Expected level of development
Australian Curriculum Mathematics V9: AC9M3M01
Numeracy Progression: Understanding units of measurement: P6
At this level, students understand and use metric units to estimate, measure, order and compare objects according to their length, mass and capacity.
Transition students from using informal units to using metric units; centimetres and metres for length, grams and kilograms for mass, and millilitres and litres for capacity. An important role of the teacher is to ensure students understand the relationship between grams and kilograms (there are 1000 g in 1 kg, therefore 500 g in half a kilogram. Similarly, when measuring capacity there are 1000 mL in 1 L, therefore 500 ml in half a litre.
Explore the use of scaled instruments that measure in metric units, including students making their own ruler to measure length.
Provide opportunities to practise strategies such as visualising to help estimate length, mass and capacity. An important role of the teacher is to ensure that students understand the concept of capacity as the amount of fluids or gas that a container will hold and that they estimate and measure the capacity. In comparison, the volume of an object is how much space it takes up and can be thought of as one of its properties (other properties include include length, width and height).
Pose questions that require students to use metric units when applying computation strategies.
Probe student thinking to draw out mathematical reasoning when estimating, calculating and comparing measurements.
Teaching and learning summary:
- Provide measurement tasks to develop skills in measuring using metric units and provide feedback to develop accuracy and fluency.
- Explicitly teach how to convert between centimetres and metres, grams and kilograms and millilitres and litres.
- Provide problem-solving activities for students to apply their measurement skills and use mathematical reasoning.
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Teaching strategies
A collection of evidence-based teaching strategies applicable to this topic. Note we have not included an exhaustive list and acknowledge that some strategies such as differentiation apply to all topics. The selected teaching strategies are suggested as particularly relevant, however you may decide to include other strategies as well.
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Concrete, Representational, Abstract (CRA)
The CRA model is a three-phased approach where students move from concrete or virtual manipulatives, to making visual representations and on to using symbolic notation.
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Mathematics investigation
By giving students meaningful problems to solve they are engaged and can apply their learning, thereby deepening their understanding.
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Explicit teaching
Explicit teaching is about making the learning intentions and success criteria clear, with the teacher using examples and working though problems, setting relevant learning tasks and checking student understanding and providing feedback.
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Culturally responsive pedagogies
Culturally responsive pedagogy is a form of teaching that incorporates learners’ cultural background and histories into classroom practice.
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Teaching resources
A range of resources to support you to build your student's understanding of these concepts, their skills and procedures. The resources incorporate a variety of teaching strategies.
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Perplexing perimeters
Students construct and use their own rulers to develop a sense of the size of a centimetre and a metre as they measure perimeters.
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Stepping out
Students move from using informal units to standard units of measuring length.
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reSolve: Measurement – Jump!
In this two-part lesson, students estimate the lengths of different jumps and measure and compare results using centimetres.
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Mass and capacity: grams and kilograms
Use this guide (pp 3–10) to focus on measuring mass, using grams and kilograms to estimate, measure and compare objects.
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Supermarket shopping
A sequence of explorations that highlights the need for standard units of mass (kilograms and grams) through the context of grocery shopping.
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Fill it up
Use these language-based activities to help students develop a mental image of one litre and measure the capacity of everyday containers using litres.
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Stage 2: volume and capacity
A teaching guide that brings together fundamental ideas for teaching volume and capacity.
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Assessment
By the end of Year 3, students are using familiar metric units when estimating, comparing and measuring the attributes of objects and events.
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Mathematics Year 3 - ACARA
View work sample 3, Measurement: How much is there? and the related task for assessment guidance.
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Broken ruler
This task can be used to reveal whether students can use markings on a ruler to measure in centimetres and whether they understand how the number on the scale relates to the units.
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Make a Measuring Jug
Use this diagnostic task to assess a student's understanding of capacity and the calibrated scale on a measuring jug.
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