Characteristics of a Third Grader

Third graders physically:

· are busy & active

· have a good appetite

· have improved health from early childhood

· experience slower growth of about 2 ½ inches and eight pounds per year

· grow longer legs relative to their total height and begin resembling adults in the proportion of legs to body

· develop less fat and grow more muscle than in earlier year

· use small and large motor skills in sports and other activities

· increase in strength

· are losing their baby teeth and beginning to grow adult teeth which may appear too big for their face

Third graders emotionally:

· want to be first, to be called on, chosen & to win

· like to take responsibility

· are usually affectionate, cheerful, outgoing and curious

· can sometimes be selfish, bossy, demanding, giggly & silly

· are becoming more aware of belonging to a group at school

· are building an ethical sense (can sometimes cause them to be critical of their own behavior and that of others)

· are developing a sense of justice ("That's not fair!")

· can be overly sensitive, especially to ridicule, failure, or loss of prestige

· need adult approval on a regular basis

· need to be a part of an activity which makes them feel important

· are more serious about themselves

· have more secrets

· dramatize things

· have fewer & more reasonable fears

· like immediate rewards for behavior

Third graders cognitively:

· develop the skills to process more abstract concepts and complex ideas

· spend more time with the peer group and turn to peers for information [They need information sources outside of family, and other adults become important in their lives.

· are able to focus on the past and future as well as the present

· improve in self-control, being able to conform to adult ideas of what is "proper" behavior and to recognize appropriateness in behavior

· understand the concepts of normality/abnormality, feel concern with being normal and curiosity about differences

· begin to develop as an individual

· think for themselves and develop individual opinions, especially as they begin to read and to acquire information through the media

· are beginning to understand "the other side" or someone else's opinions

· want to know the reasons for things

· develop an increased attention span