Color-Coded Time

This lesson introduces telling time to the minute using the analog and digital clocks. The hands are color-coded to assist with hour and minute hand discrimination. The student will use the time on the digital clock, which can then be transferred to the more difficult analog clock.

A lesson plan for grade 3 Mathematics

By Anne Clodfelter

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Learning outcomes

The goal of this lesson is to teach the students to transfer the numbers read from the color-coded digital clock face to the color-coded analog clock in order to tell time to the minute.

Teacher planning

Time required for lesson

45 minutes

Materials/resources

Small, manipulative mini-clocks for the students with a red hour hand and blue minute hand. One large demonstration clock for the teacher. The clocks can be teacher made or commercially purchased. The digital clock is represented by index cards with the clock face, consisting of numbers and the colon. Guided practice will require digital clock faces on cards and the manipulative analog clocks. Worksheet practice will require clock faces to be drawn on the page without the hands present. Teacher made assessment can be in written form, or group and individual demonstration.

Technology resources

Clocks available from:
Learning Resources, Inc.
Vernon Hills, IL.
1-800-222-3909

Pre-activities

The students will be able:

• To count by 5’s using the numbers on the analog clock face and tell time to 5 minute intervals.
• To add one, two, or three to a number less than 59, ex. 55 +2= 57.
• To recognize and discriminate the red and blue hands as hour and minute hands.
• To recognize which direction is clockwise motion.
• To read the numbers on the digital clock face, such as 1:30 or 1:35, etc.

Activities

The teacher will demonstrate with mini clocks and/or digital clock cards:

1. The students will review counting by fives around the analog clock face.
2. Clockwise rotation of the clock hands.
3. Red is the hour hand and the black is the minute hand.
4. Digital clock face is red for hour (colon): black for minute.
5. Teacher demonstrates with the large clock on five minute intervals, and the students are asked to add one to the number. (For example, 1:35 plus one equals 1:36). Students demonstrate with the mini clocks.
6. Match the digital clock cards with a mini clock on the five minute intervals.
7. Use digital clock card face with hour and specific minutes to set the mini clock to match. (see attachment below)
8. Counting by 5’s clockwise motion and add (+1) or add(+2) to set the clock accurately to the minute (ex., 1:31, or 1:32).

Guided Practice

1. Worksheets for the students to make the digital clock cards match the analog mini clock. (see attachement)
2. Hands on a clock are provided and the students must write the correct time to the minute on the digital clock line.
3. Any combination of transferring time in analog and digital forms using the color-coded concept.

Assessment

Hands on a clock are provided and the students must write the correct time to the minute on the digital clock line.

Teacher shows a time to the minute on the demostration clock and the students must write the correct time on their paper as a digital clock face, for example: ___:___ (hour is written in red and minute is written in blue)

Supplemental information

Creative Publications

Windows on Math ( Grades: Prek-2)
788 Palomar Avenue
Sunnyvale, CA 94086
Copyright, 1987

Attachments:

• Assessment 1
• Assessment 2
• Guide

Related websites

http://www.funbrain.com
This site contains educational games for K-8.

http://www.thinkquest.org/library/
This site contains further links to educational resources by subject.

Comments

Extension Activities:
The teacher states a hypothetical time word problem and have the students solve using the mini clocks in analog or digital.
(For example) Johnny arrived at the bus stop at 2:35. If he boarded the bus two minutes later, what time did he board?