• 3rd-5th Grade Milestones

    What Your Child Should Know and Be Able to Do

    Milestone #1

    Reading & Understanding

    Tip: Ask Questions While Reading: Pause during reading to ask, “What do you think will happen next?” or “Why do you think this character did that?” to encourage making predictions and understanding themes.

    Tip: Highlight Main Ideas: After reading a short paragraph or story, ask your student to summarize the main idea in one or two sentences.

    Game: "Story Sequencing Game" – Write parts of a story on separate cards. Mix them up and have your student put them in the correct order.

    Game: "Reading Detective" – Read a story and have your student find “clues” (specific words or sentences) that support the main idea or answer questions.

    Milestone #2

    Multiplication & Division

    Tip: Use Real-Life Examples: Practice math during daily activities like cooking (“If we need 3 apples for each person, how many do we need for 4 people?”).

    Tip: Break It Down: Use visual aids like drawing groups or using objects (e.g., candies, blocks) to demonstrate multiplication and division.

    Game: "Times Table Bingo" – Create bingo cards with answers to multiplication problems. Call out problems, and the child marks the correct answers.

    Game: "Division Treasure Hunt" – Hide “treasure” (e.g., coins or toys) in groups. Give clues like, “Divide 12 coins into groups of 3. How many groups do you have?”

    Milestone #3

    Thinking & Problem-Solving

    Tip: Encourage “Why” Questions: Ask open-ended questions like “Why do you think this happened?” or “What would happen if…?” during discussions or problem-solving activities.

    Tip: Model Problem-Solving: Think out loud to show your reasoning process when solving a problem, demonstrating logical steps.

    Game: "Mystery Box" – Put an object in a box, and give the child clues to guess what’s inside by asking “yes” or “no” questions.

    Game: "Cause and Effect Matching" – Create cards with events (e.g., “It rained all day”) and their effects (e.g., “The soccer game was canceled”). Mix them up and have the child match pairs.

    Milestone #4

    Friendships & Problem-Solving

    Tip: Role-Playing Scenarios: Act out common social situations (e.g., resolving a disagreement) to practice conflict resolution strategies.

    Tip: Teach “I” Statements: Encourage kids to express feelings using “I feel ___ when ___ because ___.”

    Game: "Team Building Challenges" – Play cooperative games like building a tower with blocks or solving a puzzle together to practice teamwork.

    Game: "Emotion Charades" – Act out different emotions and have your student guess them, encouraging discussion about recognizing and managing feelings.

    Milestone #5

    Being Responsible

    Tip: Create a Checklist: Help your student create a checklist for daily tasks like homework or packing their school bag.

    Tip: Set Small Goals: Break tasks into smaller steps, and celebrate when each step is completed to build confidence in managing responsibilities.

    Game: "Responsibility Relay" – Turn chores into a timed game where they complete tasks (like organizing books or packing a bag) as quickly as possible.

    Game: "Task Tracker Challenge" – Use a chart to track completed responsibilities for a week, with rewards for staying on track.