Our 3rd Grade Goals

What a great 1st week we've had in 3rd grade! With such a thoughtful, cooperative class, I know we will be able to accomplish a lot this year.

This week, our focus was on setting goals for the year. The students began by reading a piece of writing I wrote about my personal goals for the year. They noticed that for each goal I included what the goal was, why I wanted to reach it, and how I planned to get there. The students then got to work, brainstorming all the possible goals they could have for this year. After choosing one or two goals that felt the most important to them, we began our writing process. 

One of my favorite parts of the process we used for this piece was peer conferencing. Each student met with a partner to read his/her writing aloud. The listener had a specific job: to listen for any information that felt incomplete. Considering one's audience is a huge part of writing, and it can be very challenging for 3rd graders to remember that the reader does not have all of the information that the writer has in his/her head.

​After getting feedback, the students were ready to put their final touches on their writing. I also had them come up with a plan for how they'll know when they've reached their goals, and to decide where in their writing it would make sense to include that information.

The final product can be found on the bulletin board outside our classroom. To add vibrance and personality to their work, each student also created an abstract self portrait out of construction paper. If you get the chance, check them out!