Grade Three: Mathematics

Typical Grade Three Mathematics Performance on the CST

Advanced

Students in grade three at the advanced level have an excellent grasp of addition, subtraction, and multiplication of whole numbers and use these operations to solve multi-step word problems. They have a strong understanding of foundational concepts covered in more depth in grade four, including place value, decimals, fractions, comparison of whole numbers, and the relationship between addition and subtraction. Advanced students have learned fundamental concepts of algebra, including identifying the equation involving a variable to solve a word problem and determining the missing number that will make an inequality true. They understand perimeter, area, and volume as well as the properties of triangles. Students at this level also demonstrate an emerging understanding of basic concepts of probability.

Proficient

Students in grade three at the proficient level have a grasp of operational procedures including addition, subtraction, and multiplication of whole numbers and problems involving money. They can perform operations in the context of simple, one-step word problems. They have a strong understanding of whole number place value, can compare and order whole numbers, and can add simple fractions with common denominators. Proficient students demonstrate understanding of simple algebraic concepts, including finding the total cost, given unit cost and the number of items, and identifying the missing value to make an equation true. They understand perimeter and find area by counting unit squares. They have a solid grasp of basic principles of geometry, including the properties of quadrilaterals, classification of polygons, and right angles. Students are developing concepts of probability at this level and can identify and read a variety of data representations showing results from probability experiments.

Basic

Students in grade three at the basic level perform the operations of addition and subtraction with increasing facility and have an emerging grasp of multiplication. They can identify place value in a whole number less than 10,000 and compare and order three-digit numbers from greatest to least. The algebraic concepts demonstrated by students at this level include identifying the missing operation to make an equation true, using the commutative property of multiplication to identify a solution, and identifying the equation to solve a one-step word problem. These students also possess a variety of skills in measurement and geometry, including converting length using metric units, determining the area of a figure given the size of one square unit, and choosing an appropriate tool to measure length. Basic students also may identify different representations of the same data in a probability experiment.

Below Basic

Students in grade three at the below basic level perform multi-digit addition and subtraction problems and add simple fractions with common denominators. They identify an equivalent expression using the commutative property of multiplication and determine the next number in a linear pattern. Students at this level demonstrate a variety of skills in measurement and geometry, including choosing the appropriate tool to measure time, identifying common three-dimensional objects, calculating the perimeter of a polygon, and estimating relative weight of given objects. Students read tally charts and may possess foundational concepts of probability such as the ability to interpret a data display representing the results of a probability experiment.