Math lesson plan · 4th grade (Year 5 in England) · 45 minutes
Elapsed time in hours and minutes, including across noon
Measurement
CCSS 4.MD.A.2England: Y5 Measurement
Objective and success criteria
Students will: Elapsed time in hours and minutes, including across noon.
- I can answer questions on today's skill on my own, without help.
- I can explain each step and say why it works.
- I can check my answer and spot a mistake.
Before and after
Needs first: Find start and end times; Convert between units of time
Leads to: 24-hour times and durations, including overnight
Materials: Rulers, scales and measuring jugs, Clock faces, Conversion chart, Mini whiteboards and pens, Printed student sheet (below).
Warm-up · 5 min
- Quick retrieval from earlier learning (Find start and end times; Convert between units of time). Students answer on mini whiteboards.
- Show answers together and note who needs support in the main task.
- Jamal's school trip lasted 1 h 5 min and finished at 1:00. What time did it start? Type it like 2:35. → 11:55Prompt: Count back from the end time.
- How many minutes are in 3 h 53 min? → 233Prompt: 1 hour = 60 minutes.
- Ben's baking session lasted 50 min and finished at 3:15. What time did it start? Type it like 2:35. → 2:25Prompt: Count back from the end time.
Hook · 5 min
- Ask the class to estimate the length of the room or the weight of a bag before measuring it.
- Share the objective: Elapsed time in hours and minutes, including across noon. Read the success criteria together.
I do: model it · 10 min
- Work through the example out loud, saying why you do each step, not just what you do.
- Example: How many minutes long is a day trip that starts at 8:18 a.m. and ends at 10:02 a.m.?
- Step 1: It lasts 1 h 44 min.
- Step 2: 1 × 60 + 44 = 104
- Answer: 104
- Pause after each step and ask a student to say what comes next.
We do: guided practice · 10 min
- Do these together. Students try each step on whiteboards before you reveal it.
- Use the hints as prompts rather than giving the answer.
- How many minutes long is a day trip that starts at 11:10 a.m. and ends at 2:18 p.m.? → 188Prompt: Count on to the next o'clock, then whole hours, then the minutes.
- Jamal starts a hike at 11:15 a.m. and walks for 2 h 35 min. At what time does Jamal finish? Type it like 2:45. → 1:50Prompt: Add the hours first.
You do: independent practice · 10 min
- Students work on the student sheet. Circulate and check the first two answers of every student early.
- Students who finish: write a question of their own for a partner, with the answer.
The 8 questions are on the student sheet below, with answers in the key.
Exit ticket · 5 min
- Two questions on their own. Sort answers into got it / nearly / not yet to plan the next lesson.
- Kwame starts a hike at 3:30 p.m. and walks for 2 h. At what time does Kwame finish? Type it like 2:45. → 5:30Prompt: Add the hours first.
- How many minutes long is a day trip that starts at 10:33 a.m. and ends at 1:11 p.m.? → 158Prompt: Count on to the next o'clock, then whole hours, then the minutes.
Watch out for
- Measuring from the end of the ruler instead of zero.
- Converting units the wrong way (multiplying instead of dividing).
Support and stretch
Support
- Review first: Find start and end times.
- Use concrete materials: rulers, scales and measuring jugs.
- Give the first step of each question, or a partly worked example to finish.
- Pair with a confident partner for the guided practice.
Stretch
- Move on to: 24-hour times and durations, including overnight.
- Explain a common mistake in writing and how to fix it.
- Write a word problem that uses today's skill, then solve a partner's.
Homework and more practice
Free online practice with hints and printable worksheets for this skill: eurekami.com/math/grade-4.
Free lesson plan from eurekami.com/lesson-plan-builder