1st Grade · Measurement & Data
1.MD.B.3: Tell and write time in hours and half-hours
1.MD.B.3 is a 1st grade Common Core math standard in Measurement & Data. Here’s what it really covers, and how you can help your students learn it.
By Robert “Bobby” BarnettMath teacher, parent, and founder of Bobby’s Math Club
The standard
Tell and write time in hours and half-hours using analog and digital clocks.
In plain words
Tell and write time in hours and half-hours.
Sample questions from student practice
These questions from Bobby's Math Club are the kinds of questions your students will see. You can try answering them to see what a student might see.
Question 1 of 3
What time does the clock show?
- 12:00
- 2:00
- 1:00
Where students can get stuck
- Mixing up the two hands, reading 6:00 as 12:30 by taking the long hand for the hour.
- Reading 4:30 as 5:30 because the short hand is close to the 5, not knowing it stays between the numbers until the next hour.
- Writing half past seven as 7:50 or 7:3, unsure how the half hour looks on a digital clock.
Effective teaching strategies
- Make a clock face on paper with a short hour hand and a long minute hand in different colors, and have students show 6:00 and 12:30 to see which hand tells the hour.
- Show 4:30 on a clock and ask where the hour hand points, noticing that it sits halfway between the 4 and the 5 and has not reached the 5.
- Write half past seven as 7:30 beside a drawn clock, and ask students what the 30 tells about the minutes and why the digital time has two digits after the colon.
Units that teach this standard
Find where 1.MD.B.3 lands in the program you teach. Each unit has a guide written for families. Unit names and order vary between editions and districts, so your school’s own materials have the exact sequence.
Bridges in Mathematics
enVision Mathematics
Everyday Mathematics
Go Math!
i-Ready Classroom Mathematics
Illustrative Mathematics
Math Expressions
Reveal Math
Don’t see your curriculum? Contact Bobby and we’ll see if we can help!
Share it with families
Families can read Telling time to the hour and half hour for a plain-language look at this skill, with three questions to try together and ideas for helping at home.
Help every student practice measurement and data at home
In Bobby's Math Club, students practice at just the right level, with a hint when they need one, a clear explanation after every question, and kid-friendly videos. Unlimited practice is free for every family.
See how it works for teachers
Written by Robert “Bobby” Barnett
Bobby is an award-winning math teacher, the author of Meet Every Learner’s Needs, and the father of two elementary-school math learners. He uses Bobby’s Math Club with his own kids a few times every week. Learn more or contact Bobby.