What students learn in AC9M3M03
This unit helps students build a clear, usable understanding of And use the relationship between formal units of time including.... The goal is not to memorise one answer pattern. Students should be able to explain the idea, recognise it in a new example and apply it in a short practice or worksheet task.
- Start with the main idea: recognise and use the relationship between formal units of time including days, hours, minutes and seconds to estimate and compare the duration of events.
- Use concrete examples, pictures, oral explanation and short written responses before moving to independent practice.
- estimating how long it would take to read a set passage of text, and sharing this information to demonstrate understanding of formal units of duration of time planning a sequence of events based on estimates of the duration of each event; for example, planning a set of activities for a class party by estimating how long each game or activity will take
- Finish with mixed questions so students must choose the correct strategy rather than copy the last example.
Curriculum coverage and elaborations
The content description and elaborations below show the curriculum ideas taught in this unit. Items marked as teaching context support lesson planning but may not appear in the initial eight-question activity.
- Content description: recognise and use the relationship between formal units of time including days, hours, minutes and seconds to estimate and compare the duration of events
- E1: estimating how long it would take to read a set passage of text, and sharing this information to demonstrate understanding of formal units of duration of time
- E2: planning a sequence of events based on estimates of the duration of each event; for example, planning a set of activities for a class party by estimating how long each game or activity will take
- E3: reading or setting the time on digital devices to the minute or second; for example, setting an online timing device to count down from a set time; or setting the time on a digital clock
- E4: using sand timers and digital timers to measure and check estimates of short durations of time, such as one minute, 3 minutes and 5 minutes
- E5: exploring how cultural accounts of First Nations Australians explain cycles of time that involve the sun, moon and stars (teaching context)
How to use this unit
Read the topic guide, use the teacher slide for instruction, then complete the Worksheet, Practice and Test. These three activities use the same eight-question unit bank.
Teacher resource
AC9M3M03 teacher slide
Use this one-page PDF to introduce the key idea, vocabulary and teaching sequence before students begin the activities.
Open teacher slide (PDF)Common mistakes to watch for
- Rushing to a rule before checking the concrete model, drawing or number sentence.
- Using the correct answer once but not being able to explain why it works.
- Mixing up similar vocabulary such as more/less, before/after, longer/shorter or equal groups/sharing.
International curriculum mapping
This table gives closest-topic mapping for search and planning. The Australian Curriculum code is exact; overseas entries are broad equivalents because each jurisdiction structures outcomes differently.
| Region | Curriculum | Closest mapping |
|---|---|---|
| Australia | Australian Curriculum v9.0 | AC9M3M03 — recognise and use the relationship between formal units of time including days, hours, minutes and seconds to estimate and compare the duration of events |
| Victoria | Victorian Curriculum F-10 | Year 3 Maths: closest match in Measurement. Use this page as a VIC-aligned practice and worksheet reference. |
| NSW | NSW Curriculum | Stage 2 Maths: closest content focus for And use the relationship between formal units of time including... and related outcomes. |
| United States | Common Core / NGSS | Grade 3 Common Core Mathematics/ELA closest topic match for And use the relationship between formal units of time including.... |
| England / UK | National Curriculum | Key Stage 2 / Year 3: closest programme-of-study match for And use the relationship between formal units of time including.... |
| Canada | Provincial and territory curricula | Grade 3 closest topic match. Canada varies by province, so use this as a broad Ontario/BC-style learning outcome reference. |
| New Zealand | New Zealand Curriculum | Level 2 Maths: closest achievement-objective topic for And use the relationship between formal units of time including.... |
| India | NCERT / CBSE | Class 3 closest NCERT/CBSE topic match for And use the relationship between formal units of time including.... |