As part of Making Meaning, our adopted curriculum for read alouds and comprehension, we had a conversation today about wondering. We read An Extraordinary Egg by Leo Lionni and stopped at several points throughout the book for students to have conversation about what they wondered would happen next.
After we read the book we had a discussion about other things we wonder about. We made a "Wondering Wall" on butcher paper, where the students can write down things they wonder about. At the end of the day I stopped and read some of the wonderings they had written about. It was one of those "Wow!" moments. All of the sincerity and innocence of a 7 year old came out on this piece of paper.
I wonder if I will loose my tooth tomorrow.
I wonder if I will win my softball game.
I wonder if I will have a good day at school.
I wonder why the sky is blue.
I wonder if my grandmother will not be sick anymore.
I wonder if my dog is having fun in heaven.
I wonder if God is really real and what does he look like?
I wonder how the stars twinkle.
I wonder if I am going to have a baby brother or sister.
I wonder what dinosaurs really looked like.
I wonder if aliens are in outer space.
I wonder why the sun is so bright.
Wow! Sometimes I wonder if I stop long enough to think about all the things that go on in a 7 year olds head. They process so much and wonder about everything! I have every intention of keeping this "Wonder Wall" going over the next week or two... or maybe longer! I mean, this is what learning is all about, right? Those wonderings turn to questions and inquiry, and eventually lead to discovery!
10 minutes after we started the wall they were already asking to tweet about it. My kids love twitter! They wanted to share their wonderings and wanted to know what other people wonder about. Then they started making connections... Student-"Ms. McInvale... I think we can find out why the stars twinkle." Me- "Really, How?" Student- "Why don't we research it... Then we won't wonder anymore because we will know!"... Wow!
I am constantly amazed by what my first graders are capable of doing! They challenge me every day!
After we read the book we had a discussion about other things we wonder about. We made a "Wondering Wall" on butcher paper, where the students can write down things they wonder about. At the end of the day I stopped and read some of the wonderings they had written about. It was one of those "Wow!" moments. All of the sincerity and innocence of a 7 year old came out on this piece of paper.
I wonder if I will loose my tooth tomorrow.
I wonder if I will win my softball game.
I wonder if I will have a good day at school.
I wonder why the sky is blue.
I wonder if my grandmother will not be sick anymore.
I wonder if my dog is having fun in heaven.
I wonder if God is really real and what does he look like?
I wonder how the stars twinkle.
I wonder if I am going to have a baby brother or sister.
I wonder what dinosaurs really looked like.
I wonder if aliens are in outer space.
I wonder why the sun is so bright.
Wow! Sometimes I wonder if I stop long enough to think about all the things that go on in a 7 year olds head. They process so much and wonder about everything! I have every intention of keeping this "Wonder Wall" going over the next week or two... or maybe longer! I mean, this is what learning is all about, right? Those wonderings turn to questions and inquiry, and eventually lead to discovery!
10 minutes after we started the wall they were already asking to tweet about it. My kids love twitter! They wanted to share their wonderings and wanted to know what other people wonder about. Then they started making connections... Student-"Ms. McInvale... I think we can find out why the stars twinkle." Me- "Really, How?" Student- "Why don't we research it... Then we won't wonder anymore because we will know!"... Wow!
I am constantly amazed by what my first graders are capable of doing! They challenge me every day!
Great "I Wonder" questions.
ReplyDeleteI love this post! It is so true that we need to help our kiddos remember that they need to wonder. I think we lose focus on that at times with so many curriculum pressures.
ReplyDeleteI hope you continue to do wonder walls with your kiddos and share ideas like that on your blog!
I am a 1st grade teacher and am happy to be your 1st follower! I would love for you to come visit me and check out so of my many *freebies*! =)
Heather
Heather's Heart