School Improvement in Maryland

VSC: Mathematics Grade 3

Document Date: June 2004
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The objectives assessed on MSA at each grade level are embedded in the Voluntary State Curriculum (VSC). They are identified with the notation, Assessment limit. Assessment limits provide clarification about the specific skills and content that students are expected to have learned for each assessed objective. Even though some objectives in the VSC may not have an Assessment limit at a given grade-level, these non-assessed objectives still must be included in instruction. They introduce important concepts in preparation for assessed skills and content at subsequent grade levels.

The 'VSC Toolkit' provides additional resources for understanding and teaching the content standards.

Standard 1.0 Knowledge of Algebra, Patterns, and Functions

Topic

A. Patterns and Functions

Indicator

  • 1. Identify, describe, extend, and create numeric patterns and functions

Objectives

  1. Represent and analyze numeric patterns using skip counting
    Assessment limits:
    • Use 2, 5, 10, or 100 starting with any whole number (0 – 1000)
  1. Represent and analyze numeric patterns using skip counting
    Assessment limits:
    • Use 3 or 4 starting with 0, 1, 2, 3, or 4 (0 - 30)
  1. Represent and analyze numeric patterns using skip counting backward
    Assessment limits:
    • Use 10 or 100 starting with any whole number (0 – 1000)
  1. Complete a function table using a given addition or subtraction rule

Indicator

  • 2. Identify, describe, extend, and create non-numeric growing or repeating patterns

Objectives

  1. Represent and analyze growing patterns using symbols, shapes, designs, or pictures
    Assessment limits:
    • Start at the beginning, show at least 3 levels but no more than 5 levels, and ask for the next level
  1. Represent and analyze repeating patterns using symbols, shapes, designs, or pictures
    Assessment limits:
    • Use no more than 4 objects in the core of the pattern

Topic

B. Expressions, Equations, and Inequalities

Indicator

  • 1. Write and identify expressions

Objectives

  1. Represent numeric quantities using operational symbols (+, -, ×, ÷)
    Assessment limits:

Indicator

  • 2. Identify, write, solve, and apply equations and inequalities

Objectives

  1. Represent relationships using appropriate relational symbols (<, >, or =) and operational symbols (+, -, ×, ÷) on either side
    Assessment limits:
    • Use operational symbols (+ or -) and whole numbers (0 – 1000)
  1. Find the missing number (unknown) in a number sentence (equation) using operational symbols (+, -, ×, ÷)
    Assessment limits:
    • Use one operational symbol (+ or -) and whole numbers (0 – 100)
  1. Find the missing number(s) (unknown) on one or both sides of a number sentence (equation)

Topic

C. Numeric and Graphic Representations of Relationships

Indicator

  • 1. Locate points on a number line

Objectives

  1. Represent whole numbers on a number line
    Assessment limits:
  1. Represent proper fractions on a number line
    Assessment limits:
    • Use fractions that have denominators of 2, 3, or 4

Standard 2.0 Knowledge of Geometry

Topic

A. Plane Geometric Figures

Indicator

  • 1. Analyze the properties of plane geometric figures

Objectives

  1. Identify or describe points, lines, line segments, rays, and angles
  1. Identify or describe polygons
    Assessment limits:
    • Use triangles, quadrilaterals, pentagons, hexagons, or octagons and the number of sides or vertices
  1. Identify or describe quadrilaterals
    Assessment limits:
    • Use squares, rectangles, rhombi, parallelograms, and trapezoids and the length of sides
  1. Identify triangles, rectangles, or squares as part of a composite figure
    Assessment limits:
    • Use a combination of 2 of the stated polygons

Indicator

  • 2. Analyze geometric relationships

Objectives

  1. Identify right angles

Topic

B. Solid Geometric Figures

Indicator

  • 1. Analyze the properties of solid geometric figures

Objectives

  1. Identify and describe cubes, rectangular prisms, and triangular prisms
    Assessment limits:
    • Use cubes and the number of edges, faces, vertices, or shape of each face

Topic

C. Representation of Geometric Figures

Indicator

  • 1. Represent plane geometric figures

Objectives

  1. Sketch triangles, quadrilaterals, pentagons, hexagons, octagons, and circles

Topic

D. Congruence

Indicator

  • 1. Analyze congruent figures

Objectives

  1. Identify and describe geometric figures as congruent
    Assessment limits:
    • Use the same shape and same size

Topic

E. Transformations

Indicator

Objectives

  1. Identify and describe the results of a slide, flip, and turn
    Assessment limits:
    • Use horizontal slide, flip over a vertical line, or turn of 90° clockwise around a given point of a geometric figure or picture

