Timetable Investigators

Overview

Students read and interpret a bus and train timetable to calculate journey durations, compare travel options and use 12- and 24-hour time. The lesson builds on students’ prior knowledge of reading digital clocks and finding elapsed time across the hour.

Learning intentions

• Students will read and interpret bus and train timetables.
• Students will convert between am/pm and 24-hour time.
• Students will calculate and compare journey durations.
• Students will explain which travel option best meets a given need.

Success criteria

• I can find a departure or arrival time in a timetable.
• I can write times using am/pm and 24-hour notation.
• I can calculate how long a journey takes, including when it crosses an hour.
• I can justify my choice of bus or train using timetable evidence.

Curriculum links

• Measuring and comparing duration using 12- and 24-hour time and am/pm notation.
• Solving problems involving duration in everyday contexts.
• Organising, measuring and interpreting time in personal and practical situations.
• Using the language of time to explain and compare events.

Lesson structure (30 minutes)

1. 0–4 min · Hook: Which journey? Teacher displays the timetable mystery opening and shows two possible journeys from School Street to the sports centre: a bus leaving at 3:42 pm and a train leaving at 15:50. Ask, “Which one gets us there first, and how do you know?” Students make a quick prediction and share the information they would need to check.

2. 4–10 min · Model timetable reading. Teacher opens the timetable reading and time-conversion slides and models locating a route, stop, departure time and arrival time. Explicitly connect 3:42 pm with 15:42, explain that 15:42 means 15 hours and 42 minutes after midnight, and demonstrate counting on from 14:48 to 15:20 using an hour jump and minutes. Students identify the relevant row and column on a displayed sample timetable and explain each step to a partner.

3. 10–13 min · Guided calculation. Teacher uses the worked-duration example to solve: “A train leaves at 16:18 and arrives at 16:53. How long is the journey?” Record the jump from 16:18 to 16:30, then to 16:53, highlighting 12 + 23 = 35 minutes. Students solve a second example on mini whiteboards: “A bus leaves at 08:45 and arrives at 09:12,” then hold up their answers for a quick check.

4. 13–23 min · Paired timetable investigation. Teacher distributes the bus and train timetable investigation and opens the paired investigation instructions. Students work in nine pairs, using the fictional timetable to answer questions such as: identify the next service after a given time; convert selected times between notation systems; calculate journey durations; and compare two routes. Partners must underline timetable evidence and show a calculation, rather than giving an answer only. Teacher circulates, checking that students distinguish departure from arrival and support accurate counting across an hour.

5. 23–27 min · Compare and justify. Teacher displays the comparison discussion prompt: “You must arrive before 5:00 pm and want the shortest journey. Which service should you choose?” Students compare their answers with another pair, discuss any differences and prepare one sentence using the frame: “I would choose ___ because it leaves at ___, arrives at ___ and takes ___ minutes.”

6. 27–30 min · Exit check. Teacher displays the exit-check slide and asks students to complete the final item on the bus and train timetable investigation: “A train leaves at 17:36 and arrives at 18:04. How long is the journey? Write both times in am/pm notation.” Students submit their responses as they leave.

Resources

• the bus and train timetable investigation deck
• the bus and train timetable investigation
• Mini whiteboards, markers and erasers
• Display or interactive whiteboard
• Pencils and highlighters
• Class clock or projected analogue clock
• Timer

Assessment

• During modelling, check whether students can locate the correct route, stop, departure and arrival columns.
• Use mini-whiteboard responses and circulation during paired work to identify errors with 12-/24-hour conversion or counting across an hour.
• Use the exit check to assess duration calculation, notation conversion and the ability to show a clear method.

Differentiation

• Support students with a colour-coded timetable, highlighted departure and arrival columns, a number line from the starting time, and the sentence frame provided during discussion.
• Pair students strategically and allow students who need it to use a class clock or write intermediate times, such as 16:18 → 16:30 → 16:53.
• For EAL/D students, pre-teach and display departure, arrival, service, route, duration, earlier and later; read the worksheet directions aloud and model one example.
• Extend confident students by asking them to find the earliest arrival, compare two routes with a transfer, or explain why the fastest service is not always the most suitable choice.