Everything You Want to Know About Third Grade Math
Third grade math curriculum is typically taught to children aged 8 to 9. Third grade math students are often excited to learn and ready to tackle increasingly complex concepts.
Some of the concepts third grade students focus on in math class include:
- Multiplication and division
- Fractions
- Basic geometry
- Analyzing two-dimensional shapes
- Measurement and estimation of intervals of time, liquid volumes and masses of objects
- Area and perimeter
- Problem-solving abilities
- Numerical understanding
Mastering these concepts prepares students for the math challenges that are ahead for them in fourth grade.
What is covered in 3rd Grade Math?
What a student will learn in 3rd grade math depends on where they go to school. Most states in the US adhere to Common Core State Standards. However, there are a few states that use different educational standards.
While the basic skills that third grade students will learn are the same, there are small differences based on the standards that various school systems use.
So if most schools use common core standards, what exactly are they?
Common core standards (CCSS) are educational guidelines that clearly outline learning goals.
By many states adhering to these standards, educators can ensure that all students, regardless of their location, receive a high-quality education.
With students hitting all appropriate goals in every grade, they can be well-prepared for college and career success.
There are common core standards for 3rd math class, along with all the other subjects 3rd grade students learn.
Third grade common core standards focus on four critical areas:
- Developing a deeper understanding of multiplication and division
- Working with fractions
- Understanding the structure of rectangular arrays and area
- Analyzing two-dimensional shapes.
- Achieving fluency in multiplication and division within 100
- Understanding the properties of operations
- Solving problems involving the four operations
- Representing and solving problems involving fractions
- Measuring and estimating liquid volumes and masses
- Understanding concepts of area and perimeter
- Identifying and classifying shapes based on their properties
Third grade math lesson plans should focus on providing a well-rounded math education that will serve students for years to come.
Teaching Third Grade Math
When evaluating how to teach third grade math this school year, you might want to consider trying some new teaching strategies.
Here are a few that work great in a third grade math classroom.
Visual Aids and Manipulatives: Math concepts can sometimes seem very abstract to new learners. Providing objects that show exactly what the numbers are doing can make a big difference in how well your students learn and retain information.
Math manipulatives that can be used in a third grade classroom include base-ten blocks, fraction strips and geometric shapes.
You can use these manipulatives to teach everything from multiplication to division to fractions.
Real-World Applications: If students care about what they’re learning, they are more likely to engage in your lesson. And they also might remember the lesson and skills better.
Try to create problems and projects that relate to everyday activities that your students enjoy. One great way to do this is by conducting a survey to learn about your students’ interests. This can be a great first week of school activity.
One idea that the whole class may enjoy is budgeting for a class party. This activity can incorporate addition, subtraction, multiplication and division.
You could also have students use a recipe to make a snack for the class party. This will require that they measure ingredients by using fractions and measurements.
Technology and Interactive Learning: Incorporating online games into your lesson plans can be a huge difference maker in how excited your students are to learn.
Educational apps and online platforms like Prodigy Math, Khan Academy and Mathletics offer engaging activities that teach and reinforce math concepts through play.
Other ideas for adding technology to your classroom might be using interactive whiteboards or having math centers where students use tablets.
You can choose to use technology as a class, in small groups or during individual work. It’s all about finding what works best for you and your students.
Looking for more ideas for your third grade math classroom, check out our third grade math lesson plan.
Learning 3rd Grade Math
When eight-year-olds are in third grade learning math, they need a combination of direct instruction, hands-on activities and interactive learning.
They now have the ability to work on longer projects and can follow multi-step instructions. They can also work better with their peers, bouncing ideas off of one another and collaborating to solve problems.
A lesson plan can be perfectly crafted to fit your standards and curriculum, but if it isn’t fun, your students aren’t going to learn much.
There are a few things you can do to make learning fun for 8 year olds.
Try using a variety of activities. Switch up the learning activities you do from day to day. If you do direct instruction when one day, do an educational game the next.
Incorporate experiments and projects that allow students to personalize the assignment. Let them research topics they enjoy or read books on subjects they’re curious about.
Use third grade math worksheets that are both age-appropriate and enjoyable.
Allow students to work with their friends when possible, so that learning is collaborative and enjoyable.
How Prodigy Improves Third Grade Math
If you’re looking for something new to add to your teaching arsenal that is fun and engaging, Prodigy Math is just what you need.
Prodigy Math is an online math game that takes your students on a magical adventure where math isn't just numbers, it's a quest for fun! They’ll explore enchanted realms, battle fierce monsters and rescue fun pets, all while becoming a math wizard.
And using Prodigy isn’t just great for your students, it can also free up so much of your time.
From the teacher dashboard, you can assign specific topics, track student progress through detailed reports and identify areas where individual students may need additional support.
Prodigy offers a comprehensive suite of questions and activities that cover all areas of third grade math, from multiplication and division to fractions and geometry.
The platform is also aligned with Common Core standards or whatever standards are used in your school. You can rest assured that your students are learning exactly what they need to.
The game has adaptive algorithms hard at work while your students are playing. It adjusts the difficulty of the problems based on each student's performance. This personalization helps keep students challenged without becoming frustrated.
Best of all, Prodigy is free for teachers to use. There are no budget meetings required to get started using Prodigy in your classroom today.
Sign up for a free teacher account now!
Third Grade Math Curriculum
Are you curious about the third grade math curriculum in your area? We've got you covered with all the information you need!
Our user-friendly curriculum finder lets you explore math standards for students from 1st to 8th grade, tailored to your state or country.
Getting started is easy:
- Choose your country at the top of the page
- Select your state or region
- Scroll down to select the appropriate grade level
Ready to dive in? Check out the Math Curriculum Standards page now!
