SMART Goals in 3rd Grade

Third graders are talking about what makes a goal SMART - Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Rewarding and Timely!  While this is a tricky concept for kids to grasp (it's even hard for me as a grown up!) we took the idea of "attainable" and "rewarding" and did an activity to illustrate why it is important to set goals that are possible and yet not too easy.

Students threw bean bag "frogs" into a bucket.  The first time around, they were just one step away.  Waaaaay too easy and not at all rewarding to get all three into the bucket.  The second time around, I asked them to take 25 paces away from the bucket.  With our low ceilings in the hallways, this was impossible!  We reflected after each round and talked about what it felt like.  Was it all that exciting to get the three in when it was too easy?  Were you ready to give up when it was nearly impossible?  Then we discussed the importance of setting our goals so that we will feel really proud when we reach them, but making sure they are possible.

Next time around we will begin "Ready for Success" curriculum which challenges students to create small SMART goals every week to help them build their confidence in academics and beyond!

 Too Easy!

Too hard!!!

Wolfie Goes to Work!!

How much does your child know about your career?  Do you remember what you wanted to be when you were a kid?  What are all of the different careers in your family?  What careers have you had over your lifetime?  

This year I am trying a new project to get kids asking questions about careers in their family.  What types of training did family members have?  Where do they work?  What do they like about their job?

Fourth graders will be bringing "Wolfie" home and getting a picture taken of Wolfie at their family member's work or wearing/near something that can signify the job.  Students then will interview this person about their job and write a report up so we can learn more about the careers of our Willow River family!  Wolfie will get to visit every family over the next few months and we can't wait to see what we learn!

Be KINDER Than Necessary!

I think we forget just how simple it is to be kind.  We might not even notice ways we are kind because they are a natural part of our day.  Holding the door for someone, asking a cashier how they are doing, taking the time to really listen to a child telling a story, picking up litter, or sending a note to a neighbor.  These do not have to be grand gestures that cost money and they can certainly be things kids can do too. 

As our world can seem like it is full of hate these days, it is also a world of compassion and kindness.  Here in our Willow River community, we see kindness all the time.  I've heard stories of UPStanders who go and sit by a girl who was all by herself at lunch.  I've had a 1st grade friend offer to have a very sad and scared friend sit by him on the bus.   I've had students give hugs and high fives as I greet them walking in.  Willow is FULL of kindness and this year we plan to showcase that as often as we can - especially at all-school meetings and with programming throughout the year to reinforce how important it is to just BE KIND.

Students were asked to cut out a shape of their hand in construction paper and sign their name to show their dedication to "be kinder than necessary" this year - tying in our experience watching "Wonder" last year in 3rd-5th grade.  The sign turned out beautiful and is a sweet reminder to us as we head out to recess or leave for the day.

NED Show!

All students have watched the NED clip about UPStanding - on Monday, October 1st, we got to meet NED and hear about Growth Mindset!  Students were amazed by the Yo-Yo tricks and magic that the presenter, Will, infused into the message.  We learned "N= Never Give Up" and hiked up Mount Everest, "E= Encourage others" on Kindness Island, and "D = Do Your Best" with an alien spaceship shaped like a brain!
This presentation is free to schools if you offer to sell the yo-yos for five days after the presentation - a "pay-it-forward" model.  All of the proceeds from yo-yos will pay for another school to hear this great message and a portion of proceeds will go to the Children's Hospital. 

UPStander Day!!

In preparation for our big NED Show on Monday to focus on UPStanding and being "Kinder than Necessary" we wore UPStander shirts or blue shirts today!  We are so proud of our UPStanding students for making our school a better place!
Here are just a few of our amazing UPStanders we caught wearing their shirts!

"The Legend of ROCK, PAPER, SCISSORS!!!!!!"

We have had such a fun first week back!!  In Guidance classes, grades 1-5 have been reviewing the tools we have here at Willow to help us solve problems.  We use:

Stop, Walk, Talk: When someone is being disrespectful to us

Peace Path: When we need to talk a problem through with someone

Tell an adult: When the behavior is considered unsafe or bullying

Stop, Walk, ROCK, Talk: When its a small problem - usually we use Rock, Paper, Scissors. 

I found SUCH a fun book about the "legend" of Rock, Paper Scissors this summer... from the guy who brought you "The Day the Crayons Quit" Drew Daywalt.

To add a little activity to this, we tried the "Hopscotch + Rock, Paper, Scissors" game that Phy Ed teachers on Facebook have been going nuts over... and it has been a hit with our 3rd and 4th graders this week!

Post Secondary Options Breakout EDU!

For the past several years, I've sent students on a scavenger hunt to find out all of the different post-secondary trainings that our staff at Willow have had.  This has been a great way for them to see the different options, the variety of schools, and to learn more about the staff who take care of them each day!

This year, I added the "Breakout EDU" element to the hunt.  Students had to complete the scavenger hunt answer key and find staff who had a technical degree, a doctorate, a degree from a school in another state, a staff member who has served in the military, even a staff member who has a Bachelor's degree from another COUNTRY!  Once students returned the completed sheet, they got a clue to help unlock the box.  Inside the box were "graduation rubber duckies" to remind them that there are TONS of options after high school for training!