“Methodology of Teaching Time and Its Units of Measurement in Primary School Mathematics Lessons”
Urganch davlat pedagogika instituti
Boshlangʻich taʼlim fakulteti
“Boshlangʻich ta’lim metodikasi” kafedrasi mudiri
p.f.f.d.(PhD), dotsent Yusufzoda Shabnami Yunus
Urganch davlat pedagogika instituti
Boshlangʻich taʼlim fakulteti
Boshlangʻich taʼlim yoʻnalishi 3-bosqich 236-guruh
talabasi Jumanazarova Munojot Elmurod qizi
Annotasiya: Ushbu maqolada boshlang‘ich sinf o‘quvchilarini vaqt tushunchasi va uning o‘lchov birliklari bilan tanishtirish jarayonining metodik asoslari tahlil qilingan. Tadqiqotda o‘quvchilarda vaqt tushunchasini shakllantirish, uni turli didaktik usullar orqali mustahkamlash hamda o‘rgangan bilim va ko‘nikmalarni amaliyotda qo‘llay olishga yo‘naltirish yo‘llari yoritilgan. Shuningdek, maqolada vaqt o‘lchov birliklarini o‘qitishda samarali metodlar, dars jarayonida qo‘llaniladigan o‘yinli topshiriqlar va amaliy mashg‘ulotlarning ahamiyati asoslab berilgan. Natijada, boshlang‘ich sinf o‘quvchilarida vaqt haqidagi ilmiy tasavvurni shakllantirishning metodik tavsiyalari ishlab chiqilgan.
Kalit soʻzlar: Miqdorlar, vaqt tushunchasi, soniya (sekund), daqiqa (minut), soat, kun, tun, hafta, oy, yil, asr, ko‘nikma.
Annotation: This article analyzes the methodological foundations of introducing primary school students to the concept of time and its units of measurement. The study highlights methods for forming the concept of time among students, reinforcing it through various didactic techniques, and directing them toward applying acquired knowledge and skills in practice. The article also substantiates the effectiveness of using active teaching methods, game-based tasks, and practical exercises in teaching time measurement units. As a result, methodological recommendations for developing scientific understanding of time among primary school students have been proposed.
Keywords: Quantities, concept of time, second, minute, hour, day, night, week, month, year, century, skill.
Аннотация: В данной статье проанализированы методические основы ознакомления учащихся начальных классов с понятием времени и его единицами измерения. В исследовании освещены пути формирования у школьников представления о времени, его закрепления с помощью различных дидактических методов и направленности на практическое применение полученных знаний и навыков. Также обоснована эффективность использования активных методов обучения, игровых заданий и практических занятий при изучении единиц измерения времени. В результате разработаны методические рекомендации по формированию у учащихся начальных классов научного представления о времени.
Ключевые слова: Величины, понятие времени, секунда, минута, час, день, ночь, неделя, месяц, год, век, навык.
Introduction
Human life is directly connected with the meaningful and rapid passage of time. Time flows continuously — it can neither be stopped, slowed down, nor reversed. Therefore, people perceive time relatively. As the President of the Republic of Uzbekistan, Shavkat Mirziyoyev, emphasized: “Time is life, and it does not wait for us.” Indeed, time is one of the most important quantities in human activity, expressing the duration and sequence of events.
Time is an inseparable part of human existence and is one of the most complex quantitative concepts to study. Children’s understanding of time gradually develops through daily activities and observations. The first perceptions of time begin to form during the preschool period. Time represents the sequence and duration of events, helping to determine their position in the past, present, and future.
This article highlights the methodological foundations of teaching the concept of time and its measurement units in primary school mathematics lessons. It also analyzes how to form students’ understanding of time, direct them toward practical activities, and effectively use visual aids and information technologies during the learning process. The proper use of digital tools increases students’ interest and helps them consciously comprehend the concept of time.
Main Part
As the great mathematician N. Wiener stated, “The main task of mathematics is to find the order hidden within the chaos surrounding us.” Indeed, mathematics helps to reveal the system and patterns hidden behind various forms of disorder in the world. In this process, correctly organizing time plays a crucial role. Therefore, teaching the concept of time and its measurement units to primary school students is of great importance.
In the early grades, the concepts of quantity and time hold a special place in students’ cognitive development. When teaching time measurement units, it is advisable to build students’ understanding through real-life examples, combining theoretical knowledge with practical application, since time serves as the main criterion for distinguishing events in daily life.
The smallest unit of time is the second, followed by minute, hour, day, week, month, year, and century. Among these, day and year are derived from natural phenomena, while hour, minute, and second were developed by humans through centuries of observation and research. The Earth’s rotation around its axis forms a day, while its revolution around the Sun forms a year, which consists of 365 or 366 days. The accumulation of six hours per year leads to one extra day every four years, resulting in a leap year. Over centuries, systematic observation led to the formation of the modern calendar system.
