As part of our time unit, Ioan and Finny wanted to make a clock (or clocks) so it was easy to convert time between analogue and digital 12- and 24-hour clocks.
Planning the clocks out on a whiteboard
They both designed their own clocks on a whiteboard first. Ioan was inspired by a zouwu from Fantastic Beats. He wanted the analogue clock in the normal position with the 24-hour clock inside and the digital times around the edges.
Finny decided to make two clocks, one analogue and one digital, both based on axolotls. This was his plan for the analogue clock.
Their whiteboard plans so far:
Finny then went on to design his digital clock.
Zouwu clock
Consulting his plan, Yoshi started off by cutting out an orange circle for the centre of his clock.
He added the numbers for the 24-hour clock inside the orange circle.
Next, he cut out smaller yellow circles for the analogue part of his clock.
Red strips were measured out to make the zouwu’s mane.
Ioan added the digital times to the mane.
As he placed the times around the clock, Yoshi realised that the times from :35 to :55 were upside down, so swapped the numbers over to the other side of the red strips.
At first, Ioan used a split pin to attach a red minute hand and an orange hour hand, but he wasn’t happy with the lack of contrast against the orange background. He swapped to using a yellow hour hand instead.
Analogue axolotl clock
Finny lined up his two colours of paper, then placed the bowl so that half of his clock would be pink and half yellow. He drew round the bowl.
He added his analogue times, spitting his ‘6’ and ’12’ over both colours of paper.
Then, cut out both halves of his clock and stuck them on his cardboard.
Finny added the times the minute hand would show as it travelled round the analogue clock.
Digital axolotl clock
Finny measured out two circles, a smaller blue one and a larger purple one.
He drew around his purple circle, so he knew how much of his cardboard to paint blue.
On the blue circle he added the first twelve hours and on the purple circle it was hours thirteen to twenty four.
The final touches to Finny’s axolotl clocks were the hands and the heads.
Finished clocks
Two axolotls and a zouwu.
DfES Outcomes for EYFS and National Curriculum (2013)
Numeracy Year 4 programme of study
Measurement
- read, write and convert time between analogue and digital 12- and 24-hour clocks
Art and Design Key Stage 2 programme of study
Pupils should be taught to develop their techniques, including their control and their use of materials, with creativity, experimentation and an increasing awareness of different kinds of art, craft and design.
