Show students an analog clock and tell them that clocks are what we use to tell time. To get pupils in the mindset of thinking about clocks and telling time, read books about clocks and time such as "It's About Time" or "Midnight Fright."
Tell students that each number on a clock represents an hour of the day.
Point to the short hand and tell students that this hand is the hour hand. This is the hand that tells you the hour of the day. Tell them they can remember the hour hand by remembering that it's the short hand.
Point to the long hand and tell students that this hand is the minute hand. This is the hand that tells you how many minutes have passed in an hour. Tell them they can remember the minute hand by remembering that it's the long hand. Tell students that each mark going around the clock represents one minute. Allow pupils to count the little marks around the clock and then tell them that there are 60 minutes in one hour.
Move the clock hands around to show students different times by the hour, such as 3 o'clock, 7 o'clock and 9 o'clock. When showing them the different times, mention how the minute hand is pointing to the 12 and the hour hand is pointing to the 3. For example, say "the minute hand is pointing to the 12 and the hour hand is pointing to the 3 so, therefore, the time is 3 o'clock." Repeat the process for other times.
Show students a digital clock. Once the analog has been introduced and students understand the basics, explain that we also can tell time using a digital clock. Explain that the first number is the hour and the two dots are called a colon mark, which separates the minutes from the hour. Tell them the numbers behind the colon mark represents how many minutes have passed in the hour. Show them how different times would look on a digital clock such as 3:00, 7:00 and 9:00. For more practice telling time, Time Monsters.com has activities that students can do alone or with assistance. The website has lessons about the "numbers on a clock," "hands on a clock" and telling time. There are also quizzes students can take online and worksheets that can be printed.