The Third Grade Experience at Wellan
The third year in any Montessori classroom is a magical year when everything comes together - a capstone year for most. Many older students mentor younger students by teaching previous lessons they have mastered. At the Lower Elementary age, the students begin holding themselves and others accountable to role model appropriate behaviors and uphold the classroom routines. As they develop and strengthen executive functioning skills, they begin to follow through with work plans and putting in their best effort into their assignments.
So what makes the Wellan LEY3 experience different from other third year experiences? Our LEY3 experience provides students with opportunities for service learning, community building, collaboration, gratitude, and exploration.
In the fall, the Third Years start an internship helping another classroom or with an administrator in the building such as a Primary Literacy Assistant and a Beginner Music Assistant. Students take an interest inventory, create a resume, and apply for an internship. They meet with their supervisor weekly and complete meaningful tasks such as reading to Primary students, making copies, or preparing projects. Both the student and their supervisor complete a midterm and final evaluation in order to reflect on and improve on their time together.
In addition to the internship, the Third Years begin to develop a sense of community. In the fall, Third Year students come together for a night of games, crafts, storytelling, and a special dessert. This event helps the group bond through fun activities and the excitement of being at the school at night!
In the second semester, the Third Years receive a series of lessons on the history of the earth from the Big Bang to now called the Clock of Eons. These lessons are presented in more of a seminar style and include videos and experiments to introduce these events. After, they begin to brainstorm a list of ways they could demonstrate their knowledge and work in groups to present this information to their peers. Some projects have included obstacle courses, comic books, and board games.
In the spring, the Third Years put on a pop-up cafe on the West Hall patio. The students work together to plan a menu, purchase ingredients, and cook a delicious and healthy meal for some special guests including family members and usually their intern supervisor. The students are assigned roles as shoppers, cooks, and servers and sit down with their guests after everyone has been served. These cafes are held in May to celebrate the end of the year before the graduation events begin.
As these students begin to transition into Upper Elementary, the students begin spending more time with their future peers. As part of an end-of-year bonding experience, the third years join the UE 4th and 5th graders on an overnight trip to Nature’s Classroom in Groton, MA. The students hike, take nature classes, participate in community-building activities, and experience a little bit of independence with a night away from families and school.
Wellan’s Third Year Experience is meant to capture the beauty of the Montessori classroom, but these events help celebrate our school’s mission to inspire our students to learn more about the world and create a community of their own, to challenge them to give back to others, and to empower them to explore the world and their role in it. And of course, having a ton of fun along the way!