Indicator

  • 2. Analyze geometric figures or pictures

Objectives

  1. Identify and describe symmetry
    Assessment limits:

Standard 3.0 Knowledge of Measurement

Topic

A. Measurement Units

Indicator

  • 1. Read customary and metric measurement units

Objectives

  1. Estimate and determine length
    Assessment limits:
    • Use the nearest centimeter or ½ inch
  1. Tell time in days, hours, minutes, and seconds
    Assessment limits:
    • Use the nearest minute using an analog clock
  1. Estimate and read temperature
    Assessment limits:
    • Use the nearest degree (°F or °C)
  1. Estimate and determine weight of objects
    Assessment limits:
    • Use the nearest pound or ounce

Topic

B. Measurement Tools

Indicator

  • 1. Measure in customary and metric units

Objectives

  1. Measure length of objects and pictures of objects using a ruler, a tape measure, a yardstick, or a meter stick
    Assessment limits:
    • Use a ruler and the nearest centimeter or ½ inch
  1. Measure capacity of containers to the nearest cup, pint, quart, gallon, milliliter, and liter using graduated containers
  1. Measure weight of objects to the nearest ounce and pound and the mass of an object to the nearest gram and kilogram

Topic

C. Applications in Measurement

Indicator

  • 1. Apply measurement concepts

Objectives

  1. Estimate and determine the perimeter of geometric figures and pictures on a grid
    Assessment limits:
  1. Estimate and determine the area of geometric figures and pictures on a grid
    Assessment limits:

Indicator

Objectives

  1. Determine equivalent units of length
    Assessment limits:
    • Use 12 inches = 1 foot and 3 feet = 1 yard and whole numbers (0 – 30)

Standard 4.0 Knowledge of Statistics

Topic

A. Data Displays

Indicator

  • 1. Collect, organize, and display data

Objectives

  1. Collect data by conducting surveys
  1. Organize and display data to make tables using a variety of categories and sets of data
    Assessment limits:
    • Use no more than 4 categories from one set of data and whole numbers (0 – 1000)
  1. Organize and display data to make pictographs using a variety of scales
    Assessment limits:
  1. Organize and display data to make single bar graphs using a variety of categories and intervals
    Assessment limits:
    • Use no more than 4 categories of data with intervals of 1, 2, 5, or 10 and whole numbers (0 –100)
  1. Organize and display data to make line plots using a variety of intervals

Topic

B. Data Analysis

Indicator

  • 1. Analyze data

Objectives

  1. Interpret data contained in tables using a variety of categories and intervals
    Assessment limits:
    • Use no more than 4 categories from one set of data and whole numbers (0 – 1000)
  1. Interpret data contained in pictographs using a variety of categories and intervals
    Assessment limits:
  1. Interpret data contained in single bar graphs using a variety of categories and intervals
    Assessment limits:
    • Use no more than 4 categories of data, intervals of 1, 2, 5, or 10 and whole numbers (0 – 100)
  1. Interpret data contained in line plots using a variety of intervals

Standard 5.0 Knowledge of Probability

Topic

A. Sample Space

Indicator

  • 1. Identify possible outcomes

Objectives

  1. Identify possible outcomes that make up the sample space for a given real life situation
  1. Identify possible outcomes that make up the sample space for a given experiment such as: flipping a coin, spinning a spinner, and rolling a number cube

Topic

B. Theoretical Probability

Indicator

Objectives

  1. Describe the probability of an event using words
    Assessment limits:
    • Use probability terms of more (or most) likely, less (or least) likely, or equally likely

Standard 6.0 Knowledge of Number Relationships and Computation/Arithmetic

Topic

A. Knowledge of Number and Place Value

Indicator

Objectives

  1. Read, write, and represent whole numbers using symbols, words, and models
    Assessment limits:
  1. Express whole numbers using expanded form
    Assessment limits:
  1. Identify the place value of a digit in a whole number
    Assessment limits:
  1. Compare, order, and describe whole numbers with or without using relational symbols (<, >, =)
    Assessment limits:

