Mathematics K–6 · Years 3–4

Reading time to the minute and timing what happens between

Measurement and space

Practical, model not builtLow risk

This site has no interactive model of its own. Where a step or a material names a Concept Studio model, simulation or tool, it has not been built; an external simulation a step names (for example PhET) is not part of this site.

The idea

The minute hand moves one small mark each minute and the hour hand moves with it, so a time can be read to the minute and the time between two readings can be counted.

What you need

a geared demonstration clock with minute marks
a stopwatch
a digital clock or a tablet showing the time in hours and minutes
a class timetable for the day

How to do it

Count the small marks between two numerals on the clock face, find that there are 4 and that the numerals are therefore 5 minutes apart, then count round the whole face to check there are 60 minute marks. Set the clock to 10:47 by turning the minute hand and read it aloud.
Read the analog and digital clocks together at three moments during the lesson and write each time both ways.
Set the geared clock at 10:47, turn it to 11:23 and count the minutes as you go: 13 to reach 11:00, then 23 more. Record the elapsed time.
Start the stopwatch at one reading of the wall clock and stop it at the next; compare the stopwatch minutes with the difference between the two readings.
Use the timetable to find how long recess lasts and how long from now until lunch, in hours and minutes, then convert to minutes.

What you should see

There are 4 small marks between one numeral and the next, so each numeral is 5 minutes on from the one before and the face carries 60 minute marks in all. From 10:47 to 11:23 is 13 plus 23, which is 36 minutes, and the stopwatch confirms the wall-clock difference to within a minute of reading error. At 10:47 the hour hand sits most of the way from 10 to 11, so a reader who takes it as 11 gets 11:47 and corrects the error by looking at the minute hand. A timetable period of 1 hour 10 minutes converts to 70 minutes (60 plus 10).

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.

The hour hand reads as the numeral it is nearest to, even when it has not reached it.
Time differences are found by subtracting the digits as if there were 100 minutes in an hour.

Safety card

Low riskLearners carry it out

Hazards

none beyond ordinary classroom materials

Controls

none needed

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 AuthorityMA2-NSM-02 MAO-WM-01
Australian Curriculum v9AC9M3M03AC9M3M04AC9M4M03

Sources

The pages the author read to write this activity.

All Concept Studio activities