Math Curriculum Review/ Grade 3

With the end of the school year near, it's time to review curriculum! Expect reviews {by subject/unit} for the few weeks. Curriculum for next year will also be posted. It's been exciting to see all our new resources arriving!

MATH SCHEDULE

Math is one of our daily subjects. During the summer, we continue math lessons and drills. 

Spectrum Math

CORE CURRICULUM

This year, M finished Math Grade 3 and is about halfway through Math Grade 4. This is still my FAVORITE math series. We'll continue Math Grade 4 through the summer and into the fall. 

Spectrum is awesome at teaching math skills in the proper order, building each skill as you continue through the workbook! Chapter pretests at the start of each chapter identify skills students may already know. 

In addition to pre-tests, there are also chapter tests, a midterm exam, and a final exam. All lesson and test answers are in the back of the book. The answer key makes it easy to pinpoint exactly which skills were learned and which may need extra practice. 

Most times, my third grader can teach herself independently. If she has questions, I explain the concept. Then we'll do a few problems together until she understands the process. After that, she's usually back to completing lessons independently.

Sylvan Super Math Success

SUPPLEMENTAL CURRICULUM

Super Math Success adds FUN application practice to our daily math lessons. This workbook does not explain the concepts! But it works beautifully for supplemental practice. The activities are short and skill targeted. My daughter loves the activities and often does extra pages. 

We will most definitely continue with this series, too! 

One caveat, Sylvan's Super Success books are THICK. Removing the spine and adding spiral binding makes them much more functional. Any office supply store with a copy center can do it. Staples usually takes care of this for me ;)

Math-Drills {Free online}

SPEED DRILLS

When we need extra fact practice, I've been pulling sheets from Math-Drills. It's a very comprehensive site with many math grade levels! 

Math Curriculum Grade 3/ Final Exam

Our worn Spectrum Math cover

One of the best parts of the Spectrum series is their tests - pretests, chapter tests, mid-term tests, and final tests. They definitely help give you an idea of your student's skill mastery.

This week, we are working through our final exam! Madeline should finish her final test by Friday. Monday, we'll start Spectrum Math Grade 4.

Because she always asks for MORE math work, we've been adding application practice from Third Grade Super Math Success. Rather than pages of equations, the book is full of fun puzzles, games, and activities to apply the common core concepts.

A few months back, Madeline tried a couple Khan Academy online lessons. Although the video instructions were wonderful, they disappear when the math equations/questions come up. Having to toggle back and forth from the explanation to the math problems frustrated her. Thinking about it now, why not just open them both in separate windows?

This week, she asked to retry the online lessons. Perhaps with her increased computer skills, she is more confident to give Khan Academy another try. I am curious to see how our experience goes the second time around...

First Lego League/ What Is It Really Like?

Your child LOVES Lego bricks and building. Is First Lego League right for them? Are they ready to jump into robotics?

Madeline and I have now completed our first season (me as coach, her as team member). Like any awesome program, it requires a serious commitment. Preparation is essential. 'Winging it' is not an option. Season details are released in late August and qualifier competitions begin in early December.

As a homeschool team, we elected to meet once weekly for two hours. School teams often meet more frequently because the kids are already at school. Our team members reside in different areas of Dallas and have different homeschooling schedules, so meeting more than once a week wasn't feasible for us.

What I did not predict was the intensity and how challenged the kids would be. Or how incredible the kids felt as they began seeing the robot complete missions!

Plus, who doesn't love robots? 

EV3 Competition Robot - Monkey Bot 1

THE ROBOT GAME
No doubt the robots are cool! Not only did Madeline's team have to come up with a solution to solve each mission module, the team had to choose a game strategy.

Choose missions far away or close to base? Attempt multiple missions in one programming block or a single mission? Change out specialty attachments or design an attachment to do multiple tasks?

After critically thinking about point values, students start to work programming and designing attachments. It's all about math - angles and decimal values! And lots of trial and error to fine tune programs.

With only 2:30 (two minutes, thirty seconds) to run programs and earn points, the pressure is on!

Getting ready for the robot game.

View from the stands.
Each team competes in three robot games and is ranked according to their top score.

At Super Qualifier, we were in the top 10 through 2 rounds of the robot game.
We finished a proud 11th with a score of 150 points.

Cheering from the stands!

ROBOT DESIGN
Teams present their game strategy, robot/attachment design, and programming for judging.

THE COMMUNITY PROJECT
Each season, a themed community challenge/problem is issued. Teams research the topic thoroughly and develop an innovative solution. But that's only the first part.

The second part is sharing your solution! Teams create a presentation to showcase their solution - then share with both their local community (prior to competition) and the judges (at competition).

CORE VALUES

Raising the trophy as the Core Values Winner at qualifier.

The motto of FLL is to have fun! That also means being a good sport. Teams are encouraged to share information, make friends, and act as professional colleagues.

What you learn is more important that what you win. It's a positive, supportive environment!

Teamwork is key. During Core Values judging, teams show how they work together. Respect, cooperation, and gracious professionalism are evaluated.

In addition to the closed doors judging session, judges assess how teams interact with one another in the pit (area where teams wait between rounds) and in other public areas.

This Batman-uniformed team was super nice and qualified for regionals. Way to go!

Having something to trade, like pins, is a great icebreaker.

Games/Lego bricks help the team pass time between rounds + they can play with other teams.

Our first year experience was overwhelmingly positive! There is a huge learning curve and we were lucky to have the guidance of a fifth year team. We met at a small scrimmage and they were so kind to take us under their wing ;)

Though we didn't qualify for regionals, two of the teams we scrimmaged with did qualify. We are thrilled for them and plan to cheer them on during their robot game. In Dallas, the regional championship is February 14th at Parish Episcopal.

Interested in participating next season? Check the US First website to see where your local FLL regional championship will be held for a sneak peek. The robot game is open to the public. Judging sessions are closed door, only team members are admitted.