3rd Grade Math
This is an extremely important Math year! This year, your student will be introduced to multiplication, division, and fractions - we spend most of our time on these concepts. We also learn area, perimeter, and elapsed time (how much time has passed). Remember to check out Mr. Math Blog's videos if you need help with homework.
Math Facts
This link explains that a firm grasp on number sense is crucial to Math fact fluency. Simply put, memorizing Math facts is more valuable when it includes an understanding of how and why numbers work the way they do. For example, 3x4 could be thought of this way - I just need to double 3 and double it again, so the answer is 12. These posters contain some number sense strategies for multiplying. Here is another article about the Importance of Teaching Strategies.
Don't forget to use the BFF games that are sent home at the beginning of each school week! Those are GREAT for developing fact fluency and strategic thinking!
Easy online Math fact practice:
Math Facts Basketball
Online Flashcards (enter and check the answer)
Kidzone - print free Math fact worksheets
Math Playground - so many fun games for addition/subtraction or multiplication/division
Math Pyramid - several games here for practice
Number Flash - great for number sense
Subitizing - Identify these number sets quickly to build number sense
Xtra Math - this is a short Math fact practice website that my students use at school every day during Math workshops. To login, they need to use their first name, their PIN (I can look it up if needed), and my google account email address [email protected]
Other Easy Ways to Practice Math Facts:
1. Playing Cards: There are so many ways to use playing cards to practice Math facts. Follow this link to find 28 different Math games your child can play with a deck of playing cards. Some of the games are even single-player and can be done without a partner.
2. Colored Dice: Pick up a bag of colored dice at a local bookstore or pharmacy. Students roll the dice and either add or multiply the two numbers to practice their facts. This is an easy game for them to do while you are making dinner or even sitting at a restaurant. You can play against each other and keep score of who has the greatest sum or product.
3. Math War: Using either a deck of playing cards or a deck you've made out of index cards, play "war" to practice facts. Split the cards between the two players. Turn over the top two cards – you can either add, subtract (keeping positive answers), or multiply the two cards to see who wins. The winner takes all 4 cards, and you play again just like the traditional card game of war. Whoever has the most cards at the end wins!
4. 100 Chart: The 100 chart is an amazing tool to help build your children's number sense and allow them to use something concrete to memorize their facts. They can use it as a visual tool when they need a point of reference or they can use it as a tactile tool by touching the numbers or using a game piece to count forwards and backwards. For multiplication and division, have your children color in the multiples of each number so they can start to see patterns with the facts. For example: to learn the facts of 6, color in 6, 12, 18, etc. so only the multiples of 6 are colored in. Your child will start to make a connection to the products of each fact instead of just memorizing random numbers. (You can print free 100 charts off the Internet.)
5. Triangle Facts: These are used as traditional flash cards, but they help to make the connection between all three numbers in the fact which is so important for the "memorizing" process. Choose a fact, e.g., 6 + 3 = 9. Place each number in the corner of the triangle with a star next to the answer (in this case, 9). While holding the triangular card, cover one of the numbers with your finger so your child can only see 2 numbers, then have him/her find the missing number to complete the fact. For extra practice, have your child write the 4 fact families for each card. Students can practice on their own or you can quiz them.
6. "I Know" Cards: This is a great way to help with the facts that your child gets stuck on every time! There are always those tough facts that students just sometimes can't remember, so making "I know cards" will help them come up with a strategy for finding the answer. For example: to help with 6 x 7 = 42, have your child write on an index card or piece of paper, "I know 6 x 6 is 36, so I add one more group of 6: 36 + 6 = 42, so 6x7=42". Your child can use whatever strategy he or she likes but the focus is on what s/he already knows, not what s/he doesn't know. You can hang the "I know cards" in their rooms or read through them weekly.
Below, I have included a video of our multiplication songs.
This is an extremely important Math year! This year, your student will be introduced to multiplication, division, and fractions - we spend most of our time on these concepts. We also learn area, perimeter, and elapsed time (how much time has passed). Remember to check out Mr. Math Blog's videos if you need help with homework.
Math Facts
This link explains that a firm grasp on number sense is crucial to Math fact fluency. Simply put, memorizing Math facts is more valuable when it includes an understanding of how and why numbers work the way they do. For example, 3x4 could be thought of this way - I just need to double 3 and double it again, so the answer is 12. These posters contain some number sense strategies for multiplying. Here is another article about the Importance of Teaching Strategies.