The division of one day into 24 hours is also based on ancient astronomical observations.
The main goal of studying time and its measurement units in primary school mathematics is to help students master the relationships between different units of time and to develop the ability to determine time using a clock.
Teaching by Grade Levels
�� Grade 1:
During the preparatory stage, students are introduced to the concepts of “before” and “after.” For example, using visual materials that depict the twelve months of the year, the teacher may ask:
- “Which month comes before March?”
- “Which month comes after May?”
- “What comes three months after May?”
Such questions help students develop an understanding of sequence and the passage of time.
In Grade 1, students also learn concepts such as morning, afternoon, evening, night, today, yesterday, and tomorrow. Using a classroom calendar, they begin to grasp the relationship between day, week, month, and year. The teacher may engage students in discussions such as:
- “What role does time play in human life?”
- “What important events happen from childhood to old age?”
These conversations expand students’ thinking and strengthen their understanding of time.
�� Grade 2:
At this stage, students are introduced to the concepts of hour and minute, learning how to measure time using a clock, compare expressions of time, and perform related calculations. In addition to theoretical explanations, it is advisable to use model clocks for practical activities.
For example, by observing the clock face and moving the hands, students visually grasp the passage of time. The teacher can ask situational questions such as:
- “What time of day does this clock show?”
- “What are people usually doing at this time?”
- “Where is the Sun at this moment?”
Such questions help students connect time with real-life situations.
Additionally, using interactive exercises such as “funny clocks”—with colorful and variously shaped clock illustrations—can make learning more engaging. These activities help students develop skills in identifying time, observing changes in the clock hands, and distinguishing between different time intervals.
In the 3rd grade, the topic “Hours, Minutes, and Seconds” is used to explain the concept of time and its units of measurement. In this topic, students are introduced to the smallest units of time — the second and the minute — and develop skills in converting between them as well as performing addition and subtraction operations involving time.
Using practical examples related to students’ daily lives gives effective results when studying this topic. For instance, students may be given tasks such as “Determining the time they leave home and the time they arrive at school,” “Counting how many vehicles they ride,” or “Calculating how long each vehicle takes to reach its destination.”
Through such exercises, students learn to connect time measurement units with real-life situations and to analyze them independently. Based on this, they gain practical experience in performing operations involving time.
For example, the following exercise can be given:
“An electric train departed from the Southern Station at 8:25 a.m. and arrived at Khojakent Station at 9:10 a.m. How much time did the train spend on the way?”
By solving this problem, students develop the ability to determine time intervals and perform addition and subtraction operations with hours and minutes.
necha minut yo‘l yurgan?”
�� Studying Time Measurement Units in the 4th Grade
In the 4th grade, time measurement units are studied as a continuation and expansion of the topics covered in the 3rd grade. The following information is presented to students as a reminder:
| Time Units | Their Relations |
| 1 century = 100 years | 1 year = 12 months |
| 1 year = 4 seasons | 1 year = 365/366 days |
| 1 month = 30/31 days | 1 week = 7 days |
| 1 day = 24 hours (1 d = 24 h) | 1 hour = 60 minutes |
| 1 minute = 60 seconds |
When explaining that one century equals 100 years, it is effective to use real-life examples. For instance, the teacher may say: “A person who lives for 100 years is said to have lived for one century.”
When teaching that one year consists of four seasons, students are introduced to the names of the seasons — spring, summer, autumn, and winter — and learn that each season contains three months. Each season can be explained with the following distinctive characteristics:
- Spring – flowers bloom, birds return, nature awakens.
- Summer – fruits ripen, the sun shines brightly.
- Autumn – crops are harvested, leaves turn yellow.
- Winter – snow falls, it becomes cold, the New Year is celebrated.
Thus, students learn to distinguish between the seasons, understand their sequence, and remember the months associated with each one.
In addition, using modern information technologies increases the effectiveness of lessons. For example, showing video clips, animations, or interactive presentations related to time measurement units on a monitor or computer helps students retain information better. In this way, theoretical knowledge is effectively combined with practical demonstrations.
In primary school textbooks, such information is presented in a similar manner, which helps to gradually develop students’ thinking abilities step by step.
Conclusion
In conclusion, when teaching time measurement units to primary school students, it is most important to first develop a basic understanding of the concept. Some students may have only heard about time units at home, while for others the topic may be completely new.
Therefore, it is crucial to use visual aids, educational games, multimedia presentations, and video materials during the lessons. Such approaches help students grasp the topic more quickly, enhance their thinking abilities and observation skills, and broaden their worldview.
Moreover, it is necessary to systematically promote the culture of effective use of information technologies in general education schools.
References
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- www.edu.uz – Official website of the Ministry of Higher Education, Science and Innovation of the Republic of Uzbekistan.
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