CHAPTER

15 Time

Chapter Overview
Maths Background
Pupils have learnt to read time from an analog clock to the hour and half hour in Primary 1. In Primary 2, they have
learnt about the minute hand and the fact that time after the hour can be read in skips of 5 minutes. In Primary 3,
pupils have learnt about reading and telling time to the minute using past (Example: 20 minutes past 4) and to
(Example: 15 minutes to noon). They have also learnt to find the duration of time spent on an activity.

In this chapter, pupils will learn to read time to the second. They will learn that 60 seconds = 1 minute, just as
60 minutes = 1 hour. They will also learn how to read and write time using the 24-hour clock. Pupils will also learn to
convert time from the 12-hour clock to the 24-hour clock, and vice versa. Building on what pupils have learnt about
drawing time lines to solve word problems involving time in Primary 3, pupils will learn to apply the skills to problems
involving the 24-hour clock. It is important to remind pupils that a common error made when using addition and
subtraction algorithms is to regroup 1 hour as 100 minutes.

Cross-curricular Connections • make a diary of their daily schedules using the

24-hour clock
Reading / Language Arts • talk about activities that will take less than 1 minute
Have pupils find instances of time written using the
(or 60 seconds)
24-hour clock in newspapers and other print materials.
• draw and label time lines for some of the word
Then, have pupils display them around the classroom to
problems in the chapter
show how the 24-hour clock is used in our daily lives.
• read the problems and summarise using their own
words
Science • discuss the Chapter Summary, encouraging them to
Pupils learn about temperature changes in the lower use the chapter vocabulary
block of the primary science syllabus. Temperature
changes can be very fast. For instance, have pupils
For Struggling Learners
measure the temperature of water at room temperature
Select activities that go back to the appropriate stage of
and then add hot water to it. Have pupils measure the
the Concrete-Pictorial-Abstract spectrum, such as having
change in temperature after 10 seconds. Alternatively,
pupils
they can also measure the temperature drop within
• use real or play analog and digital (both 12-hour
10 seconds.
and 24-hour) clocks to show and identify times and
elapsed times
Additional Support • work backwards to find or check an answer related to
For English Language Learners elapsed time
Select activities that reinforce the chapter vocabulary and • draw time lines in different ways to solve the same
the connections among these words, such as having problem
pupils If necessary, review:
• add terms and examples to the Word Wall • Primary 3 Chapter 13 (Time)
• create flashcards with time in 12-hour format on one
side and the corresponding time in 24-hour format on
the other side

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 Vocabulary
Chapter Preparation • second

Pre-Test
Administer the Pre-Test in the to check
that pupils have acquired the prerequisite knowledge In this chapter, you will need:
needed to understand this chapter. If pupils are unable
to answer all the questions correctly, go through Let’s • 1 demonstration clock with movable hands
Recall and Let’s Check with them. for the teacher
• 1 large analog clock with a second hand for
Let’s Recall (pages 5 and 6) the teacher

In earlier levels, pupils have learnt to convert hour and • 1 large digital clock with seconds for the
minutes to minutes, and vice versa, as well as solve word teacher
problems involving elapsed time, starting and finishing
• 1 stopwatch per pair of pupils
times. Use these pages to review the prerequisite
concepts. • 1 copy of Activity Table (TR12) per pair of
pupils
Converting units of time
Help pupils recall that 1 h = 60 min. Then, use the
examples to recall how they can convert hours and minutes to minutes, and vice versa.

Using time lines to solve problems involving time

Demonstrate the steps involved in drawing time lines to solve word problems to find the duration given the starting
time and the finishing time, the finishing time given the starting time and the duration, and the starting time given
the finishing time and the duration. Highlight to pupils that there are multiple ways of drawing the time lines. In the
second word problem, for example, pupils can also add 1 h to the starting time first, followed by 10 min, instead of
finding the next nearest hour first. Remind pupils to indicate a.m. and p.m. on their time lines to avoid ambiguity.

(page 7)
Use this section as a diagnostic tool to assess pupils’ level of prerequisite knowledge before they progress to this
chapter.
1 assesses pupils’ ability to convert time from hours and minutes to minutes.
2 assesses pupils’ ability to convert time from minutes to hours and minutes.
3 assess pupils’ ability to find the duration in hours and minutes given the starting time and the finishing time.
4 assess pupils’ ability to find the finishing time given the starting time and the duration.
5 assess pupils’ ability to find the starting time given the finishing time and the duration.

Dif ferentiation Options in the

Based on the Pre-Test results, the
will assign:
• Extra Support Lesson Package to struggling learners
• On-level Lesson Package to on-level learners
• Advanced Lesson Package to advanced learners

4 Chapter 15 Preparation

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 Chapter Introduction
Big Idea (Pupil’s Book 4B page 163)
Expressing time in different units of measurement is the main focus of this chapter.
• Pupils measure time in seconds.
• Pupils read and write time using the 24-hour clock.
• Pupils use time lines to solve word problems involving the 24-hour clock.

Chapter Opener (Pupil’s Book 4B page 163)

The picture illustrates a scene in a gym. The opening Digital Element
hours of the gym are displayed using the 24-hour clock
and the physical activities accomplished are measured Launch Chapter Opener from the .
in seconds. In this chapter, pupils gain an understanding
Discuss the big ideas with pupils using the questions
of time in the scale of seconds and to read time using the
24-hour clock. provided.
• Have pupils look at the picture. Ask: Where is this
place? (A gymnasium or a gym)
• Draw pupils’ attention to the pair of girls doing sit-ups. Say: The girl did 6 sit-ups in 10 seconds.
• Then, have a pair of pupil volunteers count the number of sit-ups they can complete in 10 seconds. Have them do
it for a minute to have a sense of the difference between 10 seconds and 1 minute (or 60 seconds).
• Next, draw pupils’ attention to the boy doing push-ups. Have pupils find out if they take about 1 second to do
1 push-up.
• Finally, draw pupils’ attention to the board indicating the opening hours of the gym. Have pupils attempt to interpret
what those times refer to. For example, say: The gym is open from 06 00 to 23 00 on Fridays. Ask: What time is
06 00? (6 a.m.) What time is 23 00? (11 p.m.)
• Have pupils discuss with their partners and share their thoughts.
• Explain that they will learn to express time in different units of measurement and clock systems.

8 Chapter 15 Introduction

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 Pupil’s Book 4B p. 163

15
CHAPTER

Time

You did 6 sit-ups

in 10 seconds!

I can do 1 push-up
every second.

dea
Big I

Time can be expressed

ns
Lesso
1 Seconds in different units of
2 24-Hour Clock measurement.

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Chapter 15 Introduction 9

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 72

(M)MPaHTPG4B_15.indd 72
Teacher Resource
Activity 1s More than 1 s Less than 1 s

Say “thirty-four”

Blink once

Raise your hand

Nod twice

Say your full name

Use with Pupil’s Book as necessary.

Activity Table (TR12)
© 2016 Marshall Cavendish Education Pte Ltd. Copying is permitted.

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