Overview
This lecture explains the basics of telling time with an analog clock or wristwatch, including the meaning of hours and minutes, and how to read clock hands.
Importance of Learning to Tell Time
- Knowing how to tell time helps organize daily activities like waking up and going to school.
- Being able to read a clock avoids confusion and embarrassment when asked for the time.
Parts of the Clock
- A clock, or watch, is used to tell the time.
- Analog clocks have three hands: the hour hand, minute hand, and second hand.
- For basic time-telling, focus on the hour hand (short, fat hand) and minute hand (long, thin hand).
Understanding Hours and Minutes
- There are 24 hours in one day (12 hours of daytime and 12 hours of nighttime).
- The hour hand points to the hour, and the minute hand points to the minutes past the hour.
- The top of the clock (where 12 is located) is written as "1" and "2" together, not "3."
- The numbers around the clock represent multiples of five for minutes: 1 = 5, 2 = 10, 3 = 15, up to 12 = 60 (which is a full hour).
Reading the Clock
- The hour hand moves slowly from one hour to the next.
- The minute hand moves faster, passing from 0 (12) to 5, 10, 15, 20, 25, 30 (the bottom, called "half past"), and so forth.
- When the minute hand points at a number, it shows minutes past the hour.
- When the hour hand points at a number, it shows the current hour.
- After learning analog clocks, you may get a digital watch, which displays the time using numbers.
Key Terms & Definitions
- Hour hand — the short, thick hand on a clock showing the current hour.
- Minute hand — the long, thin hand indicating how many minutes past the hour.
- Analog clock — a traditional clock with moving hands to show time.
- Digital watch — a watch that shows time with numerical digits.
Action Items / Next Steps
- Practice reading the time on an analog clock using both the hour and minute hands.
- Review the values each clock number represents for minutes (1 = 5 min, 2 = 10 min, etc.).