The purpose of this activity is for students to revisit the conventions of telling time learned in grade 1. Students discuss the difference between the hour and minute hands as well as where each hand will be on the clock when showing time to the hour or half hour. They are reminded that the hour hand also moves as the minute hand moves around the circle.

• Display two student clocks for 1:30, or draw and label clocks like these images:

  Tyler

  Mai

  

  

• “Tyler and Mai both draw hands on the clock to show 1:30. Which clock shows 1:30? Explain.” (Tyler’s clock shows 1:30, because Tyler has drawn the hour hand halfway between the 1 and the 2. The minute hand points to 6. It has traveled halfway around the clock, so the hour hand has traveled halfway to the next hour.)
• If possible, demonstrate the movement of both hands with a Judy Clock or use the demonstration video.

The purpose of this activity is for students to make connections between circles that are partitioned into halves and fourths and telling time with halves and quarters of the clock. This sorting task gives students opportunities to use what they know about halves and quarters of circles to closely analyze clock faces, partitioned circles, and the phrases “quarter past,” “half past,” and “quarter till,” and make connections (MP7).

• Display the clock faces for 5:15, 5:30, and 5:45.
• “What times do these clocks show?” (quarter past 5, half past 5, quarter till 6)
• Share and record responses.
• “Look at the hour hand on these 3 clocks. What do you notice about how it moves as the minute hand moves?” (The hour hand moves away from the 5 and closer to the 6.)
• “While the minute hand moves around the whole clock, the hour hand moves from one number to the next. At quarter past, the hour hand has moved a little past one number and toward the next number. At half past, the hour hand is halfway to the next number, and at quarter till, the hour hand is getting close to the next number.”