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Key Point: 60 seconds = 1 minute
What is time? Time tells us when things happen and how long they take. We use clocks and calendars to measure time. Time is measured in units: seconds, minutes, hours, days, weeks and months.
Units of time (simple):
Reading an analog clock: An analog clock has two main hands: the short hand (hour hand) and the long hand (minute hand). Numbers 1 to 12 on the clock show hours. Each number also stands for 5 minutes when the minute hand points there (1 = 5 minutes, 2 = 10 minutes, ... , 12 = 0 minutes).
Reading a digital clock: A digital clock shows time as hours:minutes (for example, 07:20 or 14:05). In simple school work, we usually use 12-hour format and the words AM (morning) and PM (afternoon/evening).
Finding how long something takes (duration): To find duration, subtract the start time from the end time. You can count hours first, then minutes, or use a number line/timeline. If minute subtraction needs borrowing, take 1 hour = 60 minutes.
Simple tips for children: Practice by looking at many clock faces, draw clocks for given times, and use timelines for events during the day (wake up, school, lunch, play, sleep).
Key Point: 1 minute = 60 seconds → seconds ÷ 60 = minutes; minutes × 60 = seconds
What are units of time? Time is measured using units that tell us how long something lasts or when something happens. The usual units we use are seconds, minutes, hours, days, weeks, months and years.
Common units and how they relate
Reading clocks and telling time
Using units in everyday life
Helpful tip: Use a conversion ladder (seconds → minutes → hours → days) to change from one unit to another. Always divide or multiply by the numbers above (60, 24, 7).
Key Point: 60 seconds = 1 minute
A clock is a tool used to tell time. Most class 3 lessons use the familiar round (analog) clock. The main parts of an analog clock are:
How to read time using these parts: read the hour by looking where the hour hand is pointing (or which two numbers it is between). Then read the minutes by seeing where the minute hand points. Each number the minute hand points to equals 5 minutes (1 = 5 min, 2 = 10 min, 3 = 15 min, etc.). The second hand counts seconds (60 seconds = 1 minute).
Basic concepts connected to the parts: 60 seconds = 1 minute, 60 minutes = 1 hour, the clock face shows 12 hours in one full turn (a full circle = 12 hours on the dial). This means the minute hand makes a full circle in 60 minutes, while the hour hand makes a full circle in 12 hours.
Key Point: Minutes at a number = number_on_clock × 5 (e.g., 4 → 4 × 5 = 20 minutes).
An analog clock has a circular face with numbers 1 to 12 around it and three hands: the hour hand (short), the minute hand (long), and sometimes a second hand (thin). The full circle represents 60 minutes and 12 hours.
Parts to notice
How to read time — simple steps
Note on the hour hand: When minutes are not 0, the hour hand points slightly past the hour number. For example, at 3:20 the hour hand is a bit past 3 (not exactly on 3).
Quick reminders
Key Point: 1 hour = 60 minutes
What is a digital clock? A digital clock shows time using numbers on a screen, usually in the form HH:MM (hours : minutes). It is different from an analog clock (with hour and minute hands) because it displays exact numbers like 07:05 or 14:30.
How to read a digital clock (simple steps):
AM and PM (simple idea): Many digital clocks use AM/PM to tell morning or afternoon/evening. AM means the time is in the morning (midnight to before noon). PM means the time is in the afternoon/evening (noon to before midnight). Some clocks use the 24-hour system (00:00–23:59).
Why digital clocks are useful for children: They show exact minutes without having to estimate hand positions. This helps practice reading hours/minutes and calculating durations.
Key Point: AM period: 12:00 AM (midnight) to 11:59 AM (morning).
What AM and PM mean
The 12-hour clock splits the day into two parts: AM and PM. AM stands for ante meridiem (before noon) and PM stands for post meridiem (after noon). We use AM for times from midnight until before noon, and PM for times from noon until before midnight.
Noon and Midnight
How to read times
Tips to remember
Key Point: Days in a week = 7
A calendar is a chart that shows days, weeks and months of a year. It helps us know the date (number), the day of the week (Sunday, Monday, ...), the month (January to December) and the year.
Key points:
Simple calendar skills for Class 3:
Key Point: Duration = End time − Start time
What is Duration / Elapsed Time?
Duration (or elapsed time) is the amount of time that passes between a starting time and an ending time. In other words, how long something lasts.
Units we use
How to find duration (simple steps)
Counting methods
Example (explained)
Start: 2:15, End: 3:40.
Tips for Class 3 students
Key Point: 60 seconds = 1 minute
Practical Applications and Word Problems help students use what they know about clocks, hours and minutes to solve real-life questions. This topic teaches how to read time, convert units (seconds, minutes, hours), add and subtract times, and find how long activities last. Simple methods—using a clock face, a number line (timeline) or adding/subtracting minutes and hours—make solving easy and visual.
Key ideas for Class 3: read analog and digital clocks, recognise terms like "o'clock", "half past", "quarter past" and "quarter to", convert between minutes and hours (60 minutes = 1 hour), and find start time, end time or duration using addition or subtraction.