Third Grade Math
Math is FUN! I know some of you don't agree, but I try really hard to get the kids excited about math! Sure we have to practice some skills over and over, but we will also do some math centers, task cards, math games, and lots of hands-on activities - all to build the conceptual framework that is necessary for anyone to excel in math now and especially later!
General Pacing and Information
In the first quarter, we focus on different strategies for adding and subtracting, rounding, and just overall number sense. During the second quarter, we start with time, and then delve into multiplication and division. We also start some area and perimeter. The third quarter predominately focuses on fractions, but we are still fine-tuning multiplication, division, and area/perimeter. The fourth quarter brings some measurement, geometry, and lots and lots of review.
The biggest standards in our curriculum are multiplication, division, area/perimeter, and fractions.
If you need more help understanding a particular concept, please visit the, "Math Videos" page of our website. Ms. Ems and I have made oodles of videos to help you understand how we teach each concept! It is an invaluable resource!
If you would like to see even more, please click on the links below. Each one will take you to the specific standards of that domain.
Morning Work
Almost everyday this year, your child will complete their math "morning work" for the specified day. Each week spirals through specific skills. This gives students the repetition they need to feel confident with each skill he/she is practicing. Although the skills remain the same, they do progress throughout each half of the year. When students begin the third quarter, they will be practicing every single third grade math standard each week. There is also a word problem every day all year because students need tons of practice with that!
In addition, there is a "challenge problem" each week for fast finishers or anyone that is driven to solve it. These problems are non-routine meaning there is not an obvious way for students (third graders) to solve them. Students may get help with these problems from anyone as long as someone else is not just doing it for them with no explanation. The problems are not required, but we do discuss them each Friday. Do not presume these problems are easy - most of them will have you thinking as well if you choose to help!
To assess how students are doing with each skill, there will be a "morning work" quiz about every three weeks. You will see a grade, but I will be tracking much more data than just a grade. This assessment gives me a very clear picture on which standards each student has mastered along with which standards each student needs more practice or help with.
Homework
There will almost always be homework Monday through Thursday night. I like this homework for two reasons:
1. I wanted homework that didn't take long (enough for a little practice and for parents to stay updated).
2. I wanted homework that had explanations and examples when I felt it was necessary (These are for student and parent referral, but I have found that students don't look at them that much). Of course, if you need even more help, you can access our math videos!
Most students should be able to complete the math quickly, but if your child is taking longer than 15 to 20 minutes, and is on task, please let me know, so we can find a way to modify it.
Here is my advice on how homework should be completed: If your child is capable, let your child do the homework independently. Let your child know that if he/she is completely lost on one, put a star by it, and then move to the next one. If someone who is capable has time, check the homework. This can also be where some guidance is given on how to approach or solve a particular problem. This will give great insight and one-on-one attention which is always beneficial. I will always go over the homework in class the next day, but I certainly can't sit down with each child individually, so any individual time is well spent. Again, because the homework is short, this process should not take too long. If you simply don't have time, tell your child to pay close attention as I am going over it in class, and to pay special attention to any problems that he or she had difficulty. If your child greatly struggles, you may need to help with each individual problem. Doing this can take more time, so again, please let me know if the process is taking too long or if your child is getting very frustrated! I can easily modify the length of the homework if need be! Whether your child typically struggles or not, feel free to jot notes on the homework if your child was struggling with a particular concept(s), you have questions, or anything else that pertains to the homework.
Some parents are worried that if they help their child with homework, they may show them a wrong way to get the answer which is funny to me because how can any way to get a mathematically correct answer be wrong! Now, we do work on certain strategies to solving problems, and we want kids to be adept at these multiple strategies simply because it helps improve their overall number sense. Also, our addition/subtraction standard (3.NBT.2) specifically wants students to learn different strategies for solving addition and subtraction. On that particular test, there will be a section where students have to show that they can use at least one other strategy other than the standard algorithm (the way we learned it growing up). However, we also practice and want students to learn the standard algorithm as well. If you want to make sure you are approaching the math similarly to how I approach it, and build a strong foundation, look at the explanation and examples included on the homework, or even better, watch our math videos (videos can be found on the "math videos" page)!
Homework is tied to our behavior system. During the beginning of the year, if a student forgets his/her homework or didn't do it, it is simply a warning for the day which has no consequences tied to it other than the fact that he or she will probably have to work on it during lunch. However, after that grace period, incomplete or forgotten homework will result in a code which is the loss of a citizenship point (tied directly to the citizenship grade), so it is important each child creates a good habit of doing and then remembering to bring in his/her homework.
Questions and/or Concerns
If you ever have questions or concerns about how your child is progressing mathematically or how I am teaching a particular concept, please reach out to me via email (link on my home page), phone, or note.
