Grade 3 is critical for school kids since it comes in the middle, linking the higher and lower classes. The idea behind the concepts kids learn in this grade is to boost their self-esteem and other essential skills. Most 3 grade math concepts involve complex math ideas compared to what kids face in prior levels. For your kids’ grade 3 math practice, they will encounter concepts of multiplication, division, fractions, and measurements.
Brighterly offers an interactive teaching style to make learning these concepts enjoyable. But before you register your kids, you should fully grasp the scope of what they will be learning in this grade.
Multiplication & Division
In 3rd grade, the concepts of division and multiplication are introduced to students. But they can’t learn how to multiply without knowing its meaning. These kids learn about the meaning and relationship between the concepts. Retention will be seamless when they thoroughly know what the concepts entail.
As a math tutor or parent, you can’t expect your kids to master multiplication and division in a week or month. Less workload makes understanding and retention easier. Therefore, it would be counterproductive to stress kids’ brains by piling exercises for them to master. Tutoring kids on multiplication and division may take a long time, possibly spanning the entire duration of the third grade, so get comfortable.
Before progressing to the fourth grade, kids must completely understand multiplication and division facts and related concepts. This knowledge prepares them for more complex math problems. And depending on the teaching approach, the students can master multiplication and division in word problem format.
The study of multiplication and division builds young students’ number sense. Furthermore, the concept builds essential skills like critical thinking and problem-solving ability. If a child has a sound mastery of numbers through the concepts by third grade, they are on the right trajectory.
Fractions
Grade 3 fraction lessons introduce students to simple fraction exercises to prepare them for grade 4. Without knowing what fraction means, it would be impossible to know how to solve them. So, students start by learning fractions’ meaning and importance, introducing the concept’s equation aspect.
For tutors handling math for grade 3 students, it is crucial to help your students master unit fractions before introducing visual ones. Adopting a step-by-step model of tutoring kids is the most effective approach since it helps kids understand the easy concepts before proceeding to the complicated ones. This model also ensures that all the students are carried along.
There are several things kids will learn from the fraction math class. They will learn the various forms of representing fractions and how to interpret fractions like the numerator and denominator. Grade 3 kids will also learn to subtract and add fractions with the same denominators and identify and compare equivalent fractions.
Mastering fractions may be complex for kids, so you must devise a way to help them learn.
Free math worksheets grade 3 students use are handy resources for tutors. They can give students assignments on fractions included in the worksheets. The class or take-home assignments will allow students to solve fraction problems independently, make mistakes, and learn.
Measurement & Data
The concepts of measurement and data are introduced to kids before grade 3; however, third graders encounter a more complex aspect of the concept. Measurement and data require knowledge of other math skills like counting, subtraction, addition, and multiplication. These skills improve as the students practice measurement.
Third-grade students learn various forms of measurement and encounter relatively complex problems. When studying and mastering measurement and data, they will also encounter probability and measuring angles, mass, distance, etc.
And they will proceed from the simple to the challenging aspects of the measurement and data. For instance, kids must learn how to read time before they are introduced to graphs.
Before the end of their 3rd grade, students should have an elementary knowledge of concepts like graphs. They must recognize different types of graphs, know what graphing entails, and be familiar with how it represents data. This knowledge will prepare them for complicated graphing exercises they will encounter in subsequent grades.
The knowledge of measurement and data is crucial for grade 3 math lessons and is also helpful in other disciplines. Domains like science, physical education, and social studies adopt the concept, so if your child is interested in a career in those fields, this concept will roll the ball. But it won’t happen overnight, as measurement and data lessons for grade 3 focus on developing the knowledge and setting a background for future lessons.
Geometry
You can’t leave out geometry when discussing vital mathematical concepts for grade 3. The concept is crucial in helping students understand shapes and their properties. Kids learn to define the shapes they regularly interact with from kindergarten — a foundation for third-grade geometry.
The concept of geometry is a child’s introduction to dimensions, but the classes can get repetitive quickly. A visual and tactile approach to teaching geometry will ensure the concept is relatable to kids. Tutors must ensure that geometry classes are interesting for kids by using math manipulatives, games, and worksheets.
By the end of grade 3, your kids must be able to identify, describe and compare various shapes. Also, any 3 grade math problems you will give your students must cover tasks like making shapes out of everyday objects. For instance, you can teach your kids to make kites using paper and other origami forms.
Using a hands-on approach to geometry, kids will understand how dimensions make the difference between similar shapes. They can distinguish between a square and a cube and understand that a circle isn’t a sphere quicker. This approach will enhance their retention of forms.
Conclusion
Mathematical concepts grade 3 kids learn are usually a continuation of what they have learned in prior grades. The concepts also serve as a background for subsequent mathematical classes.
Different approaches to teaching multiplication and division, fractions, measurements, and geometry to third-graders exist. Understanding the best ones for your students will make their third-grade math experience more enjoyable.
