🔢 MathGrade 3Lesson 21
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Tell Time to the Minute

Lesson preview: the Mini Lesson and Vocabulary are open to everyone. Guided practice, exercises, the parent checklist and the printable PDF worksheet come with full access (free 7-day trial or membership).

Learning Objectives

  • 1Read analog clock times to the minute
  • 2Write clock times using o'clock, half past, quarter past, and quarter to
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Mini Lesson

An analog clock has two hands. The short hand is the hour hand and the long hand is the minute hand. When the minute hand points to 12, it is o'clock. When it points to 6, it is half past. When it points to 3, it is quarter past. When it points to 9, it is quarter to the next hour. Each number on the clock represents 5 minutes.

Reading the Clock

  • Minute hand on 12 = o'clock (e.g. 3:00 = three o'clock).
  • Minute hand on 6 = half past (e.g. 7:30 = half past seven).
  • Minute hand on 3 = quarter past (e.g. 2:15 = quarter past two).
  • Minute hand on 9 = quarter to (e.g. 9:45 = quarter to ten).
  • For other times, count by 5s around the clock from 12.

The Minute Hand and Minutes

  • Each number on the clock face represents 5 minutes.
  • Number 1 = 5 minutes past, number 2 = 10 minutes past, etc.
  • Number 5 = 25 minutes past, number 7 = 35 minutes past.
  • Number 10 = 50 minutes past (or 10 minutes to the next hour).
Analog clock showing 3:15An analog clock face showing 3:15. The hour hand points between 3 and 4, the minute hand points to 3 (quarter past).Reading the Clock: 3:15121234567891011Hour hand between 3 and 4, minute hand on 3 = Quarter past three
Four clock times in a gridFour small clock faces showing 12:00, 6:30, 3:15, and 9:45 with digital times labeled below each.Four Key Times12:00o'clock6:30half past3:159:45
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Remember: the hour hand moves slowly. If it is between two numbers, the smaller number is the current hour — the clock has not yet reached the bigger number.

Vocabulary
Hour
A unit of time equal to 60 minutese.g. It is 3 hours until dinner.
Minute
A unit of time equal to 60 secondse.g. There are 60 minutes in an hour.
Hour hand
The shorter hand on a clock, pointing to the houre.g. When the hour hand is on 9, the hour is 9.
Minute hand
The longer hand on a clock, pointing to the minutese.g. When the minute hand is on 6, the time is 30 minutes after the hour.
Analog clock
A clock with hands and numbers on a circlee.g. I read the time on the analog clock.
Digital clock
A clock that shows the time in numberse.g. My digital clock says 9:45.
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← Lesson 20: Convert UnitsLesson 22: Calculate Elapsed Time →