3rd Grade math

What will be covered in math this year?

CMS Units of Study

• Multiplication and Division (word problems)

• Area and Perimeter

• Addition and Subtraction (word problems)

• Multi - Step Word Problems 

• Representing and Interpreting Data (based upon information on graphs/tables)

• Fractions

• Measurement

• Geometry

"I didn't learn it that way when I was in school"

Does this sound familiar? You are showing your child how to solve a problem by stacking numbers.... but wait your child says "We are not allowed to do it that way and my teachers say to use expanded form or a number line." But wait....what? Here are some answers and tips to help make homework time successful.

Potential hazards to teaching the “stacking” algorithms too early...

• When students solve problems this way they do not correspond with the way we think about numbers.

           (i.e. the “4” in the number 547 is treated as a “4” and not a “40”

• When students solve problems this way children are encouraged to give up their own thinking. They are encouraged to instead get quick and reliable answers.

• When students solve problems this way children have a blind acceptance of results and over-zealous applications often when it is not necessary.

           ($100.00 - $ 99.95 = ?   students may start to do the algorithm rather than being aware of how close those values really are.)

Addition and Subtraction strategies

• Count all ( students will count all to find the total of the two collections)

• Count- on (Students will count on from one number to find the total of collections)

• Count-back /count down to/ count up from ( given a subtraction situation students will choose appropriate strategies)

• Basic strategies (students will use doubles, commutative property, adding tens, ten facts other known facts)

• Derived strategies (near double, adding 9, build to the next ten, fact families, other strategies)

Rule of thumb- students should not be taught conventional written algorithms until they are able to add and subtract two- digit numbers in their heads. Most students are not ready for this until the end of 4th grade.

homework

Math homework for the WEEK will come home each Monday. It is up to your family when to schedule homework time. Students may do it all on one night or complete it nightly.  If your student is struggling to answer a question, you may try and assist them or encourage them to ask for help from their teacher the next day. All homework is due on Friday and is reviewed in class. 

Homework will not begin until January, as we begin preparing for the EOG assessment. 

Math at home - How can i help my child?

1) Help your child become fluent with their multiplication and addition facts.

2) Do not allow your student to "stack" their numbers to add or subtract. We encourage your student to add using expanded form or on a number line.

3) Encourage your student to represent each number by breaking it up into ones, tens, hundreds and so on.

4) Encourage your student to explain how they solved the problem. Communication is an important part of mathematics and students need to describe their strategies through talking, writing, drawing and using concrete objects.

online math resources