Mathematics · Year 3

Active learning ideas

Temperature and Thermometers

Students learn best about temperature when they can directly interact with it. Experiential learning, where students actively measure and record temperatures, makes the abstract concept of degrees concrete and relatable.

• ACARA Content Descriptions
• ACARA Australian Curriculum v9: Mathematics Year 3, Number, Recall and demonstrate proficiency with addition and subtraction facts for single-digit numbers (AC9M3N04)
• ACARA Australian Curriculum v9: Mathematics Year 3, Number, Add and subtract two- and three-digit numbers, using place value to partition, rearrange and regroup numbers (AC9M3N03)

• 15–45 min
• Pairs → Whole Class
• 3 activities

Activity 01

• Experiential Learning
• 45 min · Small Groups

Thermometer Exploration Stations

Set up stations with various thermometers (digital, alcohol-based). Students measure the temperature of different objects or locations: ice water, room temperature water, warm water, outside air. They record readings and describe the feel of each.

Explain how a thermometer works to measure temperature.

Facilitation Tip

During Thermometer Exploration Stations, encourage students to discuss their observations about how different thermometers display temperature, fostering peer learning.

• Apply
• Analyze
• Evaluate
• Self-Awareness
• Self-Management
• Social Awareness

Activity 02

• Experiential Learning
• 20 min · Individual

Daily Temperature Journal

Students record the daily high and low temperatures from a reliable source (weather report, online). They plot these on a simple graph or number line and write a sentence comparing the temperatures.

Compare different temperatures and describe what they might feel like.

Facilitation Tip

During the Daily Temperature Journal activity, prompt students to look for patterns in temperature changes over the week, reinforcing the Inquiry Circle's focus on student-generated questions.

• Apply
• Analyze
• Evaluate
• Self-Awareness
• Self-Management
• Social Awareness

Activity 03

• Experiential Learning
• 15 min · Whole Class

Predicting the Day's Temperature

As a class, observe the temperature at the start of the lesson. Students predict if it will go up or down by lunchtime and why. Later, they measure the temperature again and discuss the changes.

Predict how temperature changes throughout a day or across seasons.

Facilitation Tip

During Predicting the Day's Temperature, facilitate a class discussion where students explain their reasoning based on the current temperature and prior observations, solidifying their understanding through shared Concept Mapping.

• Apply
• Analyze
• Evaluate
• Self-Awareness
• Self-Management
• Social Awareness

A few notes on teaching this unit

To make temperature meaningful, connect it to students' lived experiences. Move beyond simply reading numbers to discussing how those numbers feel – is 10°C cool, cold, or freezing? Use comparative language (hotter than, colder than) to build understanding of the scale.

Students will confidently read and interpret thermometer scales in Celsius, comparing different temperatures and articulating their observations. They will connect thermometer readings to physical sensations and real-world weather phenomena.

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Watch Out for These Misconceptions

• During Thermometer Exploration Stations, watch for students who only describe the temperature as 'hot' or 'cold' without referencing the scale.

  Redirect students by asking them to read the specific number on the thermometer and compare it to other readings, emphasizing that the scale quantifies 'hot' and 'cold'.

• During the Daily Temperature Journal, students might treat the recorded numbers as isolated facts rather than points on a scale.

  Prompt students to compare today's high with yesterday's low, asking 'Is it warmer or colder than yesterday?' to reinforce the scale's continuous nature.

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Methods used in this brief

• Experiential Learning