In third grade, your grandchildren’s math skills will grow, as will the size of the numbers they calculate. Third-graders begin working with numbers through the hundred-thousands place. They also learn how to estimate solutions to large problems, and how to round numbers up or down to the nearest 10, 100, or 1,000. Teachers introduce multiplication this year, explaining it first as "repeated addition" (
8 + 8 + 8 + 8). Students learn multiplication facts from
0 x 0 to
10 x 10, but teachers will not demand that they memorize these facts yet. Learning to solve word problems is an important skill for third-graders, as they explore various strategies, including making charts, drawing pictures, and breaking complex problems down into smaller, simpler parts. Students explore the metric system of measurement and begin to understand which units of measure best apply to certain problems. For example, what unit of length would be used to measure the distance between two cities? (
Miles.) Toward the end of the year, expect your third-grade grandchildren to get a taste of working with simple fractions and decimals, most likely in problems involving money.
Calculators in Class. Since pocket calculators first came onto the scene in the 1970s, educators have debated their role in the math classroom. Most teachers agree that a calculator has little educational value before third grade. But starting in third grade, as students come to understand the processes of addition, subtraction, and multiplication, calculators can become useful tools for solving multipart word problems and for double-checking handworked calculations. Calculators cannot, and should not, replace the memorization of basic facts, or the learning of fundamental procedures, but the tools can help students complete more math in less time.
• Denise Schmandt-besserat's
The History of Counting (HarperCollins, 1999) leads children through the marvelous and rich history of counting and numbers.
• Susan Lingo's
The Scholastic Success With Math Workbook - Grade 3 (Scholastic, 2002) offers engaging exercises that reinforce essential math skills. Keep it on hand for when grandchildren visit, so they can show off what they've learned in class.
• You already know that Hasbro’s classic board game
Battleship is a lot of fun. But it's also perfect for helping grandchildren develop skills they will need when they learn to coordinate points on a graph in future math classes.
Show Them Your Money. In third grade, children begin to make estimates, and make calculations using decimal points, often in problems about money. Help grandchildren practice by taking them to the convenience store. Before making any purchase, show the kids the bills and coins you have, and ask them to decide which you should give to the cashier and how much money you should get back.
50 Ways. In third grade, teachers ask students to come up with multiple methods to reach the same number. For example, they may be asked to think of five ways to add up numbers, all of them totaling 89. This game will help kids develop this skill: Give your grandchildren a page from an old calendar, ask them to cut out all the number squares, and challenge them to put numbers together in such a way that the sum of each group is 50. Then, shuffle the squares and challenge them to come up with more combinations.
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