3rd Grade Learning Goals
Inspired by Joaquin’s current abilities, interests, and higher guidance, and referencing K-3 academic standards, the following are intentions / areas of focus and awareness I will offer this year for the enrichment of Joaquin’s education and development:
1. DESCENCION/ASCENSION “DANCE”
These intentions concern both Joaquin (descending and integrating into the physical) and I (ascending in my own personal curriculum).
1.1. Awareness and Processing of Emotions
Bring light and expansion (directly and through my own mirroring) to emotional responses to:
- Breakdowns in verbal communication.
- Negative feedback from others and own perception of “failure” or “not being good at”.
- Not having control / power (e.g. when losing objects, needing help with something he’s struggling at, enduring poor internet connection, etc.).
- Anxious energy and limiting fears (e.g. dogs, interacting with certain people, being in certain situations).
- Self-imposed barriers
- Jokes (e.g. “what did you make us for breakfast?”)
1.2. Communication Skills
Support ongoing development by:
- Listening with presence (to verbal/non-verbal communication, and to other forms of information).
- Participating in conversations (especially his favorite ones) with interest.
- Bringing my presence and energy to his practice listening, processing, and absorbing information from conversations, non-verbal cues, reading, watching, writing.
- Following through on new information that could propel his communication skills further (e.g. RPM).
1.3. Expanding Our Circle
Let’s broaden our playroom (the physical and non-physical spaces where we are and express ourselves), in order to connect with our group of soul peers.
Continue expanding my multidimensional practice, put out the call, and listen to our guidance to take us and our voices to the places and spaces where we’ll connect with relationships that will expand us.
1.4. Energy Flow in the Physical Body
Activities that stretch/release the spine (?). Look for clues as to what these may be.
2. ACADEMICS
Referencing Common Core Standards for Language, Literacy, and Mathematics.
2.1. Reading
At 3rd grade level, a reader demonstrates detailed understanding of stories and informational text, can retell stories with detail, follow reasoning in informational text, describe characters along with their actions and motivations, associate text and illustrations, and extract main messages/ideas from the text.
Create activity kits around short “Pequeño a Pequeño” stories (ranging from known to new, illustrated to fully verbal) and other interests (i.e. NBA news, muñequitos’ basketball). With Joaquin’s interest in reading these stories and texts, may weave in assessment and practice of K-3 skills as his pace allows.
Facilitate practice of comprehension skills in the context of videos and movies (the medium he prefers right now). Model them in our spontaneous conversations, rather than testing him.
Encourage and model visualizing written information with our imagination when reading together. If skills are developed with watched images (videos), may be able to make the connection and translation to reading when he takes the leap to “see” in his imagination the images that written words represent.
2.2. Writing
At 3rd grade level, a writer composes: opinion pieces supporting his view with reasons, informative/explanatory text providing details and illustrations to aid comprehension and convey information clearly, and narrative pieces explaining a succession of events with detail and closure.
Encourage and create opportunities for Joaquin to keep practicing writing around his favorite interests.
Use ABM essentials / all knowledge to magnify his perception of subtle differences in order to become aware of, imitate, and integrate details to improve his language and writing skills to higher levels.
Read to him, and also read in a way that he can see and follow the words as I read them (e.g. read basketball news together in the iPad with font size increased maybe pointing as I go). Look for reading apps (something that reads for him, and maybe highlights at the same time… he’s liked screen readers in the past).
2.3. Math
Joaquin’s math skills meet all K-2 standards and above. For our reference, these are 3rd grade content standards:
- Developing understanding and strategies for multiplication and division within 100
- Developing understanding of fractions (especially fractions with numerator 1)
- Developing understanding of the structure of rectangular arrays and of area and perimeter
- Describing and analyzing two-dimensional shapes.
- Measurement: length, liquid volume, mass of objects
Continue supporting his ongoing development while modeling analytical and abstract thinking through the use of reasoning and analogies in everyday situations.
3. ALL THE OTHER GOOD STUFF
- Self-expression and holistic development through: art, music, creativity, sharing of his creations.
- Self-sufficiency, life skills, and problem solving through: handcrafting, building, research, use of technology, cooking, coding, survival skills, etc.
- Community and cooperation values through: chores, favors/invitations to help, and awareness of others’ perspective.
- Body and mind health through: physical activities, hygiene, nutrition, good sleep, mindfulness.
- Social manners: at the table, asking politely, expressing gratitude, interrupting others, coming into someone’s private space, language, respectful interactions, nose picking/farting in public.
- Science and social studies knowledge continuously expand along with his interests and the events and conversations in our lives and the world.
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