Be sure your child masters these vital Third Grade math topics.

In third grade math, multiplication takes the starring role. But before your child works on the multiplication tables, there are key topics your child must master.

First of all, most children need to reinforce and extend their fundamental math facts skills. They need to be fast and accurate in:

• Addition, up to four digits, regrouping twice


• Subtraction, up to four digits, regrouping twice with zeros.

Reinforcement of Previously Learned Skills
Addition and subtraction practice is basically book work. At this age, 5-10 minutes of practice a day, with a good skills workbook, fits their attention span.

I would highly recommend the skills workbooks published by the Kumon company. They are extremely well organized and highly focused on mastery of one skills at a time. I have used the Kumon materials in my classroom and with my own children with great results!

You probably will need a system of external motivation, since sitting down to do a few pages of subtraction problems might not be as much fun as it was back in first grade. An example might be a star on a chart for each page, and a special treat after the chart (say 50 stars) is completed.

Rewards involving time are generally the most valuable, for example a parent taking just that child out to a ball game or to get ice cream.

There are lots of ways to encourage math practice around the home. Here are some ideas I would encourage you to try.

Introduction to Multiplication
Whereas addition and subtraction were the core skills of first and second grade math, multiplication is the star of third grade math.

Using my FREE, step-by-step multiplication worksheets, you can help your child learn the fundamental third grade math skills I've detailed below:

First the child gets the idea of it -- that multiplication is repeated addition. Then he is shown the times table. And then he moves on to the more advanced algorithms (like 2-digit X 2-digit multiplication).

• Multiplication and Division Facts to 9's. Also known as the Times Table.

Learning the times table can be done well orally, and done during mundane activities like during a ride to school, a shopping trip, or going for a walk.

The best way is to learn one row at a time (all the X2, then the X3, etc.) and then mix them up.

Really knowing the times table, being able to provide any answer instantly, even when they are all mixed up, is a milestone of education and should be treated with great ceremony!

The above three topics are the core third grade math curriculum skills. By the end of the year, students should know addition, subtraction and the times table with 100% confidence. If the knowledge is solid, the rest of third and fourth grade math really will fall right into place!

Think about it: 517 X 68

Solving this problem simply involves a number of 1-to-1 multiplications and additions. If the child really knows addition and the times table, all that is involved is learning the algorithm, or sequence of steps to get to the solution.

On to the Next Level
With the mastery of multiplication concepts, a whole new world of more complex arithmetic now becomes available to the student, including long division, and multiplying fractions, decimals, and percents. It is a vital concept to conquer!

Advanced students may also be introduced to the following topics in the third grade math curriculum:

• Multiplication by 1, 2 and three digit multipliers with regrouping.



• Division by 1 digit, to 2 digit dividend with remainder.

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