Mathematics

The Farmington mathematics program focuses on developing students’ skills in many areas of mathematics. By studying the underlying structure and relationship of numbers and operations, students learn to compute, estimate, and solve mathematical problems in meaningful ways. Instruction emphasizes problem solving strategies and reasoning as students arrive at and justify mathematical solutions. Students are also helped to make connections among mathematical concepts to strengthen and further their understanding.

For more information visit: Farmington Public Schools K-6 Mathematics Website 

Third grade students continue to develop skills and concepts using manipulatives and clear visual models. Students expand their understanding of the base-ten system by building on previously taught concepts and moving from the use of concrete materials to pictorial representations to abstract notation. Students develop fluency with multiplication and division within 100 using equal size groups, arrays, and area models. They develop an understanding of fractions. They compare and classify 2 dimensional shapes and apply fraction and multiplication concepts to determine area. Students are encouraged to practice and apply concepts, solve challenging problems, and explain their thinking both orally and in writing across all topics. Throughout the third grade experience, the emphasis is on deep understanding which is characterized by flexible thinking and problem solving.

Here's a list of additional ways parents can support their child in math:

• Use manipulatives: Use physical objects to help your child begin to visualize and understand basic multiplication and division (ex. creating 4 groups of 5 and finding total or breaking 20 into 4 groups and seeing how many are in each group)

• Play math games: Incorporate math into games like board games so children learn strategy, logic, and critical thinking skills.

• Daily math talk: Discuss math concepts casually during daily activities such as counting money, estimating how many or how much, measuring items, noticing fractions, and talking about time and schedules.

• Math stories: Read books that involve math concepts, such as counting books or stories that incorporate patterns and shapes. Encourage your child to make up their own math stories as they play.

• Encourage problem-solving: Present your child with simple math problems and encourage them to find solutions using their own methods and strategies.

• Create a math space: Designate a specific area at home for math activities, equipped with math-related books, puzzles, and games.

• Praise effort: Celebrate your child's efforts in math, whether they solve a problem independently, understand a new concept, or persist through a challenging task.

• Connect math to their interests: Find ways to incorporate your child's interests into math activities, such as using sports statistics for math problems or measuring toys in creative play.

• Communicate math thinking: Encourage your child to explain their math thinking in written words and checking their work using multiple methods.

• Telling time: Practice telling time and scheduling events using analog and digital clocks at home.

• Think alouds: Narrate your thinking when you solve a problem in real life, especially two step problems, for example 'first I need to figure out how many cookies this recipe will make then I can figure out how many each person will get."

• Collect measurements: Practice making logical estimates on the lengths of items you encounter in real life then check your estimate by measuring.

For families looking to provide additional support at home, the following resources are available:

• FPS K-6 Mathematics Website - provides links for online and app resources

• Math Fact Lab, Freckle and Prodigy are three programs students can use to practice skills at their individualized level at home

• What are bar models? Click here to learn about this tool for explaining mathematical thinking

For families looking to provide additional challenge at home, the following resources are available:

• Self-directed work - encourage your student to explore a topic/interest of choice (learn about the stock market, explore a topic via Khan Academy, etc.) or to create a resource to share with or teach their peers (via Flipgrid, WeVideo, etc.) 

• Encourage your child to show their thinking in more than one way or method

• Ask your child to explain their thinking using written words and applicable unit vocabulary

From the FPS K6 Mathematics Website: 

1. Talk positively about math.  Please avoid saying,"I'm just not good at math." 

2. Talk about math whenever you can.  For example, you and your child are shopping.  Have them round the items you are purchasing to the nearest dollar.  Have them add these rounded numbers to get a total.

3. Talk to them about how you use math at home and work.  For example: paying bills, keeping a checkbook, buying presents, cooking with recipes, playing musical instruments, measuring during projects, etc.

4. Encourage them when they are challenged by math.  Little successes lead to increased confidence.  Increased confidence leads to more risk-taking in math.  More risk-taking leads to accepting more challenging problems, which leads to greater confidence and greater understanding.

5. When your child is having difficulty with homework, have him/her read the problem out loud to you. Ask him/her to identify exactly what the question is asking.  Help start the problem. Tell them to show something so the teacher knows there has been effort. Have your child prepare a specific question to ask the teacher.

6. Play games in the car.  You can do something simple like practice multiplication facts.  Or, you could learn a game like "buzz" that connects to multiplication tables.

7. Help your child develop a growth mindset. Praise  effort and risk-taking, not just results. If your child is struggling through a problem, suggest that he/she tries a different strategy. Effort does not always mean trying harder but trying something different.