Are you smarter than a 3rd grader?

As I sit here checking over Magnuts' homework it occurs to me how different 3rd grade math has become.

I remember doing long division and rounding numbers and even the occasional word problem but I do not remember this:

Graph these points on the coordinate plane:
E: (-4,2)
F: (2,2)
G: (2,-4)
H: (-4,-4)

Or how about this:
-2 + -5 =
-5 + 2 =

8+12/4-3x2=

He had a little geometry mixed in last week and has already worked with variables.

I kind of like it this way. Totally helps keep it from being a snooze fest. I seem to remember great blocks of time in which we did nothing but long division...that could make anyone hate math.

So far I am still able to help with any homework they have...I am just finding that my way of doing it and their way seem to often be different. To change 5% to a number they can work with I don't spend any time multiplying by 100...I just slap that decimal two spots to the left- .05...

My way of dealing with equations makes the kids roll their eyes. They have never heard the phrase "what you do to one side you must do to the other." So when I show them something like this:

a + 10 = 20
a + 10 - 10 = 20 - 10
a = 10

They think I am nuts for showing that second step. I get that you can do that in your head at this level, but later...not so much.

Well school is almost over this year...that means I have about 60 days to get ready for 8th grade math...