Class: Primary 4
Term: 2nd Term
Week: 9
Age: 9 years
Duration: 45 minutes
Subject: General Mathematics
Curriculum Theme: Measurement
Previous Lesson: Time and Calendar, Clock Reading, Unit Conversion and Dates.
Topic: TIME (Continued)
Subject Matter: Meaning of AM and PM, reading time using AM and PM, using 24-hour clock chart, converting 24-hour time to AM and PM, quantitative reasoning on AM and PM time problems.

Specific Objectives

By the end of the lesson, pupils should be able to:

Cognitive Domain:

Explain the meaning and full forms of AM and PM.
Read and state time correctly using AM and PM notation.
Convert 24-hour time to AM or PM time.
Solve quantitative reasoning problems involving AM and PM time.

Affective Domain:

Appreciate the importance of AM and PM in daily communication of time.
Develop a positive attitude towards accuracy in telling time.

Psychomotor Domain:

Accurately indicate AM and PM on a 24-hour clock chart.
Write time correctly using AM/PM notation in various contexts.

Communicate time clearly to others using AM and PM.
Work with peers to solve time-related problems.

Reference Materials

The following resources were used in planning this lesson:

9 Years Basic Education Curriculum for Primary Schools.
State Unified Scheme of Work for Primary 4 General Mathematics.
New General Mathematics for Primary Schools 4.

Instructional Materials

The teacher will teach this lesson with the aid of:

Textbook
Workbook
Chart of timezones
24-hour clock chart
Analogue and digital clocks

Rationale for the Lesson

This lesson helps pupils understand how to read and communicate time accurately using AM and PM. This understanding is important for their daily lives, enabling them to correctly identify morning, afternoon, and evening events, and follow schedules effectively.

Prerequisite/Previous Knowledge

Pupils can already tell time using analogue and digital clocks and have a basic understanding of a 24-hour day.

Lesson Content/Board Summary

TIME: AM AND PM

Meaning of AM and PM

AM and PM are used to indicate whether a time is before noon (midday) or after noon. This helps to avoid confusion when telling time.

The full forms are:

AM: Ante Meridiem (meaning “before midday”)
PM: Post Meridiem (meaning “after midday”)

Reading Time Using AM and PM

The 12-hour clock system divides the 24-hour day into two 12-hour periods:

AM: From 12:00 midnight to 11:59 noon.
PM: From 12:00 noon to 11:59 midnight.

Examples:

6:00 AM is six o’clock in the morning.
6:00 PM is six o’clock in the evening.
12:00 AM is midnight.
12:00 PM is noon.

The 24-Hour Clock Chart

The 24-hour clock counts hours from 00:00 (midnight) to 23:59. It does not use AM or PM. It avoids confusion between morning and evening times.

Examples of 24-hour time and their 12-hour equivalents:

01:00 is 1 AM
08:00 is 8 AM
12:00 is 12 PM (noon)
13:00 is 1 PM
18:00 is 6 PM
23:00 is 11 PM

Converting 24-Hour Time to AM and PM

To convert 24-hour time to AM or PM, follow these rules:

If the hour is 00, it is 12 AM (midnight).
If the hour is between 01 and 11, it is AM (e.g., 08:00 is 8 AM).
If the hour is 12, it is 12 PM (noon).
If the hour is between 13 and 23, subtract 12 from the hour and use PM (e.g., 15:00 is 15 – 12 = 3 PM).

Quantitative Reasoning on AM and PM Time Problems

Quantitative reasoning problems involve applying the understanding of AM, PM, and 24-hour clock conversions to solve real-life scenarios. These problems often require calculating durations or specific times.

Example Problem:

A school bus departs at 07:00 and arrives at school at 08:30. How long is the journey in AM/PM time?

07:00 is 7 AM. 08:30 is 8:30 AM.

From 7 AM to 8:30 AM is 1 hour and 30 minutes.

Teaching Methods/Instructional Techniques

Discussion, Lecture, Demonstration, Question and Answer, Visual Aids

Instructional Procedures

Step 1: Introduction

Time: 3 minutes
Teaching Skill: Set Induction
Teacher’s Activity: The teacher greets the pupils and asks them to state the current time. The teacher then asks how they know if it is morning or evening, leading into the concept of AM and PM.
Pupils’ Activity: Pupils respond to the teacher’s questions and share their ideas.
Learning Point: Pupils connect previous knowledge of telling time to the current lesson on AM and PM.

