Teaching the Analogue Clock!

 

I was somewhat dismayed when working with my grandchildren yesterday, that they (aged 6 and 9) could not tell the time from an analogue clock.

 

They are fairly fluent with telling the time with the digital clocks around the home, but not the Analogue. 

 

A short discussion with a quick drawn circle and placing the numbers then short and long toothpick, got them thinking about how to tell the time using this "round clock"

 

I don't believe we should discard the Round Clock at all, even though we are in a digital world, to me, it is like saying we can learn measurement by doing it all on a Tablet!

 

The Digital Clock is great for Telling The Time! but to be able to use this for measuring time needs an understanding of decimals to two places and the ability to add and subtract these decimals.

The Analogue Clock can be used to Tell The Time and it is easy to Measure Time by seeing how far the hands have moved, not much adding and subtracting required. 

 

 

Apart from Time, what else could the Analogue clock help with?

• Fractions: the obvious with 1/4, 1/2, 3/4  but what about twelfths?
• Counting in Fives: 5, 10, 15, 20.. 
• Geometry: Rotation, parts of a circle(semi-circle), degrees in a circle, angles(between hands)
  
• Finite Number System: This is called a Finite System as it goes from 1-12 and then back to 1 not like our Decimal System which is Place Value and Infinite

Whether we teach some of these higher level skills or not, what the students are getting is an intrinsic introduction to some of these.

After posting an abridged version of the above on three FB Sites:  NZ Teachers (Primary), Mathematically Speaking, Developing Mathematical Inquiry Communities (DMIC)  I was pleased to see so many posts including a number which suggested than older kids did not know how to read an Analogue clock.  I have to admit all were in favour!!!

Please check the posts out for other teaching ideas, a few websites I have attached below.

 Please Teachers, if there is not an Analogue Clock in your classroom please acquire one, and don't forget the wooden teaching clocks as well, OR get the kids to create their own!!

An Interactive Analogue and Digital

https://www.visnos.com/demos/clock?fbclid=IwAR1FB5PJEQakuEAZbriF4zVkdLNSjbzfQbNDNVUdUcVXIwtXxMZZdHKQOAs 

 

 One approach to using the Analogue Clock

https://bookunitsteacher.com/math/measurement/telling_time.htm

 

 An Australian Educator, uses a hoop

https://www.teachermagazine.com/au_en/articles/teaching-students-to-read-an-analogue-clock 

 

A New Zealand site that has teaching ideas(and worksheets) but also a Time Line of telling time including the Sundial

https://www.twinkl.co.nz/teaching-wiki/analogue-clock