Here we go! A brand-new school year, a brand-new group of third graders, and one BIG question: What do they actually remember from last year? A little 3rd grade math review at the beginning of the year can help you figure out what stuck, what got a little rusty over the summer, and where you may need to fill in a few gaps.
Some students walk through your door ready to roll.
Others may look at a place value problem like they’ve never seen one before. 😂
And, of course, most of our students land somewhere in between.
That’s why I like to start the year with some quick math review before jumping full steam ahead into third-grade math.
Not weeks of review.
Not reteaching all of second grade.
Just enough to figure out what stuck, what got a little rusty over the summer, and where we need to fill in a few gaps.
Start With What They Already Know
Those first days of school tell us SO much.
Instead of immediately launching into brand-new material, give students opportunities to show you what they already know.
Try some quick practice with:
- place value
- skip counting
- basic number sense
- addition and subtraction
- measurement
- geometry
- familiar math vocabulary
You’re not looking for perfection.
You’re looking for clues.
Who remembers place value?
- 🗣️Who can explain their thinking?
- 📚 Who knows the math but struggles with the vocabulary?
- ⚙️Who needs manipulatives?
- 🌻 Who is ready for a challenge?
A few simple activities can give you a pretty good picture of your new class.
Turn Review Into a Game
Here’s another thing I’ve learned: back-to-school review doesn’t have to look like a test.
In fact, I would rather it didn’t!
Games and partner activities let students review familiar concepts while you walk around, listen, and observe.
And boy, can you learn a lot just by listening.
You start hearing things like:
“I know how to do this!”
or…
“Wait. What’s place value again?”
There you go. Now you know where to start!
Games also help students get comfortable talking about math with their new classmates—which is a nice little back-to-school bonus.
Bring Back Math Vocabulary Early
Math vocabulary is one area I like to hit right from the beginning.
Students may remember how to solve a problem but have forgotten some of the language that goes with it.
That’s especially important for English learners.
A student may understand the numbers perfectly well but get tripped up by words like difference, sum, greater than, fewer, digit, or place value.
So pull those math words back out!
Use picture support when you can.
Have students talk to partners.
Match words and meanings.
Use the vocabulary while you’re playing games and solving problems.
It’s an easy way to refresh both the math and the language of math.
Then Start Looking Ahead to 3rd Grade Math
Once you’ve dusted off some of those second-grade skills, you can start easing into third-grade math concepts.
And we all know one of the BIG ones…
Multiplication!
This is where skip counting becomes your friend.
Before asking students to memorize multiplication facts, bring back those skip-counting patterns.
Count by 10s.
Look for patterns.
Use visuals.
Make it fun.
Then begin connecting those familiar patterns to multiplication.
Suddenly multiplication doesn’t feel quite so brand-new.
Keep Your Back-to-School 3rd Grade Math Simple
Here’s the part I think we sometimes forget.
You don’t need to know everything about every student during the first week of school.
You’ll figure it out.
Give students opportunities to review.
Watch what they do.
Listen to their math conversations.
Take a few notes.
Then use what you learn to decide what needs a little more attention.
That’s much more useful than spending two weeks reteaching everything “just in case.”
Make 3rd Grade Math Easier on Yourself!
This is one reason I created my 3rd Grade Math Practice and Review Bundle.
I wanted teachers to be able to reach into ONE resource and pull out what they needed.
Need a quick place value activity? Grab one.
Want a math vocabulary activity? It’s there.
Ready to work on skip counting? You’ve got it.
Starting multiplication? Pull out the games, practice activities, and assessments.
The bundle includes resources for math vocabulary, multiplication facts 0–12, multiplication games and assessments, skip counting, number prefixes, place value, measurement, fractions, and geometry.
You certainly don’t need to use all of that during back-to-school!
That’s the beauty of it.
Use what you need, when you need it.
At the beginning of the year, pull out activities that help you see what students remember and refresh those important foundational skills.
Then, as the year moves along, use the rest for centers, partner work, extra practice, small groups, intervention, or review.
No scrambling around Sunday night trying to find one more multiplication game.
No reinventing the wheel.
Just grab what you need and get on with your teaching!
A Little Review Goes a Long Way
Back-to-school math doesn’t have to mean starting from square one.
Give your third graders a chance to dust off what they already know, fill in the important gaps, and then move forward.
You’ll learn a lot about your students.
They’ll build a little confidence.
And everyone gets a chance to get their math brains back in gear!
That’s a pretty good way to start third grade.
💕 Happy Teaching!
When learning feels like play, students stay engaged—and skills stick.
CLICK HERE TO SEE ALL OUR MULTIPLICATION RESOURCES, GAMES AND ACTIVITIES!
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