of a 5th Grader at Great Falls
Given the roller coaster of this year, I felt it was important to reconnect with the Great Falls students and get back to doing one of my favorite activities, A Day in the Life of a Student. This pandemic made it a little tricky to shadow students but now seemed as good a time as any to re-establish my annual visits. Today, I was lucky enough to shadow 5th-grade student Jayden. Jayden is a student in Mrs. Mullin’s class and was open to having me follow him throughout his school day. We started with creative arts and it was PE day! I may have begged Mr. D to play pillow polo hockey instead of fitness stations. IT WAS SO MUCH FUN! 5th graders are competitive but great team players and this group did not disappoint. They were kind to each other, gave 100% effort, and had so much energy.
5th graders are hilarious! They love to talk about their families and pets and like to speak their truth and tell funny personal stories. It is a grade where students clearly develop a safe and comfortable relationship with their teachers and can have respectful fun without going too far or getting off track. It is also a grade where students really need to develop strong executive functioning and organizational skills. Throughout the day, Jayden and his peers had to keep track of their materials, folders, packets, and books. They were asked to access certain materials for specific assignments and classes and did so quickly and efficiently. I am always blown away by the level of independence that occurs in 5th grade.
I was also struck by how well they work in groups. 5th graders are social and like to feed off of the ideas of others. The level of collaboration and discussion among the groups was impressive. The students used hand signals to agree and support each other’s thinking. They asked great questions of their peers and teachers. I was able to witness a very fiery debate on which character had the most difficult journey on the Oregon Trail. They did a fantastic job defending their positions and persuading their peers.
Having the pleasure of joining the students for snack, lunch, and recess was also an enjoyable experience. 5th graders pack the BEST snacks and seem to enjoy a greater variety of foods than younger students. 5th graders probably take too much from the salad bar but they have great appetites. No worries… they need the energy at recess! 5th graders have a plan for play and I was so impressed with how active they were even on the snowy playground. Most were playing basketball, four square, and building snow forts.
Math was a very engaging part of their day. The students shared that they love the math games and interactive portions of the lesson better than the workbook pages. 5th graders like hands-on activities and being able to move, talk, and use real-world examples. Throughout the math conversations, they used phrases such as “I agree”, “I respectfully disagree”, and “I was able to visualize”. When engagement is high, magic happens in a 5th-grade class!
5th graders strive off of established routines and like to know what is expected of them. They were able to predict the next parts of their day, know what materials to have ready, and maximize their time. Kudos to their amazing teachers for teaching them important skills that will prepare them for the next phase in their education!
They enjoy project-based learning like the current Oregon Trail simulation and get excited about new learning. They support their classmates and love to participate. When working together, they are motivated and stay focused. They are great listeners and creative problem solvers.
My day shadowing 5th grader Jayden was wonderful. Students at this age are inquisitive, kind, and increasing their independence. Jayden, in particular, was a tremendous host and made sure that I felt included throughout the day. I could not have asked for a better experience and, although I love each grade, 5th graders certainly have my heart. They have been elementary students for 6 years and are growing into tremendous humans that are ready for the next part of their educational journey. Middle school here they come!
Special thank you to my 5th-grade friend, Jayden along with his delightful peers in Mrs. Mulin’s classroom. Thank you to Mrs. Mullin, Mrs. Paolino, and Mr. D for letting me join in the fun.
It was a day I will surely remember!
