Grade 3 Math Activity Set: Inventing Toys and Coins in the U.S.

Help your child in Grade 3 understand the role that mathematics plays in running a business, and how fractions apply to the monetary system of the United States. 

Activity 1: Inventing Toys

This project shows the relationship between mathematics and running a business.

Multiplication is used to determine how many items a business owner needs to purchase in order to fully stock a store.

Materials Needed

Use the Important Facts below to complete the lesson.

• Each Abuelita doll comes in a box that is 8 inches wide.
• There are 4 boxes in 1 carton.
• Abuelita Rosa sings 6 songs.
• Abuelito Pancho sings 4 songs.
• Javier sings 5 songs.
• Baby Andrea and Baby Tita each sing 5 songs.
• Baby Mimi plays music but does not sing.

Download the following activity sheets.

• Teacher guide
• Student sheet

The student sheets can be printed and completed by the student, or the student can write their answers on a blank sheet of paper.

Extend the Lesson

Find some of your favorite music. Play the music and try to determine the beat so you can clap out the rhythm. Play the music again and clap out the beat. Explain what the time signature could be for that piece of music.

Activity 2: Coins in the U.S.

This project applies the concept of fractions to the Unites States monetary system. Fractions allow the dollar to be divided into fourths, tenths, twentieths, and hundredths using quarters, dimes, nickels, and pennies, respectively. 

Materials Needed

Use the Important Facts below to complete the lesson.

• The U.S. government minted state quarters every year from 1999 to 2008 in the order that the states became part of the United States.
• 1999: Delaware, Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Georgia, Connecticut
• 2000: Massachusetts, Maryland, South Carolina, New Hampshire, Virginia
• 2001: New York, North Carolina, Rhode Island, Vermont, Kentucky
• 2002: Tennessee, Ohio, Louisiana, Indiana, Mississippi
• 2003: Illinois, Alabama, Maine, Missouri, Arkansas
• 2004: Michigan, Florida, Texas, Iowa, Wisconsin
• 2005: California, Minnesota, Oregon, Kansas, West Virginia
• 2006: Nevada, Nebraska, Colorado, North Dakota, South Dakota
• 2007: Montana, Washington, Idaho, Wyoming, Utah
• 2008: Oklahoma, New Mexico, Arizona, Alaska, Hawaii

Download the following activity sheets.

• Teacher Guide
• Student sheet

The student sheets can be printed and completed by the student, or the student can write their answers on a blank sheet of paper.

Extend the Lesson

The back of the U.S. quarter is called the reverse. Many quarters have a U.S. state on their reverse. Look at some quarters of this kind. List the state that shows on each quarter. For each state, what fraction represents its portion of the total quarters you looked at?