Setting goals and choosing to carry them to fruition are milestones for this age. They begin to recognize the joy in a job done well. Self-criticism may become apparent as children begin to get a more realistic view of their capabilities and limitations. Students know study and hard work usually equate with good grades. A third grader may undertake more than can be handled successfully. A balance between guidance and giving the child responsibility for homework works well. Rewarding, rather than battling, or ignoring gets the best results.

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 of 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 other)

• 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