We are in the middle of our time unit. My kids get to the hour but we also need to get the 1/2 hour. What are some good strategies for teaching them time to the 1/2 hour. My kids do not get it!!!!!!!
Great you guys can't help either. I'm screwed on my observation on Monday. Just kidding.hope someone can help me by Monday.
How have you taught them to the hour? What have you tried so far to get them to understand time to the half hour? One thing that I always did when we were learning time was I created a huge circle on the floor and placed the numbers 1-12 around the circle like a clock. I had the students sit on the outside, and we would draw a time and two students had to show me what it looked like on the clock using their bodies. You could also use a hula hoop and put numbers on it around it like a clock. The students would use their hands to hold the hoop to show the correct time. We just did lots n lots of practice!!
In second grade, we color code the hour (red) and minute hand (blue) and practice writing to the half hour, practice dividing a circle in half to show, practice counting by 5's...hmmmm, that's all I got at the moment!
In first, we practice with "judy" clocks as well as printed ones. I also have attached each 5 minutes number (00-55) to the outside of my classroom clock in their respective places. We talk about time from the beginning of school. I have the schedule on the board, and it lists the times for each item. I do have a bunch of worksheets, but that doesn't work for all kids (and my new P hates worksheets, lol). Personally I despise digital clocks, because I think they have "untaught" most people how to tell time, but that's another rant. There are "time" flash cards at Wal-mart and Dollar Tree. Just random thoughts....
Start by demonstrating that when the minute hand is on th six, it is half past because that is half the clock. Lots of Practice on that - hold a clock up and have students say if it is o'clock or half past and repeat. Have them make o'clock with arms straight up and half past straight down etc. When they have that, teach the hour part and play bingo, etc.
Do you have a teaching clock which shows that as the minute hand moves round, simultaneously the hour hand is slowing moving 'past' a number? You could get the students to colour 'past' and 'to' on a clock. I too have done the human clock, (made easier by the circle I have taped on my carpet {I also have lines for whole group time}). There are interactive websites where children can tell the time, either hour and half-hour.
