Our Current Math Unit

We are more than halfway through our second numbers in operations book called, "Collections and Travel Stories: Addition, Subtraction, and the Number System 2".  Throughout this unit "students practice and refine their strategies for solving addition problems with three-digit numbers to 400 and subtraction problems with two- and three-digit numbers to 300. In addition to solving removal problems, they expand their understanding of subtraction as they solve comparison problems and problems in which they find the missing part of a whole.They increase their understanding of place-value as they extend their work into three-digit numbers up to 1,000 and study the structure of 1,000." (©TERC 2012)

There are many things that  you can do to support your mathematician at home during this unit.  The most important thing you can do is to help them master their addition and subtraction facts, through FASTT Math, games, flash cards, etc.  Mastery of the basic facts will allow your mathematician to be more confident and fluent in the computation of larger numbers.  Students are using basic facts like 9 + 5= 14 to help them make sense of 90 + 50 =140.  For example,if 9 ones plus 5 ones is the same as 14. then 9 tens plus 5 tens is the same as 140.  All third grade students should be fluent in their basic addition facts by the end of November!

The link at the end of this page will take you to a sample lesson that we completed this week.  In this lesson, you can read about the way in which we are teaching subtraction to third grade mathematicians.  While we no longer want them using the number line for addition, the number line is a very valuable tool to help model subtraction!  When subtraction problems go home in the next few weeks, please encourage your child to use a number line if they are stuck.

Addition Strategies Mathematicians Should be Using to Solve Addition Problems



Link to a math lesson from this week:  http://investigations.terc.edu/library/curric-gl/sample_g3_u3_s3-3.pdf

Thanks!