Clock it up
This is a level 2 measurement strand activity from the Figure It Out series. It is focused on telling the time on analogue clocks. A PDF of the student activity is included.
About this resource
Figure It Out is a series of 80 books published between 1999 and 2009 to support teaching and learning in New Zealand classrooms.
This resource provides the teachers’ notes and answers for one activity from the Figure It Out series. A printable PDF of the student activity can be downloaded from the materials that come with this resource.
Specific learning outcomes:
- Tell the time on analogue clocks.
Clock it up
Achievement objectives
GM2-1: Create and use appropriate units and devices to measure length, area, volume and capacity, weight (mass), turn (angle), temperature, and time.
Required materials
- Figure It Out, Level 2–3, Measurement, "Shopping around", page 17
- calculator
See Materials that come with this resource to download:
- Clock it up activity (.pdf)
Activity
Activity 1
Following the instructions to fold a circle into 12 equal parts is valuable in that it reinforces the need for the numbers on a clock to be evenly spaced. Some card is difficult to flatten after folding, so students may need to stick the circle to firm card in order to make a clock they can use. A hole punch helps to make holes for the split pin in both the hands and the clock face.
Activity 2
This activity illustrates the connection between movement and position in geometry and measurement of time.
Although the clocks the students have made are measured in 5 minute marks, point out that the marks around the clock face of most clocks show a period of 1 minute when measured by the minute hand. Encourage students to count the passage of time as the minute hand rotates, with particular emphasis on the 5 minute count as the minute hand meets each face number, “5 past, 10 past, 15 past, 20 past …” This can be matched to digital time, “1:05, 1:10, 1:15, 1:20 …”, using digit cards placed on a ":" frame.
Once 30 minutes (half past) is reached, students must learn to count down to the hour, initially by fives. So the count progresses:
- half past 1 (or 1:30), 25 to 2, 20 to 2, quarter to 2 …
An interesting question is,
- Why is "15 minutes to" more commonly called quarter to?
Similarly, students must realise that the hour hand moves over the same marks but its travel to each face number takes place over the period of one hour. Most classroom clocks have setting knobs on the back that can be used to demonstrate the relationship between the passage of the minute and hour hands.
Ask questions such as
- As the big (minute) hand turns all the way around, how far does the small hand travel?
- What will be the time on this clock 1 hour later?
- What about 30 minutes earlier?
Activity 1
Teacher to check.
Activity 2
2–3.
Answers will vary.
Activity 3
a. 25 to 7 or 6:35
b. 25 past 7 or 7:25
c. 20 to 10 or 9:40
d. 5 past 8 or 8:05
e. 10 past 10 or 10:10
f. 10 to 1or 12:50
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