Step 2: Meaning of AM and PM

Time: 7 minutes
Teaching Skill: Explanation/Definition
Teacher’s Activity: The teacher explains the full forms of AM (Ante Meridiem) and PM (Post Meridiem) and clarifies that AM refers to time before noon and PM refers to time after noon. The teacher provides examples of daily activities that occur in AM and PM.
Pupils’ Activity: Pupils listen attentively, define AM and PM, and identify activities that happen in AM or PM.
Learning Point: Pupils understand the meaning and full forms of AM and PM.

Step 3: Reading Time Using AM and PM

Time: 7 minutes
Teaching Skill: Demonstration/Practice
Teacher’s Activity: The teacher uses an analogue clock and a digital display to demonstrate how to read and state time using AM and PM. The teacher gives various times (e.g., 7:00 AM, 1:30 PM, 11:00 AM, 5:45 PM) and asks pupils to state them correctly.
Pupils’ Activity: Pupils observe the demonstrations and practice stating different times using AM and PM.
Learning Point: Pupils can correctly read and state time using AM and PM.

Step 4: The 24-Hour Clock Chart

Time: 7 minutes
Teaching Skill: Visual Aid/Explanation
Teacher’s Activity: The teacher displays a 24-hour clock chart and explains how it works, showing that hours run from 00:00 to 23:59 without AM or PM. The teacher points out corresponding times on the 24-hour clock for various AM and PM times.
Pupils’ Activity: Pupils observe the chart, identify different times, and understand how the 24-hour clock system operates.
Learning Point: Pupils understand the concept of the 24-hour clock and its relation to AM/PM.

Step 5: Converting 24-Hour Time to AM and PM

Time: 7 minutes
Teaching Skill: Guided Practice
Teacher’s Activity: The teacher guides pupils through the rules for converting 24-hour time to AM or PM, providing examples like 09:00, 12:00, 15:00, and 22:00. The teacher writes conversion steps on the board and solves examples with pupil participation.
Pupils’ Activity: Pupils follow the conversion rules, participate in solving examples, and practice converting given 24-hour times to AM or PM.
Learning Point: Pupils learn how to convert 24-hour time to AM and PM accurately.

Step 6: Quantitative Reasoning on AM and PM Time Problems

Time: 7 minutes
Teaching Skill: Problem-solving
Teacher’s Activity: The teacher presents simple word problems involving AM and PM time and guides pupils to identify the relevant information and apply their knowledge of time conversion and calculation to solve them.
Pupils’ Activity: Pupils attempt to solve the quantitative reasoning problems in their notebooks or orally, explaining their steps.
Learning Point: Pupils apply their understanding of AM and PM to solve practical time problems.

Step 7: Evaluation/Review

Time: 5 minutes

Teaching Skill: Questioning/Assessment

Teacher’s Activity: The teacher evaluates the learning by asking the following questions:

What do AM and PM stand for?
How do we use AM and PM to tell time?
State the difference between 9 AM and 9 PM.
Convert 17:00 (24-hour time) to AM/PM time.
If a journey starts at 06:00 and ends at 10:00, how long was the journey in AM/PM format?

Pupils’ Activity: Pupils answer orally and in writing.

Learning Point: Pupils demonstrate understanding of the lesson.

Step 8: Conclusion

Time: 2 minutes
Teaching Skill: Summarization/Reinforcement
Teacher’s Activity: The teacher summarizes the key learning points about AM, PM, the 24-hour clock, and their conversions. The teacher gives homework exercises for further practice.
Pupils’ Activity: Pupils listen to the summary and copy the homework.
Learning Point: Pupils consolidate their understanding of the lesson and are given opportunity for further practice.

Home Task: Solve three new exercises on TIME (Continued). Show each step and check each answer.

Lesson Keywords

AM – Stands for Ante Meridiem, meaning “before midday”. Used for times from midnight to just before noon.
PM – Stands for Post Meridiem, meaning “after midday”. Used for times from noon to just before midnight.
24-hour clock – A time system where the day runs from midnight to midnight and is divided into 24 hours, numbered from 0 to 23.
Conversion – The process of changing time from one format (e.g., 24-hour) to another (e.g., AM/PM).

Differentiation

For pupils who grasp concepts quickly, the teacher will provide more complex quantitative reasoning problems or ask them to create their own time conversion questions. For pupils needing more support, the teacher will offer one-on-one guidance, simplify examples, and provide additional visual aids or a personal 24-hour clock chart to practice with.

Note for teachers using this lesson plan

Ensure a large, clear 24-hour clock chart is visible to all pupils. Encourage active participation and hands-on practice with time conversion. Use real-life examples relevant to the pupils’ daily routines to make the concept relatable. Emphasize the importance of correct notation for AM and PM.