Telling Time Spanish

Overview

This 45-minute Spanish language lesson helps 7th graders learn to tell time on the hour and after the hour in Spanish. Students will respond to questions "¿Qué hora es?" and "¿A qué hora?" using correct sentence structures. The lesson includes cultural time expressions like "en punto," "de la tarde," "de la mañana," "de la noche," "mañana por la mañana," "madrugada," "y cuarto," and "y media."

The lesson aligns with the Common Core State Standards for English Language Arts (integrated with World Languages standards) by developing language comprehension, speaking, listening, and practical conversational skills relevant for communication in Spanish.

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Common Core State Standards Alignment

CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.SL.7.1:
Engage effectively in a range of collaborative discussions with diverse partners on grade 7 topics, texts, and issues, building on others’ ideas and expressing their own clearly.

CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.L.7.4:
Determine or clarify the meaning of unknown and multiple-meaning words and phrases based on grade 7 reading and content, choosing flexibly from a range of strategies.

CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.SL.7.6:
Adapt speech to a variety of contexts and tasks, demonstrating command of formal English when appropriate. (Can be adapted for Spanish oral language use.)

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Learning Objectives

By the end of this lesson, students will be able to:

• Correctly tell time on the hour and after the hour in Spanish.
• Understand and correctly respond to the questions ¿Qué hora es? and ¿A qué hora?
• Explain when to use "son las" versus "es la."
• Use time-related expressions such as en punto, de la tarde, de la noche, de la mañana, mañana por la mañana, madrugada, y cuarto, and y media in context.
• Participate in paired oral practice to simulate real-life time-related conversations.

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Materials

• Projector and presentation slides (prepared in advance)
• Printed worksheet (includes vocabulary, practice questions, and a short writing activity)
• Whiteboard and markers
• Timer for controlled activities
• Flashcards with times and expressions for quick drills

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Lesson Procedure

1. Warm-Up (5 minutes)

• Greet students and review numbers 1-12 in Spanish.
• Quick oral drill: Teacher points randomly at numbers on the board, students say the Spanish number aloud.
• Introduce today’s topic: telling time. Display written questions ¿Qué hora es? and ¿A qué hora?

2. Introduction to Telling Time Phrases (8 minutes)

• Present slide with "son las" and "es la". Explain:
  • Use "es la" for 1:00 o’clock (singular hour)
  • Use "son las" for all other hours (plural hours).
• Show examples on slide:
  • Es la una en punto. (It is 1:00 sharp.)
  • Son las dos y cuarto. (It is 2:15.)
• Teach time expressions: en punto, y cuarto, y media. Write each on the board with English meanings and examples.
• Introduce parts of the day with expressions: de la mañana, de la tarde, de la noche, madrugada, mañana por la mañana.
• Check understanding with call and response (teacher says phrase in Spanish, students say English meaning, then vice versa).

3. Guided Practice: Telling Time (12 minutes)

• Distribute worksheets with clock faces showing different times and space to write the correct Spanish time and phrase.
• Students work individually for 5 minutes to complete first 5 times (on the hour and quarter/half past).
• Pair students, have them quiz each other orally by asking and answering ¿Qué hora es? and ¿A qué hora?
• Teacher circulates and provides support, correcting pronunciation and sentence structure.

4. Listening and Speaking Activity (10 minutes)

• Use prerecorded audio or teacher reads times aloud in Spanish, including time expressions (e.g., “Son las cuatro y media de la tarde,” “Es la una de la madrugada”).
• Students write down what time they hear in English and Spanish.
• After listening, students repeat the times aloud in pairs practicing correct phrasing.
• Invite 2-3 pairs to present their times orally to the class.

5. Application & Closing (8 minutes)

• Show slides with pictures of daily activities (e.g., breakfast, school start, dinner) and ask:
  • ¿A qué hora desayunas? (What time do you have breakfast?)
  • Model answers with time expressions, e.g., “Desayuno a las siete y media de la mañana.”
• Have 3-4 volunteers answer similar questions about their schedule using learned vocabulary.
• Quick formative quiz on the board: show a time and a question, students write or say the correct answer.
• Summarize the key points and answer any last questions.

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Assessment

• Check worksheet completion and accuracy.
• Observe paired dialogue fluency and correct use of time expressions.
• Listening activity accuracy.
• Participation in oral Q&A, especially use of son las vs. es la.
• End-of-class quick quiz or exit ticket with 2 questions about time in Spanish.

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Extension Ideas to Impress

• Have students create their own short dialogue using time expressions and record or perform for the class next lesson (can be used as informal speaking assessment).
• Use a classroom clock to physically move hands and have students call out the time in Spanish.
• Invite students to bring a short daily schedule written in Spanish using learned vocabulary for a portfolio project.
• Incorporate technology by assigning a simple interactive online clock-telling game for homework to reinforce learning.

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Worksheet Sample Content

Section 1: Write the Time in Spanish

(Show clock images)

1. 1:00 pm → ___________________
2. 3:15 am → ___________________
3. 6:30 pm → ___________________
4. 12:00 midnight → ___________________
5. 9:45 am → ___________________

Section 2: Respond to Questions

• ¿Qué hora es? (2:00 pm)
• ¿A qué hora comes el almuerzo?

Section 3: Short Writing

Write 2 sentences about your daily routine using time expressions and "son las" or "es la."

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This lesson combines visual, auditory, and kinesthetic activities aligned to Common Core standards, ensuring engagement and mastery of telling time in Spanish for young learners.