This product came as a result of my first year teaching 5th grade. I found that my 5th graders had difficulty with friendships and social skills in general. Can’t we say this about MANY kids, no matter what their age, abilities, ethnicity, or gender?
Around the Thanksgiving holidays, I knew something had to be done. Over the Thanksgiving break I sent this home for homework. Since I knew they would be with their family (hopefully) and possibly be around family members they do not see very often. I pictured students connecting with their family members asking these questions and finding out more about themselves and hopefully they would bring this insight back with them after the break. I’m not sure this assignment changed the world, but when I read over their interviews it warmed my heart and helped change my classroom.
I found this assignment had 3 major benefits:
Allowed for honest conversations between families that may not have existed otherwise.
Students became more aware of their own strengths and weaknesses.
I gained insight into the relationships students have with their family member’s based on the response, as well as insight into how students feel about themselves.
Upon completion of this assignment, you can use this as a more in-depth goal-setting tool. Also, this could be used as a conversation tool to help students connect with their peers and improve relationships in the classroom.
🛑 Are you a member of the TLL Membership? These materials are already included. If you are not a member, click here to learn more. The TLL Membership gives you an all-access pass to hundreds of ELA resources for teachers in Grades 3-5.
Please keep in mind this assignment does not have to be completed over a break, it could be completed at any point you feel your students need it.
Let’s connect!
The Literacy Loft Blog
The Literacy Loft on Instagram
The Literacy Loft on Pinterest
The Literacy Loft on Facebook
Email: Jessica@theliteracyloft.com
