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Number story · Year 2 · Free

Pork-ulele
and the Clockwork Concert

A seven-page concert countdown for telling the time: quarter past, half past, quarter to and how long things take.

Year 2 (UK) · Grade 1 (US)Time & Duration
Begin the story
Pork-ulele and the Clockwork Concert book cover.
Pork-ulele the piglet plays the ukulele on a forest stage while Cluck O'Clock points at the big clock showing quarter past three.
Page 1 of 7 · Quarter Past Rehearsal

Pork-ulele promises to rehearse at quarter past three. Cluck O’Clock points to the minute hand travelling one quarter around the clock.

Try it: How many minutes past the hour is quarter past?

  • 10
  • 15
  • 20
  • 30
Show the answer

15. A full clock is 60 minutes. One quarter of 60 is 15 minutes.

Pork-ulele taps a drum kit as the stage clock shows half past four and Cluck O'Clock watches.
Page 2 of 7 · Half-Past Drum Check

The drum check begins at half past four. The minute hand has travelled halfway around the clock face.

Try it: How many minutes past four is half past four?

  • 15
  • 25
  • 30
  • 45
Show the answer

30. Half of 60 minutes is 30 minutes.

Pork-ulele and Cluck O'Clock wait by the red stage curtain as the lamp-post clock shows quarter to five.
Page 3 of 7 · Quarter To Curtain

The curtain must rise at five o’clock. It is quarter to five when the lantern crew finishes.

Try it: How many minutes remain until five o’clock?

  • 5
  • 10
  • 15
  • 30
Show the answer

15. Quarter to means one quarter of an hour remains: 15 minutes.

Pork-ulele sings at a microphone with the band behind while Cluck O'Clock checks a small brass clock.
Page 4 of 7 · The Long Sound Check

Sound check starts at 4:10 and ends at 4:45. Pork-ulele keeps every musician calm while Cluck watches the hands.

Try it: How many minutes does sound check last?

  • 25
  • 30
  • 35
  • 45
Show the answer

35. Count from 4:10 to 4:40 = 30 minutes, then 5 more minutes to 4:45. Total 35.

A rabbit, a goose and a lamb take a bow under the clock at half past four while Pork-ulele plays and Cluck O'Clock claps.
Page 5 of 7 · One Whole Hour

The dancers practise from 3:30 until 4:30. They finish exactly when the second hand completes its final circle.

Try it: How many minutes are in one hour?

  • 30
  • 45
  • 60
  • 90
Show the answer

60. One complete hour always contains 60 minutes.

Backstage, Pork-ulele holds the ukulele and Cluck O'Clock holds a brass pocket watch, with the lit stage beyond the curtain.
Page 6 of 7 · A Short Encore

The main show lasts 50 minutes and the hall is booked for 70 minutes. The remaining time can become an encore.

Try it: How many minutes are available for the encore?

  • 10
  • 15
  • 20
  • 30
Show the answer

20. Subtract the show from the booking: 70 − 50 = 20 minutes.

Woodland friends cheer as Pork-ulele plays and Cluck O'Clock conducts under a full moon.
Page 7 of 7 · Music Right on Time

The concert and tidy-up together take one hour and 30 minutes. Every performer leaves beneath a chiming moon.

Try it: How many minutes is one hour and 30 minutes?

  • 60
  • 75
  • 90
  • 130
Show the answer

90. One hour is 60 minutes. Add 30 more: 60 + 30 = 90.

The end · Great maths

Seven questions, one story.

Try the story again without peeking, or print it and work the questions on paper. SnackPack Basic Math has the rest of the story shelf, daily practice and number games.

Next storyHop‑Tart and the Stepping‑Stone Switch

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