What your child will learn in maths#

Every day, your child is finding out about and using mathematical ideas such as counting, measuring, sorting, patterns, numbers, shapes, size and position. You can support their understanding and confidence with mathematics by helping them to notice patterns, shapes, sizes and numbers wherever you are and by including mathematical ideas in their play, interests and everyday activities.

Having good mathematical skills and a positive view of themselves as maths learners will help your child in the future. They are important for solving problems and creative thinking. When talking to your child about maths, encourage them to use the vocabulary that they have been using in their maths classes.

Numbers#

Your child is learning to:

• Understand numbers up to 1,000 by reading, writing and ordering numbers up to 1,000 and counting in steps of 2s, 3s, 5s and 10s. Children continue to strengthen their ideas about place value and build their skills with estimating the number of objects in a group
• Use operations by adding and subtracting up to 100 and recalling multiplication and division facts for 2s, 3s, 5s and 10s. They use these ideas to multiply and divide numbers like 2 x 23 or 24 ÷ 3
• Develop fraction ideas by showing fractions using drawings, equipment, on number lines, and as numbers. Children learn how to compare and connect halves quarters and eighths and find simple fractions of a set, like 1/3 of 12 counters.
• Work with money by making amounts of money using 1- and 2-dollar coins and $5, $10, $20, $50 and $100 notes.

Algebra#

Your child is learning to:

• use the equal sign by solving problems with missing numbers (for example, 5 + __ = 10 or __ ÷ 3 = 6)
• recognise, continue and create repeating and growing patterns (for example, red, blue, red, blue or 2, 4, 6, 8), by identifying pattern rules, such as ‘alternating colours’ or ‘adding 2 each time’
• create and follow clear, step-by-step instructions for familiar tasks, such as making a sandwich.

Measurement#

Your child is learning to estimate and measure length, capacity and weight by using metric units (cm, m, L, kg) and measuring tools like rulers, jugs and scales. 

They also begin learning to measure the area of a simple shape using squares and the volume of a box using blocks. They learn about perimeter by walking or measuring around the boundary of a shape.

Thet are also learning to:

• compare and order objects based on size and weight
• understand time – by identifying and describing how long different events last using years, months, weeks, days, hours, minutes and seconds
• read an analogue clock (o’clock, half-past, quarter-past, quarter-to).

Geometry#

Your child is learning to:

• visualise, identify, compare, and sort 2D (flat) and 3D (solid) shapes based on their attributes, such as sides, angles and faces. Children will also join smaller shapes to make a bigger shape, such as using 4 small triangles to make a square
• identify right angles in different shapes and objects. A right angle is an angle that measures exactly 90 degrees, and it forms a perfect corner, like the corner of a square or a rectangle. Children will also start connecting quarter and half and 3 quarter turns to right angles
• follow and create a sequence of step-by-step instructions for moving people or objects to a different location, such as ‘playing robots’ to instruct a friend to move around a pathway.

Statistics#

Your child is learning to carry out a statistical investigation with the teacher and classmates by:

• asking questions about the number of things (like how many siblings, or pets) and categories (like colours or types of animals) and predict what the data might show
• planning questions for a survey to collect information
• recording, sorting and presenting data – using surveys, tallies, tables, picture graphs, dot plots and bar graphs. Children will work with the teacher to describe features of data visualisations (for example, frequency, the least/most frequent category, modes or modal groups, highest and lowest values)
• analysing statements to decide which ones best answer the original question based on data and justifying their ideas with a reason
• developing statistical literacy by checking to see if they agree or disagree with the statements other people make about graphs and data.

Probability#

Your child is learning to take part in a probability investigation by:

• investigating chance by coming up with a question to investigate – for example, "what is the chance of flipping heads on a coin?" In Year 3, children will be looking at situations that have equally likely outcomes, like rolling a die, or flipping a coin, and predicting what might happen before testing it
• collecting and recording data by doing experiments and showing their results using tallies, bar charts or dot plots
• comparing results and probabilities by discussing what they found out after their experiments and comparing their results with others.

Resource#