A Day in the Life of a Third Grade Student

 

of a Third Grade Student at Great Falls

I recently embarked on another special day shadowing a student at Great Falls! I enjoyed my time with Sophie and Miss Kein’s entire classroom community. Third graders are gregarious and easy-going. They were cheerful that I was joining them for the day and made me feel like a welcomed part of their classroom. Participation in their morning community circle and start-of-the-day activities reinforced the sunny outlook and excitement about learning these young students possess! 

I was struck by the students’ positive energy! Whether a math lesson or spelling activity, the students were enthusiastic about learning and eager to participate and take turns. Miss Kein did a fantastic job of keeping learning activities quick and engaging, a successful approach for these eager learners. It was important for the third graders to participate in movement breaks throughout the day to boost their concentration and productivity. 

Their excitement carried over to their creative arts session of the day, which was music. Sophie was a tremendous guide as she helped me to select an instrument and modeled how to participate in Ms. Doak’s lesson. The students were thrilled to be given the choice to select an instrument to play for the class period. I was shocked (and impressed!) at how proficient the students were with playing a variety of hand instruments! They were focused and had so much fun. Even when they didn’t play the instruments perfectly, they recovered and tried again. I, however, felt myself exerting lots of effort and realized I am certainly not as proficient as my 8-year-olds friends. 

Returning to the classroom and joining Miss Kein on the rug was such a treat. The students were preparing for their parent/teacher conferences and their excitement and enthusiasm were contagious. Miss Kein adjusted the groupings and work partners throughout the day. This strategy was helpful for these third graders who clearly enjoy a balance of socialization with their peers and work time. 

Lunchtime is a fun experience for students at Great Falls, as it is a special time to be social. During this particular lunch block, the students shared some kid slang with me such as the shortened word “sus” for suspicious. They are adorable and super funny. I was able to see that third graders enjoy being a part of larger friendship groups as the entire table was interacting and talkative throughout the lunch block. 

Once lunch concluded, we headed outside for recess. We participated in an old-fashioned game of “follow the leader” through the Great Falls playground. The students took me through twists and turns as we climbed, swung, ran, and balanced our way throughout the playground. The students love to be creative and adventurous. I certainly got a workout during this recess block! 

My greatest takeaways throughout the day were that third graders enjoy cooperation over competition. They like to be together and work collaboratively with peers. They reminded me that it is always important to balance fun with academic expectations. Keeping activities short and engaging creates the best opportunity for focus and learning. Offering lots of opportunities to move while incorporating times for read-aloud, energizers, and fun games is also important. Even though our third-grade friends are on the 2nd floor, they are still younger elementary students who need lots of guidance, love, and support from their teachers. What an amazing and fun grade! 

Special thank you to my lovely friend, Sophie! 

Much appreciation to Miss Kein and Mrs. Doak for sharing your classroom with me!