What Should a 3rd Grader Know?: Requirements and Expectations

Short answer: By the end of third grade, most children are expected to know their multiplication facts from memory, add and subtract within 1,000, understand simple fractions like 1/4 and 3/4, tell time to the minute, and find area and perimeter. In reading, they should read grade-level books fluently, decode multisyllable words and write short opinion, informative and narrative pieces.

Third grade is a turning point. Children shift from learning to read toward reading to learn, and math moves from adding and subtracting into multiplication, division and fractions, the foundation for everything in upper elementary school.

Key points

• Times tables memorized: All products of two one-digit numbers, known from memory by year’s end.
• Fractions begin: Unit fractions, fractions on a number line and simple comparisons.
• Area and perimeter: Area is linked to multiplication; perimeter to adding side lengths.
• Fluent reading: Grade-level text read accurately, at a steady pace, with expression.
• Three kinds of writing: Opinion, informative and narrative pieces with clear structure.
• Standards vary by state: Many states use Common Core or similar standards; check yours.

What math should a 3rd grader know?

Under the Common Core State Standards, third-grade math focuses on four critical areas: multiplication and division within 100, fractions (especially unit fractions such as 1/3), area and rectangular arrays, and describing two-dimensional shapes (Common Core Grade 3 introduction).

How well should a 3rd grader know multiplication?

Very well. The standard asks students to “fluently multiply and divide within 100” and, by the end of the year, to know from memory all products of two one-digit numbers (Common Core 3.OA). Fluency means quick and accurate, without counting on fingers.

Understanding comes first, though. Students should see 4 × 6 as 4 equal groups of 6, and know that if 8 × 5 = 40, then 40 ÷ 5 = 8.

Tutor tip: Practice multiplication facts for five to ten minutes a day rather than in long sessions. Start with the 2s, 5s and 10s, then use them to build harder facts: 6 × 7 is 5 × 7 plus one more 7, which is 35 + 7 = 42.

What fractions do 3rd graders learn?

Third grade is where fractions start in earnest. Students learn that 1/4 is one part when a whole is split into 4 equal parts, and that 3/4 is three of those parts. Grade 3 work is limited to fractions with denominators 2, 3, 4, 6 and 8 (Common Core 3.NF).

• Placing fractions such as 1/4, 2/4 and 3/4 on a number line between 0 and 1.
• Recognizing simple equivalent fractions, such as 1/2 = 2/4 and 4/4 = 1.
• Comparing fractions with the same numerator or denominator, and explaining why 1/8 is smaller than 1/4.

“The number line is the why. It explains why things work the way they do.”

Sean Alexander, founder of Alexander Tutoring

Fractions cause trouble for years if they are rushed, which is why our tutors treat them as one of the most important skills in elementary and middle school. Our article on fractions, the mother of all math issues explains why.

What does area and perimeter look like in 3rd grade?

Students first find area by counting unit squares, then discover they can multiply. A rectangle 4 units by 6 units has an area of 4 × 6 = 24 square units and a perimeter of 4 + 6 + 4 + 6 = 20 units.

They also learn that shapes with the same perimeter can have different areas. A 5 × 5 square also has a perimeter of 20, but its area is 25 square units.

What should a 3rd grader know in reading and writing?

In the Common Core English language arts standards, third graders work on decoding, fluency, comprehension and three types of writing.

• Phonics and word skills: know common prefixes and suffixes, decode multisyllable words and read irregularly spelled grade-level words (Common Core RF.3).
• Fluency: read grade-level prose and poetry aloud accurately, at a good pace and with expression, rereading to self-correct.
• Comprehension: ask and answer questions using evidence from the text, retell fables and folktales and find their lesson, and describe how characters’ actions drive the story.
• Writing: opinion pieces with reasons, informative pieces with facts and definitions, and narratives with dialogue and a clear sequence of events.
• Grammar and spelling: verb tenses, comparative and superlative adjectives, possessives, commas and quotation marks in dialogue, and simple, compound and complex sentences.

Reading matters for math, too. Third-grade word problems often have two steps, and a child who struggles to read them will struggle to solve them.

What science and social studies do 3rd graders learn?

In states that use the Next Generation Science Standards, third-grade science covers four topics (Next Generation Science Standards, National Academies Press):

1. Forces and interactions: balanced and unbalanced forces, and how magnets act on objects without touching them.
2. Ecosystems: how animal groups help members survive, and what fossils show about past environments.
3. Life cycles and traits: how organisms grow and change, and how traits are inherited and shaped by the environment.
4. Weather and climate: using data to describe seasonal weather and comparing climates in different regions.

Social studies varies more by state. Common third-grade themes include local communities and government, maps and geography, and how people produce and trade goods and services.

How do you know if your 3rd grader is on track?

Report cards and teacher feedback are the first signal. Many states also give their first annual state tests in third grade, which can show how your child compares with grade-level expectations.

At home, a few quick checks help:

• Can your child answer multiplication facts such as 6 × 7 or 8 × 9 within a few seconds?
• Can they explain why 1/3 of a pizza is bigger than 1/4 of the same pizza?
• Can they read a page of a grade-level chapter book aloud smoothly and tell you what happened?
• Can they solve a two-step word problem and explain each step?

If something seems off, ask the teacher directly. Our list of questions to ask at a parent-teacher conference can help you get specific answers.

How can you help a 3rd grader who is falling behind?

1. Find the specific gap. “Bad at math” usually means one missing skill, such as multiplication facts or what a fraction means.
2. Practice a little every day. Ten focused minutes beats an hour on the weekend.
3. Use real life. Cooking, shopping and telling time are natural practice for fractions, money and elapsed time.
4. Keep it low-pressure. Children who feel behind often hide it rather than ask for help.
5. Get help early. Gaps from third grade grow quickly in fourth and fifth grade.

“Students are afraid they’re behind, and they don’t want to be embarrassed. But this should never be about ego. It’s simply: where are you, what do we need to learn, and why does it matter?”

Jake Gerhardt, Alexander Tutoring math tutor

For more warning signs, see how to recognize a child struggling in school and five signs your child needs a math tutor. To see what comes next, read our 5th grade math guide.

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