Mathematics K–6 · Years 1–2
Quarter, half and full turns with bodies and clock hands
Measurement and space
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The idea
A turn is measured by how far round something goes, so two quarter turns make a half turn, four make a full turn, and three quarter turns one way end where one quarter turn the other way ends.
What you need
- 4 signs, one on each classroom wall: door, window, board, cupboard
- 1 geared demonstration clock
- 1 paper-plate turner per learner: a paper plate marked 12, 3, 6 and 9 with a card arrow fixed at the centre by a split pin
- a recording sheet
How to do it
- Stand facing the board. Make a quarter turn clockwise and name the wall you face. Keep making quarter turns until you face the board again, counting them.
- From facing the board, make a half turn clockwise and name the wall. Return, make a half turn anticlockwise and compare.
- Make three quarter turns clockwise and name the wall. Return to the board and make one quarter turn anticlockwise. Compare where each ends.
- On the paper plate, turn the arrow from 12 to 3, from 12 to 6, from 12 to 9 and all the way round. Name each turn.
- On the demonstration clock, turn the minute hand a quarter turn from the 12 and read how many minutes have passed. Repeat for a half turn and a full turn.
- List three everyday turns (a door handle, a tap, a key in a lock) and test whether each is about a quarter, half or full turn.
What you should see
Four quarter turns bring every learner back to the board, and a half turn faces the opposite wall whichever way it is made. Three quarter turns clockwise and one quarter turn anticlockwise end facing the same wall. On the plate, 12 to 3 is a quarter turn, 12 to 6 a half turn, 12 to 9 a three-quarter turn and all the way round a full turn. A quarter turn of the minute hand is 15 minutes, a half turn 30 minutes and a full turn 60 minutes.
What changes
This activity lists no variables to change, measure and keep the same.
Common misconceptions
Each of these ideas is wrong, and the activity is a chance to test it.
- A half turn clockwise and a half turn anticlockwise end in different places.
- A longer clock hand makes a bigger turn than a shorter hand moving the same way.
Safety card
Hazards
- dizziness or bumping into others while turning
- split pins are sharp
Controls
- turn slowly, one quarter turn at a time, with an arm span of space around each learner
- an adult fixes the split pins and bends the legs flat
Note
No chemicals or heat are used, so the NSW Department of Education Chemical Safety in Schools package is not needed; ordinary classroom supervision under the school's usual risk management.
Curriculum references
The NSW syllabus outcomes and Australian Curriculum v9 codes this activity supports. They are references, not a verified or complete curriculum alignment.
- Mathematics K-10 Syllabus (2022), NSW Education Standards AuthorityMA1-2DS-01MAO-WM-01
- Australian Curriculum v9AC9M2M05
Sources
The pages the author read to write this activity.