Telling Time

Many students learn to tell time using a digital clock, but students still need to learn to read analog clocks, clocks with hands on a dial. However, telling time on an analog clock can be tricky because students confuse the hour when the small hand is moving closer to the next hour. Also, telling time using the minute hand, the student needs to know that the number 1 on the clock means 5 minutes, 2 means 10 minutes, 6 means half-past, or 9 means quarter to. Students will use hands-on, interactive activities to learn telling time.

Students need to understand how the spaces between the numbers work on an analog clock. We don’t say, “what is the hour hand pointing to. That will confuse students when the minutes are on the left side of the clock. Instead, use the words, “which number owns the space?” when the hour hand is resting in the space. This skill will help when students are reading clocks and the hand moving close to the next hour. We begin by reading a clock with colored spaces that include the number within the space. Next, we fade out the number within the space. Finally, use a clock with no color, so students can color in the space to identify the correct hour when the hand falls between two numbers. We practice identifying the hour before the minute hand is taught.

When students can identify the space for each number on the clock, they are ready to tell the time to the hour.

1. Tell and write time to the hour

2. Tell and write time to the half-hour

3. Tell and write time to the hour and half-hour (mixed)

Students should recognize that the hour hand is shorter than the minute hand. When learning to tell time to the half-hour, students need to remember which number the hour space belongs to. Students usually move through telling time to the hour and half hour quickly. Spend time on analog clocks that mix the hour and half-hour times. Students have to shift their thinking to make a decision about which hour to choose.

Students learn the difference between am and pm and the different types of activities that would be happening at different times of the day. This helps them become more aware of time in their everyday lives.

A quarter past

A quarter to

Half-past

Noon

Midnight

4. Tell and write time to quarter after the hour

5. Tell and write time to quarter to the hour

6. Tell and write time to the quarter-hour

7. Tell and write time to the 5-minute interval

8. Tell and write time to the 10-minute interval

9. Tell and write time to the minute

Students will learn to measure time intervals in minutes. Students will use what they know about time in order to elapsed time. Elapsed time is the amount of time between one time and another. This needs to be done carefully and taught step by step adding new information slowly. Four strategies are taught to tell elapsed time.