What kids learn in 3rd grade
Third grade is the year of multiplication and division. Children learn the times tables within 100, connect division to multiplication, find missing factors, and multiply by multiples of ten. Fractions begin in earnest: naming fractions, placing them on a number line and comparing simple ones. Rounding, adding and subtracting within 1,000, area, perimeter and elapsed time complete the picture.
In reading, third graders move from learning to read toward reading to learn: understanding fiction and nonfiction, using context clues, synonyms and antonyms, and describing characters. Writing covers parts of speech, subject-verb agreement, homophones, quotation marks and sentence types. Science and life skills include making change, forces and motion, and reading maps.
3rd grade math
- Times tables — Multiply within 100.
- Division facts — Divide within 100.
- Missing factor — Solve 6 × ? = 42.
- Rounding — Round to the nearest 10 or 100.
- Add & subtract to 1000 — Fluently add and subtract within 1000.
- Multiply by tens — Multiply one-digit numbers by multiples of 10.
- What fraction? — Name the fraction shown.
- Fractions on a line — Place fractions on a number line.
- Compare fractions — Compare fractions with the same numerator or denominator.
- Area — Find the area of rectangles.
- Perimeter — Find the perimeter of shapes.
- Time & elapsed time — Tell time to the minute and find elapsed time.
- Multiply & divide stories — Word problems with equal groups.
3rd grade reading
- Story reading — Understand characters, settings and events.
- Fact reading — Understand informational passages.
- Context clues — Figure out a word from the sentence around it.
- Synonyms & antonyms — Words that mean the same or the opposite.
- Word parts — Use prefixes and suffixes to decode meaning.
- Characters & setting — Describe characters and how they change.
3rd grade spelling & grammar
- Spelling — Third-grade spelling patterns and word families.
- Parts of speech — Nouns, verbs, adjectives and adverbs.
- Subject–verb agreement — He runs, they run.
- Homophones — their / there / they're and more.
- Quotation marks — Punctuate dialogue.
- Sentence types — Statements, questions, commands, exclamations.
3rd grade science & life skills
- Making change — Add up prices and make change.
- Push & pull — Forces, friction and gravity.
- Maps & directions — Compass rose, keys and grids.
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