Grade by Grade
E. Spatial Sense · 3D Objects, Directions and Measurement

Telling Time: Clocks and Timers

E2.6About 40 minutes
Learning goals
  • I can tell time to the minute on an analog clock.
  • I can read and write time on a digital clock.
  • I can use the second hand and read seconds on a digital clock.
  • I can read a timer that counts down and a stopwatch that counts up.

Words to know

analog clock
A clock with a round face, numbers 1 to 12 and hands that move around.
digital clock
A clock that shows the time with numbers only, like 4:25.
hour hand
The short hand. It shows the hour.
minute hand
The long hand. It shows the minutes. Each number it points to means 5 more minutes.
second hand
The thin hand that moves quickly. It goes around once every minute (60 seconds).
timer
A tool that counts down to zero, like an oven timer.
stopwatch
A tool that counts up from zero to measure how long something takes.

Remember from Grade 2

  • The short hand is the hour hand. The long hand is the minute hand.
  • When the minute hand points to 12, it is o'clock. When it points to 6, it is half past.
  • 60 seconds = 1 minute and 60 minutes = 1 hour.

This year you will tell time to the exact minute, read digital clocks, and use seconds and timers.

Let's start with the school bus

The school bus comes at 8:20. If you get to the stop at 8:30, you've missed it! Reading the time exactly, to the minute, helps you be on time for the bus, a hockey practice or a favourite show.

Reading the minute hand

The clock face has 60 small marks around the edge, one for each minute. Between two numbers there are 5 marks, so each number stands for 5 minutes.

  • To find the minutes, count by 5s from the 12 to the last number the minute hand passed.
  • Then count on by 1s for each small mark after that.
123456789101112510152025Hour hand: past 4Minute hand: count by 5s5, 10, 15, 20, 254:25
4:25. The hour hand has passed the 4. The minute hand points to the 5: count by 5s to get 25 minutes.
Worked example

Example 1: Read the clock

Read the time on the clock above.

  1. Hour hand first. The short hand is between the 4 and the 5. The last number it passed is 4.
  2. Minute hand next. The long hand points to the 5. Count by 5s: 5, 10, 15, 20, 25.
  3. Write the hour, a colon, then the minutes.

The time is 4:25 (four twenty-five, or 25 minutes after 4).

123456789101112Hour hand: almost at 8,but not past it, so 7Minute hand: 50 at the 10,then 2 more marks: 527:52
7:52. The hour hand is almost at the 8 but has not reached it, so the hour is still 7.
Worked example

Example 2: A tricky one

Read the time on this clock.

  1. The hour hand is very close to the 8. Be careful! It has not passed the 8 yet, so the hour is 7.
  2. The minute hand is just past the 10. Count by 5s up to the 10: 5, 10, 15, 20, 25, 30, 35, 40, 45, 50.
  3. Count the small marks past the 10 by 1s: 51, 52.

The time is 7:52. In 8 more minutes it will be 8:00.

The hour hand moves too

The hour hand moves slowly between the numbers as the minutes go by. At 4:00 it points right at the 4. At 4:30 it is halfway between 4 and 5. Near 4:55 it is almost at 5. The hour is the last number the hour hand passed.

Digital clocks

A digital clock shows the time with numbers. The number before the colon (:) is the hour. The numbers after the colon are the minutes.

The minutes always use 2 digits. Five minutes after 4 is written 4:05, and we say "four oh five".

4:25four twenty-five4:05four oh five12:30twelve thirtyhours : minutes
Digital times: 4:25 (four twenty-five), 4:05 (four oh five), 12:30 (twelve thirty).
DigitalWordsMinute hand points to
3:00three o'clock12
3:15quarter past three3
3:30half past three6
3:45quarter to four9
3:50ten minutes to four10
Different ways to say the time.
Worked example

Example 3: Show a time

Where do the hands go for 10:40?

  1. Minutes: 40 = 8 fives (5, 10, 15, 20, 25, 30, 35, 40). The minute hand points to the 8.
  2. Hour: it is after 10:00 but before 11:00. 40 minutes is more than half an hour, so the hour hand is between 10 and 11, closer to 11.

Minute hand on the 8. Hour hand between the 10 and the 11, a bit closer to the 11.

Seconds

Many analog clocks have a third hand: the thin, fast second hand. It goes all the way around once every minute (60 seconds). Each small mark is 1 second for the second hand.

Some digital clocks show seconds too: 2:10:40 means 2 hours, 10 minutes and 40 seconds.

