How to Receive Feedback Graciously: A 3rd Grade Lesson

🎯 Learning Objectives

• 💡 Students will identify what feedback is and why it's important.
• 👂 Students will practice active listening skills when receiving feedback.
• 🗣️ Students will learn and use polite phrases to respond to feedback.
• 🧠 Students will understand that feedback helps them grow and improve.

🎒 Materials Needed

• 📝 Whiteboard or chart paper and markers.
• 📜 Scenario cards (small cards with simple feedback situations).
• 🎭 Role-play props (optional, e.g., pretend drawing, a test paper).
• 🌟 "Feedback Star" worksheet for assessment.

🚀 Warm-up (5 minutes)

Teacher: "Who can tell me what it means when someone gives you a 'tip' or a 'suggestion' about something you're doing? 🤔 Like when you're building with blocks and a friend says, 'Maybe put the big block on the bottom first!'?"

• 🤝 Discuss student responses, guiding them towards the idea of helpful advice.
• ⬆️ Explain that today we're learning how to be great at getting these helpful tips!

📚 Main Instruction: The Feedback Friend

💬 What is Feedback?

• 🧐 Define feedback as "helpful information that tells us how we're doing and how we can get even better."
• 🍎 Give simple examples: "Your drawing is beautiful, maybe add some green grass to the bottom!" or "You spelled 'cat' correctly, remember 'dog' has a 'g' at the end."

👂 Listening with Your Whole Self

• 👀 Explain the importance of looking at the person giving feedback.
• 🤫 Remind students to listen without interrupting.
• 🧘 Encourage a calm body: "No fidgeting, no rolling eyes!"
• 🤔 Ask clarifying questions if they don't understand: "Can you tell me more about that?" or "Do you mean I should try...?"

😊 Responding Graciously

• 🗣️ Teach simple, polite phrases: "Thank you for the feedback," "I'll try that," "That's a good idea."
• 🚫 Explain what NOT to do: don't argue, make excuses, or get angry.
• 💖 Emphasize that feedback is a gift to help them learn, not to make them feel bad.

🎭 Practice Time: Scenario Role-Play

Teacher: "Now it's time to practice being a 'Feedback Friend'!"

• 🤝 Divide students into pairs or small groups.
• 📜 Distribute scenario cards (e.g., "Your friend says your tower isn't very stable," "Your teacher says your handwriting could be neater").
• 🔄 Have students take turns giving and receiving feedback, using the learned techniques.
• 💬 Circulate and provide gentle coaching.

✅ Assessment: My Feedback Star!

Teacher: "Great job practicing! Now, let's think about what we learned."

Distribute the "Feedback Star" worksheet. Students will write or draw responses to the prompts:

• 🌟 One thing I learned about feedback is...
• 👂 When I get feedback, I will try to...
• 🗣️ One polite thing I can say is...
• 💪 Feedback helps me...

Collect worksheets to check for understanding and reinforce learning.