Don't forget to use the BFF games that are sent home at the beginning of each school week! Those are GREAT for developing fact fluency and strategic thinking!
Easy online Math fact practice:
Math Facts Basketball
Online Flashcards (enter and check the answer)
Kidzone - print free Math fact worksheets
Math Playground - so many fun games for addition/subtraction or multiplication/division
Math Pyramid - several games here for practice
Number Flash - great for number sense
Subitizing - Identify these number sets quickly to build number sense
Xtra Math - this is a short Math fact practice website that my students use at school every day during Math workshops. To login, they need to use their first name, their PIN (I can look it up if needed), and my google account email address [email protected]
Other Easy Ways to Practice Math Facts:
1. Playing Cards: There are so many ways to use playing cards to practice Math facts. Follow this link to find 28 different Math games your child can play with a deck of playing cards. Some of the games are even single-player and can be done without a partner.
2. Colored Dice: Pick up a bag of colored dice at a local bookstore or pharmacy. Students roll the dice and either add or multiply the two numbers to practice their facts. This is an easy game for them to do while you are making dinner or even sitting at a restaurant. You can play against each other and keep score of who has the greatest sum or product.
3. Math War: Using either a deck of playing cards or a deck you've made out of index cards, play "war" to practice facts. Split the cards between the two players. Turn over the top two cards – you can either add, subtract (keeping positive answers), or multiply the two cards to see who wins. The winner takes all 4 cards, and you play again just like the traditional card game of war. Whoever has the most cards at the end wins!
4. 100 Chart: The 100 chart is an amazing tool to help build your children's number sense and allow them to use something concrete to memorize their facts. They can use it as a visual tool when they need a point of reference or they can use it as a tactile tool by touching the numbers or using a game piece to count forwards and backwards. For multiplication and division, have your children color in the multiples of each number so they can start to see patterns with the facts. For example: to learn the facts of 6, color in 6, 12, 18, etc. so only the multiples of 6 are colored in. Your child will start to make a connection to the products of each fact instead of just memorizing random numbers. (You can print free 100 charts off the Internet.)
5. Triangle Facts: These are used as traditional flash cards, but they help to make the connection between all three numbers in the fact which is so important for the "memorizing" process. Choose a fact, e.g., 6 + 3 = 9. Place each number in the corner of the triangle with a star next to the answer (in this case, 9). While holding the triangular card, cover one of the numbers with your finger so your child can only see 2 numbers, then have him/her find the missing number to complete the fact. For extra practice, have your child write the 4 fact families for each card. Students can practice on their own or you can quiz them.
6. "I Know" Cards: This is a great way to help with the facts that your child gets stuck on every time! There are always those tough facts that students just sometimes can't remember, so making "I know cards" will help them come up with a strategy for finding the answer. For example: to help with 6 x 7 = 42, have your child write on an index card or piece of paper, "I know 6 x 6 is 36, so I add one more group of 6: 36 + 6 = 42, so 6x7=42". Your child can use whatever strategy he or she likes but the focus is on what s/he already knows, not what s/he doesn't know. You can hang the "I know cards" in their rooms or read through them weekly.
Below, I have included a video of our multiplication songs.
Other Online Math Sites:
Weebly Math - These games are sorted by subject area, but not age level. It would be best if an adult were to choose the subject area, and maybe even the game. In 3rd grade, we mainly practice these concepts: rounding, 3-digit addition and subtraction, one digit multiplication and division, identifying fractions, comparing fractions with the same numerator or denominator, time (including elapsed time), area and perimeter.
ABCya - These games often have ads to the side. Be sure your student isn't clicking on those.
UEN - I would suggest offering some help choosing an appropriate game. This site has resources for 3-6 grades, so some of them will probably be far too advanced.
Weebly Math - These games are sorted by subject area, but not age level. It would be best if an adult were to choose the subject area, and maybe even the game. In 3rd grade, we mainly practice these concepts: rounding, 3-digit addition and subtraction, one digit multiplication and division, identifying fractions, comparing fractions with the same numerator or denominator, time (including elapsed time), area and perimeter.
ABCya - These games often have ads to the side. Be sure your student isn't clicking on those.
UEN - I would suggest offering some help choosing an appropriate game. This site has resources for 3-6 grades, so some of them will probably be far too advanced.