Time - Using a.m. and p.m. - Planning

In the Year 3 curriculum, the second week of Summer term introduces the concept of using a.m. and p.m. to differentiate between morning and afternoon times. The lesson plan is structured to guide children through understanding the 12-hour clock system, with resources such as printed digital time cards, worksheets, and a presentation to aid learning. Key vocabulary terms like 'clock', 'minutes', 'hour', 'past', 'to', 'digital', 'AM', and 'PM' are highlighted, with the website offering vocabulary cards and definitions to support comprehension. The lesson starts with a review of previous learning, asking students to interpret a given time using an analogue clock, and then progresses to teaching the new vocabulary related to different parts of the day, and the Latin origins of 'am' and 'pm'.

Activities are designed to reinforce the vocabulary and concepts introduced, starting with comparing analogue and digital clocks to identify similarities and differences. Children explore the reasons behind having two instances of times like 7:30 in one day and practice representing these times on their analogue clocks. Partner discussions encourage children to sort times and articulate their reasoning. The lesson progresses to address common misconceptions, such as confusion between 'am' and 'pm' and the representation of 'to' times. The plenary involves a 'Give me five' reflection where students assess what they've learned, the skills they've used, and what they found challenging. Differentiated outcomes are set for children working towards, at expected, and at greater depth, focusing on sorting times and representing them on both analogue and digital clocks with varying levels of complexity.