Teacher Notes...

This online resource addresses the following Australian Curriculum substrands (Australian Curriculum Assessment and Reporting Authority, 2014) for Year 5:

Measurement and Geometry

Using units of measurement

Compare 12- and 24-hour time systems and convert between them (ACMMG110)

At the end of the lesson, students will: 

• Scaffold/extend existing knowledge of 12 hour time.

• Understand 24 hour time and its notation.

• Be able to convert between 12 and 24 hour times.

Rubric

Sample lesson

Worksheet

Rationale

     This online resource addresses the following Australian Curriculum substrands (Australian Curriculum Assessment and Reporting Authority, 2014) for Year 5:

Measurement and Geometry

Using units of measurement

Compare 12- and 24-hour time systems and convert between them (ACMMG110)

At the end of the lesson, students will be able to:  

• Scaffold/extend existing knowledge of 12 hour time.

• Understand 24 hour time and its notation.

• Be able to convert between 12 and 24 hour times.

     This online resource assesses outcomes from the Australian Curriculum standards for mathematics ACMMG110, related to understanding the usage, operation and conversion of 12 and 24 hour time formats (ACARA., 2014). Student-centered with an experiential approach to learning, students are encouraged to build/construct knowledge rather than learning through memorisation (Etuk, Etuk, Etudor-Eyo and Samuel, 2011; Trilling and Fadel, 2009). This is supported by Bruner’s theory of scaffolding, students construct knowledge connections at their own pace. This webquest encourages students through guided and scaffolded instruction to assume the role of secret agents on the hunt for a jewel thief by applying their knowledge and understanding of 12- and 24- hour time conversions. Upon completion students will be able to recognise and convert between 12- and 24- hour times.

    Introductory information pages provide revision to concepts of time. Some students may not grasp the concept, may have incorrectly learnt or forgotten time-telling skills (Reys, Lindquist, Lambdin and Smith, 2012). The resource also allows for students to the skip information pages they feel comfortable with, eliminating unnecessary repetition and loss of engagement (Reys et al, 2012). Inclusion of a help page also helps students to work through problems/tasks they don’t understand. It gives students prompts and hints to guide students to work through the problem, rather than be given the answer by the teacher.

     Containing authentic tasks, the webquest engages students to develop and apply their knowledge in a meaningful way they can relate to their everyday lives (Coffman, 2013; Tella, 2013).  Initial pages are designed to spark interest and provide review of existing knowledge and provide a solid base of understanding which will be expanded on throughout the webquest. Authentic learning requires students being able to take the skills learnt and apply them outside of a classroom or digital environment (Trilling and Fadel. 2009). Authentic tasks makes the learning more relevant to students, and that they will be more readily able to adapt the skills they learn and link these to the world around them (Pullen, 2013, p.11). The assessments and subsequent mission are designed so that students move away from lower-level memory based tasks and towards engagement of higher-order thinking skills.

     Students test their knowledge and understanding through a fun matching game and a quiz. Both provide immediate feedback for the students, the quiz also provides further direct information to explain the answer. The quiz results are accessible via a teacher portal to view attempts and answers to follow-up for targeted student support. Students then move through a guided “mission” task, with progression based on problems requiring correct answers to progress to finding the thief.

     A sample rubric can be adapted to assess student understanding. Students should be encouraged to record their workings, answers, observations and self-summary in their math journals. Using supporting observational evidence, a teacher can mark students based on the provided rubric. Explicit teaching of 12 and 24 hour times prior to the webquest is essential to help form a solid base for students to begin to scaffold their knowledge, especially those experiencing difficulties with mathematical concepts (Doabler and Fien, 2003).

    This webquest can be used with the following lesson plan or as an extension task. It will explain and build student skills associated with time and extend this to conversions between 12 and 24 hour times. This lesson moves beyond clock worksheets which require students recall and name the time, to the application of time (Hopkins, Gifford and Pepperell, 1997). Although the digital age requires less emphasis on reading of analogue time it is still considered to be a vital life skill. This lesson reviews what students already know and understand about 12 hour time and clocks and extends this knowledge to the 24 hours within a day and how this can be recorded and understood as well as why we would wish to record time in this way.

     Student progress, understanding and engagement can be monitored through usage of open-ended questions, such as “what are you enjoying and why?” and “tell me how you arrived at this point in the quest?”, as well as more closed questioning such as “what time would xx:xx pm be?”. Information gathered by the teacher from observations can be used as an evaluation for the overall success of the lesson. Students could also be encouraged to self-assess the lesson with a writing task upon completion of the webquest. This feedback can be used reflectively to adjust use of the webquest in the classroom. Visual monitoring is required to ensure students stay on task (Reys et al, 2012).

     Students can be directed to work independently or collaboratively. While working collaboratively, they will be encouraged to exchange their ideas and knowledge, to approach the tasks. The online resource caters for differentiation, in that all students can achieve basic and applied knowledge skills, then move onto extension activities. Self-paced progression provides opportunity to feel comfortable with unfamiliar concepts. Peer mentoring can be beneficial to learning, with students sharing their knowledge and understanding (Tella, 2013). Working collaboratively also provides students social skills development.

     Differentiation is catered for with the use of accessible activities and extension activities for gifted/talented learners. A worksheet is available for students who prefer this to writing in their journals. Encouraging students to present their findings in multiple ways is supported by Gardner’s theory of multiple intelligences (Trilling and Fadel, 2009). Students should attempt to demonstrate their understanding of the topic by creating their own self-assessment, in a way they feel comfortable.

     This lesson is ICT-based, developing of crucial technology skills required by 21st century learners. Utilising digital technology develops and reinforces skills required by students beyond their school years. Teaching math through digital means helps engage and differentiate student instruction, ensuring all students achieve success.

    This online resource meets the Australian Curriculum Mathematic standard for ACMMG110. Upon completion students will be able to understand and concert between 12 and 24 hour time formats. This is through the use of authentic tasks, engaging students in higher level thinking. Students are scaffolded and supported in their progression. The task has been designed for students to work collaboratively as well as catering for differentiation, where all students can achieve success.