Mastering Telling Time

Overview

A 10-lesson unit designed for Year 4 SEND students to develop their understanding of time from the basics to telling time with increasing precision. The lessons use multisensory resources, including real clocks with movable hands and a digital-analogue matching game, to support varied learning needs and styles. The content aligns with the national curriculum requirements and progressively builds time-telling skills, focusing on fluency and confidence.

---

National Curriculum Links (Year 4 - England)

Mathematics – Measurement:

• Pupils should be taught to:
  • Read, write and convert time between analogue and digital 12-hour and 24-hour clocks.
  • Solve problems involving converting from hours to minutes; minutes to seconds; years to months; weeks to days.

SEND Considerations:

• Scaffold learning with concrete resources (manipulatives, visual aids).
• Use repetition, multisensory activities, and personalised support to meet diverse needs.
• Emphasise understanding through practical, real-life contextual tasks.

---

Unit Breakdown (10 Lessons, 1 Minute Each)

Lesson 1: What is Time?

Objective: Understand the concept of time and recognise the clock as a time-telling tool.
Activity: Introduce real analogue clocks. Explore clock parts (face, hands). Set the hour hand to different hours, say the time aloud together.
Assessment: Ask students to point to the hour hand on their clock when told a time.

---

Lesson 2: Hours on the Hour

Objective: Read and say time to the hour on analogue clocks.
Activity: Use clocks to set times on the hour (1:00, 3:00). Play “Simon Says” with times on the hour.
Assessment: Students set clocks to teacher’s verbally given hour times.

---

Lesson 3: Half Past on the Clock

Objective: Read and say time to half past the hour.
Activity: Demonstrate the minute hand at 6 (half past) with the hour hand between numbers. Students practice moving hands and saying times.
Assessment: Show analogue clocks; students identify and say half past times.

---

Lesson 4: Quarter Past and Quarter To

Objective: Recognise and say quarter past and quarter to times.
Activity: Using movable clocks, students position hands for quarter past and quarter to, verbalising the time.
Assessment: Matching game: match digital “quarter past/to” times to analogue clock faces.

---

Lesson 5: Minutes Past and To

Objective: Read time in 5-minute increments past and to the hour.
Activity: Move minute hand in increments of 5. Play a clock-building relay: set time given on flashcards.
Assessment: Recognise and say times shown on analogue clocks that are 5-minute multiples.

---

Lesson 6: Digital Clocks Introduction

Objective: Read 12-hour digital clock times and link to analogue equivalents.
Activity: Comparison activity with real analogue clocks and digital flashcards. Introduce digital clocks displaying same times.
Assessment: Students match digital times to analogue clocks using a physical matching game.

---

Lesson 7: Seconds and Duration

Objective: Understand seconds and short time durations.
Activity: Use stopwatches and timers for simple time trials (e.g., how long to write name). Link seconds to clock’s second hand movement.
Assessment: Students predict and measure durations with timers.

---

Lesson 8: Converting Hours and Minutes

Objective: Convert hours to minutes confidently and vice versa.
Activity: Use number lines and clocks to convert times (e.g., 2 hours = 120 minutes). Practise with real-life scenarios (e.g., duration of a TV show).
Assessment: Simple problems converting between hours and minutes.

---

Lesson 9: 24-Hour Clock Basics

Objective: Understand the 24-hour clock and convert 12-hour to 24-hour times.
Activity: Story-based context around day and night activities with 24-hour format. Use visual tables to convert and match times.
Assessment: Match 12-hour digital times to 24-hour digital and analogue clocks.

---

Lesson 10: Time Matching Game & Review

Objective: Consolidate learning through interactive game and self-assessment.
Activity: Students use sets of cards with digital and analogue times to create matches in pairs. Real clocks are moved to confirm understanding.
Assessment: Observation checklist on student fluency and correctness during the game; peer/self assessment checklists.

---

Resources

• Real analogue clocks with movable hour and minute hands (one per student)
• Digital time flashcards (printed)
• Matching game cards (analogue faces and digital times)
• Timers and stopwatches
• Number lines for conversion activities
• Visual aids with labelled clock parts and quarter-hour markers
• Worksheets differentiated for SEND needs and comprehension levels

---

Differentiation Strategies

• For students struggling with basics: focus on hour and half past activities, using bigger clock faces and tactile interaction.
• For more advanced learners: introduce 24-hour time and time conversion challenges.
• Provide visual supports (colour-coded hands, labelled clocks) and verbal prompts as needed.
• Include repetition and multi-modal explanations (oral, visual, kinaesthetic).

---

Assessment and Feedback

• Formative, ongoing through observation during activities and games.
• Use simple self/peer checklists with smiley faces or thumbs-up/down to allow SEND pupils to express confidence and understanding levels.
• Summative feedback at lesson 10 with practical demonstration and game participation.

---

This detailed, interactive unit plan ensures that all students, regardless of SEND level, build a solid, scaffolded understanding of time concepts consistent with the National Curriculum for Year 4. The multi-sensory, hands-on approach alongside personalised assessment provides a rich, inclusive learning environment.