3rd Grade Math Units: Place Value, Fractions, Area and Review
3rd Grade Math Units: Place Value, Fractions, Area and Review
Third grade teachers looking for ready-to-print math units can get four of them in the Elementary Math Units Bundle: Numbers to 1000, Fractions with visual models, Area & Perimeter, and a Math Test Prep & Assessment Toolkit. They are no-prep printables with answer keys, and three of them sit at the heart of third grade math. The bundle is $69.99; the four units on their own cost $99.96.
See the four math units →The Elementary Math Units Bundle ($69.99, or $99.96 if the four units are bought separately) gives third grade teachers four no-prep printable units with answer keys: Numbers to 1000 (place value, comparing and ordering, number lines, word problems), Fractions with visual models, Area & Perimeter with unit squares and compound shapes, and a Math Test Prep & Assessment Toolkit. It covers key third grade topics but is not a complete grade 3 math curriculum.
The resources
Elementary Math Units Bundle, Grades 3–5
Start with the first resource; the others are optional add-ons. Open any cover for the full contents and price.
Elementary Math Units Bundle | Numbers to 1000, Fractions, Area & Perimeter, Test Prep | 4 Units | Grades 3–5
High School Data & Statistics Bundle | Hypothesis Testing, Matrix Route Planning & Data Analysis Escape Room | Grades 10–12
Middle School Math Starter Bundle | Growing Math Kit, Fractions, Compass Constructions & Algebraic Expressions | Grades 5–9
Teach-Life-Balance: The Complete Time-Saving Course for Teachers (incl. Planner, Guides & Templates)
The real problem
Where third graders get stuck in math
Third grade is the year math stops being mostly counting and starts asking children to think in structures. Place value stretches to 1000, and many students can read 607 aloud while having no idea that the zero holds a place. They compare 489 and 512 by looking at the last digit, or they line numbers up from the left when adding. Fractions arrive in the same year, and the first fraction lessons decide whether students see a fraction as a number or as two numbers stacked on top of each other. Area brings its own confusion: children count the squares around the edge and call it the area, or they mix up perimeter and area because both involve a rectangle and some counting. On top of that, a third grade teacher is juggling reading groups, behavior routines and often the first formal testing in the building. Prep time for math is thin. What helps is a set of units where each topic is built step by step with pictures, number lines and squares to count, so students can see the idea before they apply a rule.
Why it fits
How the bundle matches the third grade year
Three of the four units land squarely on third grade topics, and the fourth gives you a way to see what stuck.
- Numbers to 1000 builds place value, comparing and ordering, and number line work before word problems.
- The fractions unit starts with equal parts and fair shares, so children see a fraction as a quantity.
- Area & Perimeter begins with unit squares, which stops students from guessing at formulas too early.
- Garden problems in the area unit give third graders a concrete picture of a rectangle they can measure.
- The test prep and assessment toolkit gives you practice pages and progress monitoring for checking understanding.
- No-prep printables with answer keys save you the evening hours you would otherwise spend making pages.
Getting started
Spreading the units across third grade
A suggested order for the year. The bundle does not include a pacing calendar, so adjust it to your school's scope and sequence.
- Early fall: Numbers to 1000Start with place value, since everything later leans on it. Use the number line pages to show where 350 sits between 300 and 400 before moving to comparing and ordering.
- Check place value before moving onUse a few pages from the assessment toolkit to see who still reads digits instead of values. Pull a small group for those students while others move into the word problems.
- Winter: fractions with picturesTeach equal parts and fair shares first, then numerator and denominator. Let students fold paper or draw before they compare fractions on the worksheet pages.
- Spring: area and perimeterBegin with unit squares and counting, then move to formulas, compound shapes and garden problems. Ask students to explain the difference between area and perimeter in their own words.
- Before spring testing: reviewReturn to the test prep and assessment toolkit for mixed practice. Use the progress monitoring pages to decide which topics need one more round. Keep the sessions short.
What to buy
Choosing between the bundle and single units
Most third grade teachers will use at least three of the four units, which makes the Elementary Math Units Bundle at $69.99 the better deal: the four parts cost $99.96 on their own, a saving of $29.97. If your school already has a strong fractions program and you only need area and perimeter, buy that one unit instead, since every part is sold separately. If you have strong students ready for later material, the Middle School Math Starter Bundle ($54.99) is a separate option for upper grades, not a third grade resource. The TEACHMORE15 code does not apply to bundles.
Honest limits
What you still need to cover yourself
These are four focused units, not a full third grade math program. Multiplication and division facts, time, money and data are not part of this bundle, so plan those with your core materials. Compare the topics with your school's grade 3 requirements before you build your year around them. The printables need copying, and you supply manipulatives such as square tiles if you use them. The licence covers your own teaching; for a whole grade-level team, message Teach Lessons first. If it does not fit, you can exchange it within 7 days for store credit of equal value.
Good to know
Frequently asked questions
Is this bundle aligned to Common Core or my state's grade 3 standards?
No alignment or endorsement claim is made. The units are written for Grades 3–5 and cover place value to 1000, fractions with visual models, area and perimeter, and assessment practice. These topics appear in many grade 3 programs, but you should check them against your own state or district requirements before you plan around them.
Is this a complete third grade math curriculum?
No. It is a bundle of four units. It handles place value, fractions, area and perimeter, plus a test prep and assessment toolkit, but it does not cover every third grade topic. Multiplication and division fluency, measurement of time and money, and data work need to come from elsewhere.
Will struggling readers manage the word problems?
The Numbers to 1000 unit includes word problems, and some children will need support reading them. Reading the problem aloud, or pairing students, keeps the focus on the math. The visual models in the fractions and area units help students who find long text hard.
How much prep does it need?
The units are described as no-prep printables with answer keys. You print what you need and teach. Optional extras like square tiles or paper strips for fractions are up to you, and many teachers use them alongside the pages. Plan a few minutes to skim each unit before teaching, so you know where the visual models lead.
Can I use the units with grade 4 students who need review?
Yes. The bundle is written for Grades 3–5, so the place value and fractions units can serve as review for fourth graders who missed the foundations. The assessment toolkit helps you decide who needs that review. Present it as a refresher so fourth graders do not feel sent back a year, and move on once the check shows mastery.
What happens after I buy it?
You get a download link by email right after checkout, and the files stay in your customer account under Orders. If you find within 7 days that the units do not suit your class, you can exchange them for store credit of the same value.
Get the core third grade topics ready to print
Open the bundle page to see all four units and what each one includes.
See the four math units →