United States · Common Core State Standards
3rd Grade Mathematics
This curriculum transitions students from basic arithmetic to a deeper understanding of multiplication, division, and fractions. It emphasizes the relationship between operations and the application of mathematical properties to solve real world problems.
The Power of Groups: Operations and Algebraic Thinking
Students explore the conceptual foundations of multiplication and division through equal groups and arrays. This unit focuses on the inverse relationship between operations and strategies for fluency.
Investigating how multiplication represents repeated addition and equal groups in real world scenarios.
Understanding division as the process of partitioning a total into equal shares or groups.
Applying the four operations to solve two step word problems and assessing the reasonableness of answers.
Place Value and Multi-Digit Arithmetic
Students use place value understanding and properties of operations to perform multi-digit arithmetic. This unit builds the foundation for rounding and fluently adding and subtracting within 1000.
Using place value to round whole numbers to the nearest 10 or 100.
Developing fluency with addition and subtraction within 1000 using various strategies and algorithms.
Applying place value strategies to multiply one digit whole numbers by multiples of 10.
Parts of a Whole: Exploring Fractions
An introduction to fractions as numbers that represent parts of a whole or points on a number line. Students focus on unit fractions and equivalent fractions.
Understanding 1/b as the quantity formed by 1 part when a whole is partitioned into b equal parts.
Identifying and generating simple equivalent fractions using visual models.
Comparing two fractions with the same numerator or the same denominator by reasoning about their size.
Measuring Our World: Time, Liquid, and Mass
Students develop skills in measuring time intervals, liquid volumes, and masses of objects. This unit emphasizes solving problems involving measurement data.
Telling time to the nearest minute and measuring elapsed time intervals in minutes.
Measuring and estimating liquid volumes and masses using standard units like grams, kilograms, and liters.
Drawing and interpreting scaled picture graphs and bar graphs to represent data sets.
Shapes and Space: Geometry and Area
Students relate area to multiplication and addition while exploring the attributes of different geometric shapes.
Understanding area as an attribute of plane figures and measuring area by counting unit squares.
Relating area to the operations of multiplication and addition through tiling and arrays.
Understanding that shapes in different categories may share attributes and that shared attributes can define a larger category.