3rd Grade Math Guidelines

[ShibbOleth]

Could someone point me to a site or reference that discusses what an (advanced) 3rd grader should be learning?

Background:
My son is in 3rd grade. He is supposed to be in AGP (Advanced Group Placement?) for Math, but his teacher quit part way into the year when it was discovered she wasn’t really doing her job. Another, new teacher came and went very quickly. The principal wasn’t able to find anyone to come in part way, so they are just back in their basic class. His regular teacher is very nice, but doesn’t seem to be challenging them with assignments.

This weekend I sat with him and went through some math problems. This was an extra credit assignment that he didn’t want to do (because it was “extra”). It involved manipulating some large numbers through addition, subtraction, multiplication and division. The multiplication was stuff like 15 x 242 and the division was similar to 1908 / 4. He wasn’t really familiar with how to approach those. It seems like he probably should be, but since I’m not a teacher I’m not certain.

Florida schools are often not the greatest, and I’m not confident that the standards they hold the kids to will serve them well down the road. I’m not looking to have him solve differential equations by fourth grade (unless he wants to ), just want to make sure that he is adequately challenged on a par with kids his own age across the country, not just meet Florida’s standards.

[Q.E.D]

I found this, which should give you some general idea. Hopefully, someone who actually teaches third grade in Florida (or anywhere else, for that matter) will be by to give you a more detailed answer.

[DSYoungEsq]

Here are Ohio’s indicators for Grade Three using meaning of operations and computation/estimation:

@Ohio Academic Content Standards

8. Model, represent and explain multiplication; e.g.,
   repeated addition, skip counting, rectangular arrays and
   area model. For example:
   a. Use conventional mathematical symbols to
   write equations for word problems involving
   multiplication.
   b. Understand that, unlike addition and subtraction,
   the factors in multiplication and division may have
   different units; e.g., 3 boxes of 5 cookies each.
9. Model, represent and explain division; e.g., sharing
   equally, repeated subtraction, rectangular arrays and
   area model. For example:
   a. Translate contextual situations involving division
   into conventional mathematical symbols.
   b. Explain how a remainder may impact an answer in a
   real-world situation; e.g., 14 cookies being shared by
   4 children.10. Explain and use relationships between operations, such
   as:
   a. relate addition and subtraction as inverse operations;
   b. relate multiplication and division as inverse
   operations;
   c. relate addition to multiplication (repeated addition);
   d. relate subtraction to division (repeated subtraction).
10. Model and use the commutative and associative
    properties for addition and multiplication.
11. Add and subtract whole numbers with and without
    regrouping.
12. Demonstrate fluency in multiplication facts through 10
    and corresponding division facts.
13. Multiply and divide 2- and 3-digit numbers by a
    single-digit number, without remainders for division.
14. Evaluate the reasonableness of computations based upon
    operations and the numbers involved; e.g., considering
    relative size, place value and estimates.

The full standards can be found at this PDF (large) site.

There is more that gets taught to a third grader, but these are the standards for computation, etc. There are standards for pattern recognition and geometry, for data collection and analysis, etc. It’s an interesting read.

[ShibbOleth]

Thanks, those are good starting points.