer and writing timer for set-up tips.
How the 40 minute timer looks on the board
The disc starts full and shrinks clockwise. Its colour tells the class how much time is left, even from the back of the room:
| Disc | Clock shows | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| Green | From 40:00 down to 20:00 | More than half the time left |
| Yellow | From 20:00 down to 8:00 | Less than half left |
| Red | The last 8 minutes | Final 20 percent |
Sounds
- A soft two-note warning chime at 1:00 left (you can turn it off).
- Three short blips at 0:03, 0:02 and 0:01.
- A rising end chime, “Time's up!” on the board and a burst of confetti (skipped if your device is set to reduce motion).
Splitting 40 minutes into parts
For a long session, Station rotations can split the time into parts with a short break between them. Some ways to divide 40 minutes of work, with 2 minute breaks added between parts:
| Parts | Each | Breaks | Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2 | 20 min | 2 min | 42:00 |
| 3 | 13 min | 4 min | 43:00 |
| 4 | 10 min | 6 min | 46:00 |
Questions teachers ask
When does a 40 minute timer turn red?
With 8:00 left. It turns yellow at 20:00, and the warning chime plays at 1:00.
How do I start a 40 minute timer?
This page is already set to 40:00. Press Start or the space bar. To put it on the board, press Show to class: the controls disappear and the timer fills the screen. Tap the screen to pause, press Esc to exit.
What sounds does the 40 minute timer make?
A warning chime at 1:00 left, then 3-2-1 blips and an end chime. Sound only starts after you press a button, and the speaker button mutes everything.