Training History 6: Development Of The Notion Of Time - The Clock

This is a continuation from the other Training History Posts.















We were shown two clocks in our training class.
The Judy Clock - What I liked about this clock is that as you move the second hand the hour hand moves. Also, the minute and hour hands are clearly different in length.

The Montessori Teaching Clock - What I love about this clock is the fact that the children have to put it together which makes them very aware of the different parts of a clock. The hour hand does not move as the second hand moves. This clock was designed by a Montessori teacher. Notice the 12 glass 5-bead bars used for the minutes. A circle carved into the center of the clock face holds red plastic fraction insets that help children grasp by sight and touch what is meant by the terms half-past, quarter-past, and quarter-till. Beautiful clock!

I found this Tutorial online on teaching children how to tell time very helpful.

Linear Timeline
Hourly time with linear time line: This should be done after an introduction of time (they should know that each numeral represents an hour of the day, one to twelve, that there are 12 hours for he day and 12 for the night, with 24 hours for the entire day)

Using a narrow strip of thin, flexible cardboard equal in length to the circumference of the clock with numerals one to twelve marked in sections of equal lengths AND Labels with AM and PM AND A set of twenty-four command cards for each hour.

We can represent the hours with the hour strip. Place the strip around the clock to illustrate how it is the same size as the circumference of the clock. Ask the children what time they do certain things during the day like: what time they get up in the morning, what time they start school, go to lunch, end school, eat dinner, go to sleep, etc... They will place an arrow at each time on the hour strip. Ask if this is morning or evening. For example: Do you eat dinner at 6 in the morning or 6 at night. Explain the AM and PM labels and have them add the AM or PM Labels.

Other Clock Lessons included in our manual:
Half hour time
Quarter past time
Quarter to time
Five minute time
One minute time
In all of these lessons the children practice with the clocks, worksheets, and the children stamp clocks, draw the hands, and label the time.

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