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• Basic Time Practice Test for 1st Grade – [Easy]

Basic Time Practice Test for 1st Grade – [Easy]

Jessica Kaminski

Updated on September 26, 2023

The ability to tell time is one of the essential life skills that every child should master. For little ones stepping into the world of numbers, 1st Grade is the perfect platform to begin this learning journey. The website, Brighterly, offers a plethora of resources for making this process fun, interactive, and engaging for children. Let’s delve into understanding the fundamentals of basic time for 1st graders.

Introduction to the Clock

Before diving into the concept of time, children need a friendly introduction to what a clock is. Imagine a round pizza pie, which we usually divide into slices. In a similar manner, the face of a clock is divided into sections. The clock has two important hands:

• The Hour Hand: The shorter hand, which tells us the hour of the day.
• The Minute Hand: The longer hand, that goes around to indicate the minutes.

Understanding Hours

Now, onto the fun part. A day comprises 24 hours, but our clock displays only 12. Why? Well, it’s because the clock counts the hours twice: once for the day and once for the night. A day starts at midnight (12:00) and goes all the way to 11:59 in the evening. In 1st Grade, we usually begin with the 12-hour format.

When the hour hand points to a number, it tells us the current hour. The interactive hours tutorial on Brighterly provides an excellent platform for children to practice recognizing hours.

Decoding Minutes

Minutes can be a tad more challenging for 1st graders. There are 60 minutes in an hour, which means each number on the clock represents 5 minutes. So, when the minute hand is on the 1, it’s 5 minutes past the hour. When it’s on 2, it’s 10 minutes past, and so on.

To make this concept clearer, think of a giant cake divided into 12 equal parts. Each slice represents 5 minutes. Eating the whole cake means an hour has passed! Brighterly’s minute munchers game is a fantastic way to reinforce this idea through play.

Practical Tips for Teaching Time

• Interactive Play: Use everyday activities like mealtime, bedtime, or playtime to discuss time. “We’ll eat lunch when the small hand is on 12”, can be a simple way to incorporate this.
• Practice Makes Perfect: Regularly ask kids what time it is throughout the day. This repetition helps them remember and understand better.
• Use Digital and Analog: While our focus here is on analog clocks, introducing digital time can be beneficial. It helps bridge the understanding between the two types of displays.

Time-telling is a journey, and with resources from Brighterly and a sprinkle of patience, every 1st grader can become a master of their hours and minutes!