"Our class is starting a new mathematics unit about addition and subtraction called Travel Stories and Collections. In this unit, students practice and refine addition and subtraction strategies and solve different types of subtraction problems. They work on understanding the place value of 3-digit numbers and learn about the size of the number 1,000.

You can use the activities to enrich your child’s mathematical learning experience. Together you and your child can collect 1,000 of the same small objects to see what a collection of exactly 1,000 objects (such as pebbles, bread tabs, gallon milk lids, or popsicle sticks) looks like. As you collect the objects, organize them in groups of 10 and groups of 100 to help you keep track of them. Before you begin, estimate how long you think it will take to collect 1,000 objects and how much space you think your objects will take up. As your collection grows, you might adjust your estimates on the basis of how long it has taken so far or how much space several hundred take up."

Throughout the unit, students will be working toward the goals as displayed towards the right:

"Our class is starting a new mathematics unit about multiplication and division called Understanding Equal Groups. During this unit, students develop an understanding that we use multiplication to combine a number of equal groups and that we use division to split a quantity into equal groups. By the end of Grade 3, it is expected that students will be fluent with multiplication combinations up to 10×10.

You can use the activities to enrich your child’s mathematical learning experience. One way that your child has explored multiplication is by skip counting. You can continue to build on this work by asking questions such as the following:

• What number would we land on if we counted by 3s (3, 6, 9, and so on) and everyone in our family said one number?

• How many people would have to count by 3s to reach 27? You can count off by 3s to check."

Throughout the unit, students will be working toward the goals as displayed towards the right:

"Our class is starting a new unit about multiplication and division called Cube Patterns, Arrays, and Multiples of 10. During this unit, students build on the work they did in Unit 1. Students identify and analyze arithmetic patterns to examine the relationship between multiplication and division, solve multiplication and division problems, consider what it means to multiply a single-digit number by a multiple of 10, and solve multi-step problems. They also learn the remaining multiplication facts.

Students are expected to know all of the multiplication facts up to 10×10 by the end of Grade 3. You can help your child practice by using the Multiplication Cards they have prepared at school.

At school, students are solving multiplication and division word problems. Encourage your child to help you solve multiplication and division situations that come up in your daily activities.

• How many legs are on the six dogs we saw in the park?

• How many toes are on eight people? There are 72 players who will play baseball in teams of 9. How many teams can they make?"

Throughout the unit, students will be working toward the goals as displayed towards the right:

"Our class is starting a new unit about multiplication and division called Larger Numbers and Multi-Step Problems. Students solve multiplication and division problems within 100 including multiplication problems in which they multiply a two-digit by a one-digit number, and solve division problems with two-digit quotients. They also solve multi-step problems.

Students are solving multiplication and division word problems. Encourage your child to help you solve multiplication and division situations that come up in your daily activities. We have 3 more hours to drive on our trip. There are 60 minutes in each hour. How many more minutes are we going to drive?

Students are expected to know all of the division facts by the end of third grade. You can help your child practice by using the Division Cards they have prepared at school. Ask your child to tell you about how he or she is multiplying and dividing. Because these strategies may be unfamiliar to you, listen carefully to your child’s explanation."

Throughout the unit, students will be working toward the goals as displayed towards the right:

Our class is starting a new mathematics unit about fractions called Fair Shares and Fractions on Number Lines. In this unit, students investigate the meaning of fractions and the ways fractions can be represented. They solve sharing problems (How can 2 people share 3 brownies equally?), represent fractions with area models and on number lines, compare fractions, and determine fraction equivalents.

Take advantage of any natural opportunities to use fractions as they arise. You and your child can share and compare strategies for solving problems such as these:

• If you cut a whole pizza into 6 equal slices and ate 3 of the slices, what fraction of the pizza did you eat?

• If you want to share 10 cookies among four people, how can you share them equally? How much does each person get?"

Throughout the unit, students will be working toward the goals as displayed towards the right:

"Our class is starting a new mathematics unit about geometry and measurement called Perimeter, Area, and Polygons. During this unit, students measure length by using U.S. standard units (inches, feet, yards) and metric units (centimeters, meters). They investigate characteristics of triangles and quadrilaterals (4-sided polygons). They use right angles as a reference to identify other angles as being greater than or less than 90 degrees. Students solve problems about perimeter (the length of the border of a figure) and area (the measure of how much flat space a figure covers).

You can use the activities to enrich your child’s mathematical learning experience. Measurement questions occur often in our home lives. Typical questions that may come up include these: How far is it across our kitchen table? How many children can fit comfortably on the couch? What is the perimeter of the new rug, and will it fit in the bedroom? Encourage your child to estimate and measure distances in these practical situations. You may involve your child in your own measurement activities. Hobbies such as sewing and carpentry are a natural for this. You and your child can go outside to measure longer distances. How many yards is it to the end of the block?"

Throughout the unit, students will be working toward the goals as displayed towards the right:

"Our class is starting a new mathematics unit about data called Graphs and Line Plots. During this unit, students collect, represent, describe, and interpret data. During this unit, students collect data and learn about how to sort and classify these data. One way to build on this work is to play a guessing game about attributes and categories. One player lists things that belong to a category, and other players try to guess the category. For example, if the secret category is “things that are green,” the person may say “grass, inchworms, dollar bills . . .

You can also play Guess My Rule by gradually sorting a collection of 15 to 20 items (such as objects from the kitchen) into two groups. In one group, have objects that fit the rule, and in the other, have objects that do not fit the rule. A rule might be “is made of metal” or “is red.” Start with just a few objects. As you continue to put objects into each group, your child tries to guess your rule."

Throughout the unit, students will be working toward the goals as displayed towards the right:

"Our class is starting a new mathematics unit about addition and subtraction called How Many Miles During this unit, students build on the work from Unit 3 as they practice and refine addition and subtraction strategies working with 3-digit numbers.

Look for opportunities to practice adding and subtracting with your child in stores and in restaurants. When you and your child are buying something, figure out together what the change will be. For example, if you buy an item that costs $3.89 and give the clerk $5.00, figure out how much you should get back."

Throughout the unit, students will be working toward the goals as displayed towards the right: