Seconds, Minutes and Hours - PowerPoint

In a Year 1 mathematics resource, students are introduced to the basic units of time: seconds, minutes, and hours. The concept of time is compared to other measurable quantities such as length, weight, and volume to help young learners grasp its significance. The resource starts by explaining that a second is the shortest unit of time, demonstrating its brevity with the example that world-class athletes can complete a 100-metre sprint in less than 10 seconds. Students are encouraged to experience the duration of 10 seconds themselves using a stopwatch. This practical approach is intended to help solidify their understanding of how quickly seconds pass.

Moving on from seconds, the next unit of time covered is the minute, which is composed of 60 seconds. Learners are prompted to think about activities they can perform in a minute, such as standing on one leg or writing their name, and to time themselves doing these tasks. The concept of an hour is then introduced, with an hour being equivalent to 60 minutes. To visualise this, students learn that when the long hand on a clock completes a full circle, an hour has passed. The educational material includes interactive questions and activities that allow students to apply their knowledge of time units to everyday scenarios, such as the length of school breaks, the duration of a football match, and typical daily activities like brushing teeth or sleeping at night. The resource also provides worksheets for further practice, where students can answer questions and choose the appropriate unit of time for different activities.