Gifted Issues Discussion homepage Forums Age or Ability Specific Forums Elementary School 3d Grade Math

I am finally decided to proceed with additional requests regarding my DD6. She is currently in second grade (year skipped). Based on her test results/grades and giving her end of the year test (3d grade one) I decided to ask to move her to 3d grade math. I am having some doubts as far as "holes" in her knowledge. So I am gathering info on what they teach in 3d grade. She understands fractions (easily works on adding and subtracting fractions with common denominators). Understands and works with multiplications and divisions. However, she doesn't know the facts (i.e. cannot take timed tests on multiplication facts). Geometry is easy for her. We covered negative items (adding and subtracting them). The reason that I am doing it - she is really interested in moving forward with concepts and bigger picture math but refuses to work on basics (like memorizing multiplication facts) with me. She is much better in doing what is required by others than if it comes from me... I just wanted to make sure that we are up for a reasonable challenge (I am thinking month or so to memorize all the facts that are needed). I also need this info to be prepared to show her readiness and resonate with arguments like "She should know multiplications 1 through 5 by this time of year"... and lay out a plan to catch up in needed areas. Ultimate goal is to take standardized math test for 3d grade at the end of the year with 3d graders and proceed with 4th grade math next year. Any detailed info on what your kids are doing in class (not at home!!! ) would be appriciated. Thank you!

You can go to ixl.com and see all the common core math curriculum laid out for each year ( by state). It helped give me a great idea of what math each grade covers, and where my son fits in.

In our district, January of 3rd grade is when kids start taking timed multiplication tests. Prior to that (Everyday Math, so since 1st grade) they have worked on arrays and the concept of multiplication. Some of the things that are more obscure but might come up as "holes" are a.m. vs. p.m. and elapsed time.

Honestly, though, when my kids accelerated, these tiny "holes" were the only thing that challenged my kids. And challenged is a strong word. The holes were filled almost instantaneously, sometimes with a little practice (which is, afterall, what most kids get), but usually with just a brief discussion of the topic. You'll probably get some concern from teachers and administrators about these holes, but anyone with experience with gifted learners will tell you that holes will not be a problem.

Your main clue to the areas she will need to learn will be what she missed on the end-of-third test she took. You may find, however, that her mere exposure to the questions allowed her to pick up the concepts. Besides, it she is entering into 3rd grade math, they should teach her the concepts she missed on the end-of-third test, just like they will teach all the other 3rd grade students.

You definitely though want to make sure your child gets down multiplication (and addition/subtraction) facts cold since it will ultimately hold them back in the upper levels of math.
My second grader knows his multiplication,e tc. facts cold- we are not grade-skipping him since we have a very good G/T program that starts in 4th grade. However, we will keep working on it until he gets there.

Third grade for us (in addition to the multiplication and division facts -- and yes, you'll want those memorized and fluent, even if it's just to keep the school from having an "excuse" for not moving her forward if they're looking for one)...

1) Addition with carrying and subtraction with borrowing
2) Starting some equivalent fractions
3) Decimal place value (square divided into 100 boxes...shade in 0.34 of the box)
4) Comparing decimals (less than...greater than)
5) Perimeter
6) Multiplication of factors of ten by a single-digit number (200 x 7 or 80 x 8)
7) Comparing "easy" fractions
8) Elapsed time (frequently shows up on grade-level standardized tests)
9) Range...median...mode...maximum...minimum
10) Concept of area (not having to calculate it with side lengths, but seeing a shape on a grid of square centimeters and being able to count the squares to state the "area")
11) Lines of symmetry

You might enjoy picking up the Beast Academy 3rd grade math supplements for her put out by AoPS. I have heard kids really enjoy them.

phey--thanks for the ixl address. BTW, if that's really common core, does anyone else notice what seems to be overlap and repetition (e.g., between 6th and 7th grade topics)? Is the idea that kids repeat stuff so they really learn it well, or that the problems are more difficult somehow in later years? And if so, I wonder how they measure that.

Being rather new to schooling....my son just turned five, so I have only very recently started looking into stuff, I don't know much about what common core is..although I know there is a lot of angst about it, but I am not sure why.

But from what I can tell there is a lot of repetition. I.e. while double digit adding will be covered in second grade, they might not to triple digit until third...even though the principle is exactly the same and seems to me that it would make sense to do it all at one time. Another example - they introduce Roman numerals in first grade, but only cover up to 10, second grade goes up to 100, and third up to 9999. Again, there is a lot of repetition. Each grade seems to do a lot of the same thing, only slightly increasing the level of complexity. While it is probably good to go over things that are only rarely used (roman numerals) in math on a yearly basis to keep it in your head, I don't see the point of covering one topic so incompletely - why can't a child do three digit adding if they can do two? I don't know if that answers your question. I think they figure that each subject needs something like seven repetitions for the average learner...can't remember where I heard that "statistic".

Did you or the school give her the end of third grade test? It stands to reason that her performance on that test should show what her gaps are and what the third grade expectations are for that curriculum.

One "hole" that has come up for my DD (currently in 3rd but doing 4th grade math) who has changed schools and skipped some curriculum is metric system measurement. She has never done Roman numerals to my knowledge, FWIW.