Measurement: Telling Time

Using analog and digital clocks

What students should be able to do.

Students should be able to read both a digital clock display and an analog clock (one with hands).

Third grade students should be able to tell time an analog clock is showing to the nearest 5 minutes.

Fourth grade students need to able to tell time to the nearest minute.

Students should be able to match a digital clock display to an analog clock that shows the same time.

Reading an analog clock

What time does the clock show?

The shorter of the two hands on this clock is the hour hand. The minute hand is longer.

When the minute hand is on 12, we read that time as “o’clock”.

This clock is showing 8:00, or “eight o’clock”.

Reading an analog clock.

What time does this clock show?

The hour hand is between the 8 and the 9. The minutes can be counted by fives using the numbers on the clock beginning at the 12.

The time shown is 8:30, or “half-past eight.”

Reading an analog clock

Times where the minute hand is between the 12 and the 6 are read as after or past.

This clock shows a “quarter past 3 o’clock” or 3:15

Times where the minute hand is on its way back up to 12 from 6 are read as before or ’til.

This clock shows a “quarter ‘til 3 o’clock” or 2:45

Practice telling time.

What time does the clock show?

Let’s check your answer.

Practice telling time.

ANSWER:

The time shown is 3:30.

The hour hand is between 3 and 4, so it’s not yet 4:00.

Half the clock face is 30 minutes. So, it’s 30 minutes past 3:00, or 3:30.

Practice telling time.

What time does the clock show?

Let’s check your answer.

Practice telling time.ANSWER.The time shown is 10:50.

The hour hand is between 10 and 11, so it’s still in the tenth hour.

Counting by 5’s beginning at 12 and ending at 10 (1 is 5 minutes, 2 is 10 minutes, 3 is 15 minutes, …) makes 50 minutes.

The time can also be read as “ten minutes ‘til 11:00”.

Match the digital times to the analog clocks.

______ 9:45

______ 7:45

______ 8:15

A

B

C

ANSWERS

__B__ 9:45

__A__ 7:45

__C__ 8:15

A

B

C

Summary

Students should be able to read both a digital and an analog clock.

Students should be able to match a digital clock display to an analog clock showing the same time.

Third grade students need to be able to tell time to the nearest 5 minutes. Fourth graders should be able to tell time to the minute.