Time - Time to the hour activity - Planning

In an engaging lesson plan for Year 1 students during their summer term, the focus is on learning to tell the time to the hour. The lesson begins with a starter activity that prompts students to reflect on the importance of time. Using mini whiteboards, a class clock, and individual teaching clocks, the pupils are introduced to key vocabulary such as 'hour', 'minute', 'hand', 'time', and 'o'clock'. The children are encouraged to explore the clock face and identify patterns among the numbers, fostering a fundamental understanding of how a clock is laid out and operates.

The core of the lesson involves a series of hands-on activities. Children draw their own clocks and compare them to the class clock, discussing the similarities and differences. They learn to distinguish between the hour and minute hands, understanding that these 'arrows' point to the relevant numbers at o'clock times. Through partner activities, they practice setting imaginary times on their clocks and discuss their personal routines at different o'clock times, considering whether the time of day affects their activities. To deepen their understanding, they are challenged to identify and correct errors on a clock, reinforcing the significance of hand lengths. The lesson concludes with reflection on the skills used and knowledge gained, ensuring that the concept of telling time to the hour is well grasped.