Indicator

  • 2. Apply knowledge of fractions

Objectives

  1. Read, write, and represent fractions as parts of a single region using symbols, words, and models
    Assessment limits:
    • Use fractions with denominators of 2, 3, or 4
  1. Read, write, and represent fractions as parts of a set using symbols, words, and models
    Assessment limits:
    • Use fractions with denominators of 2, 3, or 4, and use sets of 2, 3, 4 items, respectively

Indicator

  • 3. Apply knowledge of money

Objectives

  1. Represent money amounts in different ways
    Assessment limits:
    • Use money amounts ($0 - $100)
  1. Determine the value of a given set of mixed currency
    Assessment limits:
    • Use coins and bills ($0 - $100)
  1. Compare the value of two sets of mixed currency

Topic

B. Number Theory

Indicator

  • 1. Apply number relationships to:

Objectives

  1. Identify and describe whole numbers as even or odd
    Assessment limits:

Topic

C. Number Computation

Indicator

  • 1. Analyze number relations and compute

Objectives

  1. Add numbers using a variety of strategies
    Assessment limits:
    • Use no more than 3 addends, with no more than 3 digits in each addend and whole numbers (0 – 1000)
  1. Subtract numbers using a variety of strategies
    Assessment limits:
    • Use no more than 3 digits in the minuend or subtrahend and whole numbers (0 – 999)
  1. Solve addition and subtraction word problems
  1. Add and subtract money amounts
  1. Identify and apply the concept of inverse operations to addition and subtraction
  1. Represent multiplication and division basic facts using number sentences, pictures, and drawings
    Assessment limits:
    • Use basic facts of no more than 9 x 9 = 81
  1. Identify and use properties of multiplication
    Assessment limits:
    • Use the properties of commutative, identity, or zero and whole numbers (0 – 20)
  1. Multiply a one-digit factor by a two-digit factor using models, pictures, and drawings
  1. Divide a two-digit dividend by a one-digit divisor using models, pictures, and drawings
  1. Identify and apply the concept of inverse operations to multiplication and division
  1. Write a word problem based on multiplication or division number sentences

Indicator

Objectives

  1. Determine the reasonableness of sums and differences

Standard 7.0 Processes of Mathematics

Topic

A. Problem Solving

Indicator

  • 1. Apply a variety of concepts, processes, and skills to solve problems

Objectives

  1. Identify the question in the problem
  1. Decide if enough information is present to solve the problem
  1. Make a plan to solve a problem
  1. Apply a strategy, i.e., draw a picture, guess and check, finding a pattern, writing an equation
  1. Select a strategy, i.e., draw a picture, guess and check, finding a pattern, writing an equation
  1. Identify alternative ways to solve a problem
  1. Show that a problem might have multiple solutions or no solution
  1. Extend the solution of a problem to a new problem situation

Topic

B. Reasoning

Indicator

  • 1. Justify ideas or solutions with mathematical concepts or proofs

Objectives

  1. Use inductive or deductive reasoning
  1. Make or test generalizations
  1. Support or refute mathematical statements or solutions
  1. Use methods of proof, i.e., direct, indirect, paragraph, or contradiction

Topic

C. Communication

Indicator

  • 1. Present mathematical ideas using words, symbols, visual displays, or technology

Objectives

  1. Use multiple representations to express concepts or solutions
  1. Express mathematical ideas orally
  1. Explain mathematically ideas in written form
  1. Express solutions using concrete materials
  1. Express solutions using pictorial, tabular, graphical, or algebraic methods
  1. Explain solutions in written form
  1. Ask questions about mathematical ideas or problems
  1. Give or use feedback to revise mathematical thinking

Topic

D. Connections

Indicator

  • 1. Relate or apply mathematics within the discipline, to other disciplines, and to life

Objectives

  1. Identify mathematical concepts in relationship to other mathematical concepts
  1. Identify mathematical concepts in relationship to other disciplines
  1. Identify mathematical concepts in relationship to life
  1. Use the relationship among mathematical concepts to learn other mathematical concepts

Note: Highlighted assessment limits will be tested in the no calculator section of MSA. In the assessment limit, (0-10) or (-10 to 10) means all numbers in the problem or the answer will fall within the range of 0 to 10 (including endpoints) or -10 to 10 (including endpoints), respectively. All content standards are tested in MSA but not all objectives. Objectives that have an assessment limit are tested on MSA. Objectives without an assessment limit are not tested on MSA.

June 2004