am and pm
I can tell the time using am and pm
These resources will be removed by end of Summer Term 2025.
Lesson details
Key learning points
- There are 24 hours in a day.
- The time between midnight and midday can be referred to using 'am'.
- The time between midday and midnight can be referred to using 'pm'.
Keywords
Am - The half of the day from midnight to midday.
Pm - The half of the day from midday to midnight.
Common misconception
Pupils might instinctively believe that midnight is 12 pm. There is often confusion about the use of am and pm with midnight and midday.
Utilise opportunities for quickfire counting outside the Maths lesson, from different starting points. For example, 10 am, 11 am, 12 pm, 1 pm, 2pm, or 9 pm, 10 pm, 11 pm, 12 am. 1 am.
To help you plan your year 3 maths lesson on: am and pm, download all teaching resources for free and adapt to suit your pupils' needs...
To help you plan your year 3 maths lesson on: am and pm, download all teaching resources for free and adapt to suit your pupils' needs.
The starter quiz will activate and check your pupils' prior knowledge, with versions available both with and without answers in PDF format.
We use learning cycles to break down learning into key concepts or ideas linked to the learning outcome. Each learning cycle features explanations with checks for understanding and practice tasks with feedback. All of this is found in our slide decks, ready for you to download and edit. The practice tasks are also available as printable worksheets and some lessons have additional materials with extra material you might need for teaching the lesson.
The assessment exit quiz will test your pupils' understanding of the key learning points.
Our video is a tool for planning, showing how other teachers might teach the lesson, offering helpful tips, modelled explanations and inspiration for your own delivery in the classroom. Plus, you can set it as homework or revision for pupils and keep their learning on track by sharing an online pupil version of this lesson.
Explore more key stage 2 maths lessons from the Tell the time to the nearest minute and compare units of time unit, dive into the full secondary maths curriculum, or learn more about lesson planning.
Licence
Starter quiz
6 Questions




before midday
midday
after midday
Exit quiz
6 Questions
the time between midnight and midday
the time between midday and midnight
pm
am