Prepare Your Students for 4th Grade Common Core Math Tests

4th grade common core math tests can be challenging for students. Here’s why.

The Common Core State Standards, also simply known as Common Core, are an educational initiative outlining what students should know at the end of each grade in Math and English. Adopted by 44 of 50 states and the District of Columbia, Common Core standards will form the basis for assessments and testing. The initiative has been hailed by some as a step forward in improving education in the United States; others have criticized Common Core math as not possessing much common sense (for example, there was this parent’s response to a convoluted math problem that went viral earlier this year).

Whatever side of the debate you are on, your child likely will still encounter Common Core math and will be tested on it. For fourth-graders, the requirements are particularly complex compared to what you might have learned when you were 10 years old (indeed, another criticism of Common Core is that more advanced concepts are being taught at an earlier age). Here are some ways to prepare your students for 4th grade Common Core math tests:

Practice Multiplication

Common Core’s standards call for fourth-graders to be able to multiply two-digit numbers (e.g., 57×81). If your children are still struggling with multiplying one-digit numbers, do whatever you can to get them up to speed. Once they master that, you’ll be in a better position to prepare your students for Common Core math for more advanced multiplication (and division).

Fractions and Decimals

Fourth-graders will be expected not only to know what a fraction is but also to add them and to understand their equivalency (e.g., 1/2 is the same as 2/4 is the same as 13/26). They will also be introduced to decimals. These concepts can be tricky for kids who are used to working with whole numbers, possibly requiring additional help.