Mrs. Hill's Perfect P.I.R.A.T.E.S.

Saturday, October 13, 2012

Addition With and Without Regrouping

We have just finished our addition unit. We learned different techniques and strategies for adding whole numbers. I do teach kids to add numbers using the traditional algorithm, which we refer to as "Old School" but I also provide them with many different ways.

Our standard states that third grade students should be able to "fluently add numbers within 1000 using strategies and algorithms based on place value, properties of operations, and/or the relationship between addition and subtraction".

What it means in normal people terms is that students need to be able to add numbers less than 1,000 using lots of different ways and be able to check their answers by using subtraction.

Here are the PowerPoint presentations that I use in class (if it doesn't come up on your Apple product just click on the link and you can view it on the site):

Adding without Regrouping

More PowerPoint presentations from Elizabeth

Addition With Regrouping

More PowerPoint presentations from Elizabeth

This is how I teach kids to draw out problems. This strategy works really well for those kids who are not good with basic addition facts.

Branching is about taking an addition problem and break it into expanded form and grouping the tens and ones together to make adding easier. This is really how you add numbers together when you do it mentally in your head.

Give and Take is a strategy that I teach students who have difficulty remembering to regroup or add the "1" that was regrouped into the tens place. It takes the regrouping out of adding with regrouping!

To teach checking, we focus on fact families. Every number sentence is made up of 1 "Big Number" and 2 "Small Numbers". The rules are:

S + S = B

B - S = B

If you know the rules, you can check addition by taking the answer "the big number" and subtracting one of the addends "the small numbers". If you added correctly then your answer should be the other "small number".

Here are some of the videos I use in class and some others to help you understand these new "crazy" methods this "crazy teacher" is teaching your kids.

Branching

Expanded Form or Partial Sums Addition

Old School Song

Some online games that make learning and practicing fun can be found below:

Our most favorite video that really helps when we do the "Give and Take" method.

Thursday, October 4, 2012

Properties of Addition

The properties of addition are the rules that make adding numbers easier. In third grade, we focus on three properties: the Commutative, Associative, and Identity Properties.

The Commutative Property is also known by younger students as "The Switch-a-roo". It tells us that it doesn't matter what order you add two numbers in the answer will still be the same. 3+4 is the same as 4+3 or 3+4=4+3.

The Associative Property is about grouping numbers that we are adding. When you add 3 or more numbers at a time, you naturally group two together first and then add in the next number. The Associative Property is shown by using parenthesis to show which numbers we are grouping together first to make adding easier. (3+4)+6 means that we are adding 3 and 4 together first then we add 7+6 to get 13. We can also add those numbers by adding 4+6 first to get 10 and then add 10+3 to get the sum of 13. It is shown as (3+4)+6=3+(4+6).

The Identity Property is about helping a number keep it's identity. Remember: identity is who or what something is. When adding two numbers together, the only way one of the numbers can stay what it is, is to add 0 to it. 5+0=5, because when you add nothing to a number the number does not change.

Here are the notes students should have in their notebook.

Below you will find the PowerPoint presentation that I use in class over the week long period that we are learning about The Properties of Addition.

Properties of Addition

More PowerPoint presentations from Elizabeth

I also like to show the following videos.

Let your child have fun while reviewing the Properties of Addition with some of the following games.

Properties Quiz
IXL

Properties of Addition

Wednesday, October 3, 2012

Rounding

This is a new focus for third grade. In the past, it has been in second grade. Rounding is about making mental math easier. We use mental math every day, whether we realize it or not. To teach students how to round, we focus on 10's, 100's, and 1,000's numbers...because the only "round" number is a zero.

Students should have these notes in their binders.

If you know my teaching style at all, you know that I have to have a song to go with this concept. This songs helps students decide whether they should round up or round down.

This is the presentation that I use throughout the week to teach children about rounding numbers.

Round Up Time

More PowerPoint presentations from Elizabeth

I love incorporating videos throughout my presentations and here are just a few of the ones I use to help students understand the concept of rounding.

Let kids have while learning while having fun!

Rounding Sharks

Rounding Spaceships

Which One Rounds?

Place Value

The most important concepts students learn is place value. It is the foundation for all other concepts in math. To round, estimate, add, subtract, multiply, and divide, you must know place value. I use a variety of techniques and strategies for teaching place value.

Our standard and goals for this unit are below:

These are the notes that should be in your child's notebook.

We even learned a song about place value.

I use the following PowerPoint presentation while I am teaching during the week. It allows students to work along with me and see many visual representations of place value.