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Grade 1 · lesson 2 of 4

Read a Half-Hour Clock

Locate the shorter hand between two hour numbers.

About 15 minutes, plus any extended practice

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Supplied materials

  • Paper and a pencil; drawing and spoken explanations are welcome. An adult may read directions and options aloud.
  • Supplied worked-case record: The hour hand is between 6 and 7 and the minute hand points to 6.
  • All quantities and shape descriptions are supplied in the worked example and questions; no purchase or personal information is needed.

Learn the idea

Half an hour is thirty minutes. At a half-hour, the long minute hand points to six and the short hour hand has moved halfway toward the next hour. Name the hour that has begun, rather than jumping ahead to the next hour too soon.

Locate the shorter hand between two hour numbers. Use the earlier hour and record :30 when the minute hand points to six. Explain why the hour is not the next number yet.

At :30 the hour hand is between two numbers. Use the earlier hour; the next hour has not begun. Draw a minute hand at six and place the hour hand halfway through its stated hour.

  1. Draw a minute hand at six and place the hour hand halfway through its stated hour.
  2. Follow the worked example. Point to each number or shape feature and say what it tells you.
  3. Locate the shorter hand between two hour numbers.
  4. Try the question and then the three practice questions. Check your answers and explain any change you make.
Worked example

See the method in action

The hour hand is between 6 and 7 and the minute hand points to 6. It is 6:30. Six o’clock began the hour, and thirty minutes have passed. The hour hand has not yet reached seven, so 7:30 would name the wrong hour. At :30 the hour hand is between two numbers. Use the earlier hour; the next hour has not begun. Draw a minute hand at six and place the hour hand halfway through its stated hour.

Your turn

Check your reasoning

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Helpful tips
  • At :30 the hour hand is between two numbers.
  • Use the earlier hour; the next hour has not begun.
The short hand is halfway from 1 to 2; the long hand points to 6. What time is shown?

Feedback appears here after you check. This is practice, not a graded school assessment.

See the answer and explanation

1:30

Use the hour that has begun and thirty minutes for the half-hour.

Take it further

Hour hand halfway between 9 and 10 with minute hand at 6: expected 9:30.

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More practice: try new cases

Choose an answer for each problem. Explain your method on paper, then use the feedback to decide what to revisit.

More practice: try new cases
1. The short hand is halfway from 2 to 3; the long hand points to 6. What time is shown?
Need a hint?
  • At :30 the hour hand is between two numbers.
  • Use the earlier hour; the next hour has not begun.
2. The short hand is halfway from 4 to 5; the long hand points to 6. What time is shown?
Need a hint?
  • At :30 the hour hand is between two numbers.
  • Use the earlier hour; the next hour has not begun.
3. The short hand is halfway from 7 to 8; the long hand points to 6. What time is shown?
Need a hint?
  • At :30 the hour hand is between two numbers.
  • Use the earlier hour; the next hour has not begun.

Your choices are temporary. Feedback appears after you check all the answers.

Nothing here is saved to an account or sent to a teacher. Keep your own notes or download them before leaving. The score describes these questions; it does not certify subject mastery.

Check the subject sources

These LifeStarter passages, scenarios and exercises are authored for this Academy with AI assistance and review. External resources keep their publishers’ terms. A grade label suggests a starting level; it does not establish alignment with your school’s complete requirements.