Level 3: Metric system, time and area

Measurement · level 3 of 8 · rough age 9-10 (a guide for parents; anyone can start anywhere)

In level 2 you measured with centimetres, metres, kilograms and litres, and read clocks. In this level the units become a family: milli-, centi- and kilo- link them by 10, 100 and 1000, so changing units is as easy as moving a decimal point, and you learn why. You work out how long things take on any clock, including the 24-hour one, start measuring the space inside shapes (area), and read thermometers below zero, all the way down to the cold of Mars.

Lesson	You will be able to
The metric family	Use mm, cm, m and km, change between them by multiplying or dividing by 10, 100 or 1000, and explain why the decimal point moves
Mass and capacity	Use grams, kilograms, millilitres and litres, choose a sensible unit, read a scale, and convert
Elapsed time and the 24-hour clock	Find how long something takes with a time line, read and write 24-hour times, and change between hours, minutes and seconds
Area by counting squares	Measure area in square centimetres and square metres, count half squares, and find shapes with the same area but different perimeters
Area of rectangles	Find a rectangle's area by multiplying, explain why length × width works, and find a missing side
Temperature in degrees Celsius	Read a thermometer above and below zero, find temperature differences, and compare places, seasons and planets

Previous: Level 2: units for everyone · Next: Level 4: area and volume · Measurement topic page