Standard

Tell and write time from analog and digital clocks to the nearest five minutes, using a.m. and p.m.

Student language:

• "I can tell time to five minutes."
• "I can understand a.m. and p.m."

Explanation

About the Math, Learning Targets, and Rigor

This standard calls for students to tell (orally and in writing) and write time after reading analog and digital clocks. Time should be to 5 minute intervals, and students should also use the terms a.m. and p.m.

In 1st grade, students learned to tell time to the nearest hour and half-hour. Students build on this understanding in 2nd grade by skip-counting by 5 to recognize 5-minute intervals on the clock. They need exposure to both digital and analog clocks.

Common time phrases:

• "quarter till..."
• "quarter after..."
• "ten till..."
• "ten after..."
• "half past..."

Students should understand that there are 2 cycles of 12 hours in a day - a.m. and p.m. Recording their daily actions in a journal would be helpful for making real-world connections and understanding the difference between these two cycles.

Common Misconceptions

• Some students might confuse the hour and minutes hands. For the time of 3:45, they say the time is 9:15. Also, some students name the numeral closest to the hands, regardless of whether this is appropriate. For instance, for the time of 3:45 they say the time is 3:09 or 9:03.
  • One way to avoid this confusion is to use a one-handed clock to begin telling time. This gets students to focus on the hour hand first. It also helps them understand that the hour hand gives the most significant information when telling time.
• Some students may not place the hour and minute hands in the correct places according to the time. For example, for 3:45, a student may place the hour hand at or close to 3pm when it should be closer to 4.
  • Students should talk about the relationship between the hour and minute hand. Have them focus on the movement and features of the hands on real or geared manipulative clocks.

Resources

Videos

• Khan Academy
  • scroll to find 2.MD.7, click on a skill, watch videos on left side in each skill
• Learn Zillion

EngageNY Lessons

Extra Practice

• North Carolina Tasks
• Illustrative Math Tasks
• Howard County Tasks
  • Click on 2nd grade at bottom, then 2.MD.7
• Common Core Sheets

Released Assessment Questions

Back to 2nd grade homepage

2.MD.7 Student Example