1234567891011123:25 and 40 seconds3:25:40hours : minutes : secondsThe thin hand is thesecond hand.
This clock shows 3:25 and 40 seconds. The thin second hand points to the 8 (count by 5s: 40).

Timers and stopwatches

  • A timer counts down to zero. A microwave set to 1:30 (1 minute 30 seconds) goes 1:29, 1:28 ... all the way to 0:00, then beeps.
  • A stopwatch counts up from 0:00. You start it when a race begins and stop it at the finish line.

On many timers, the number before the colon is minutes and the number after is seconds.

Worked example

Example 4: A timer

A timer for brushing teeth is set to 2:00. After 1 minute, what will it show? When does brushing stop?

  1. The timer counts down. 2 minutes take away 1 minute leaves 1 minute.
  2. So it shows 1:00.
  3. When it reaches 0:00, the 2 minutes are over.

It shows 1:00 after 1 minute. Brushing stops at 0:00.

a.m. and p.m.

The clock shows 7:00 twice a day! a.m. means the morning hours (after midnight, before noon). p.m. means after noon. 7:00 a.m. is breakfast time; 7:00 p.m. is evening.

Just for fun

Why are clocks so shy?

They always keep their hands in front of their faces!

Hands-on activity

Make a clock and time challenges

You need: a paper plate, a marker, paper for two hands (one short, one long), a paper fastener, and a timer or stopwatch (on a phone or kitchen timer).

Grown-up note: a grown-up should poke the hole for the paper fastener. Paper fastener points are sharp.

  1. Write 12, 3, 6 and 9 on the plate first, then fill in the other numbers.
  2. Attach the hands in the middle with the paper fastener.
  3. A grown-up says a time like 5:35. You show it. Check: is the hour hand past the 5?
  4. Take turns: you show a time, a grown-up reads it.
  5. Timer challenges: How many times can you jump in 30 seconds? Use a stopwatch to time how long it takes to put on your snow pants, boots and jacket!

Math talk: "Why is the hour hand not exactly on the 5 at 5:35?"

123456789101112A123456789101112B123456789101112C123456789101112D
Clocks A, B, C and D for Your turn.

Your turn

1

What time does clock A show?

2

What time does clock B show?

3

What time does clock C show?

4

What time does clock D show?

5

How would a digital clock show 9 minutes after 2?

6

A timer is set to 5:00. Does it count up or down?

7

How many seconds does it take the second hand to go all the way around?

123456789101112E123456789101112F123456789101112G123456789101112H
Clocks E, F, G and H for the warm-up.

More practice: warm-up

1

What time does clock E show?

2

What time does clock F show?

3

What time does clock G show?

4

What time does clock H show?

5

Which hand is longer: the hour hand or the minute hand?

123456789101112I123456789101112J123456789101112K
Clocks I, J and K for more practice and the challenge.

More practice: on your own

1

What time does clock I show?

2

What time does clock J show?

3

Where does the minute hand point at 6:35?

4

A stopwatch shows 0:45 when Ella finishes her race. How long did she take?

5

Write quarter to six as a digital time.

Challenge

1

What time does clock K show? Why might someone read it wrong?

2

A microwave timer shows 1:30. After 30 seconds, what does it show? After 1 more minute?

3

The minute hand is on the 9 and the hour hand is between the 3 and the 4, very close to the 4. What time is it? Say it two ways.

Check your understanding

Quiz

1.

The hour hand is between the 2 and 3. The minute hand points to the 4. What time is it?

2.

Each number on the clock stands for how many minutes on the minute hand?

3.

How do you write seven minutes after 9 on a digital clock?

4.

The hour hand is almost at 6 (but not past it). The minute hand is 2 marks past the 11. What time is it?

5.

A stopwatch ...

6.

Which time is quarter past 8?

7.

How many seconds are in 1 minute?

For parents and teachers

Big idea: Children tell time in hours, minutes and seconds using analog clocks, digital clocks and timers (Ontario E2.6). Grade 2 focused on how long events take and on o'clock and half past; now children read times to the minute.

Common difficulties:

  • Reading the hour from the closest number. At 7:52 the hour hand is nearly at 8, but the hour is still 7. Teach "the last number the hour hand passed".
  • Mixing up the hands. Have your child find the long (minute) hand first, or the hour hand first, the same way every time.
  • Writing minutes with one digit (9:7 instead of 9:07).
  • Counting by 5s. Practise counting by 5s around a real clock face.

Safety: a grown-up should make the hole for the paper fastener.

How to help: Have an analog clock visible at home and ask "What time is it?" several times a day. Use a kitchen timer for chores and let your child watch it count down.