#WonderChat

All children start their school careers with sparkling imaginations, fertile minds and a willingness to take risks with what they think.  

-Sir Ken Robinson

I believe we must celebrate and find learning moments in everyday life.  Inquiry is an essential ingredient in achieving these goals.  We are never done learning.  Thanks to resources like Wonderopolis,  we can spark ideas and ignite curious minds through wonderings around texts, videos, infographics, poetry, and more.  Though this invitation to notice and wonder, we encourage students to play, explore and fall in love with language, words and ideas. Layers of learning are endless when we ask students to weigh in… what are you wondering about?

I am lucky to get to work with teachers and students in grades K-8. Many love Wonderopolis as a resource available to all. It has helped influence student questioning, student generated wonder walls, wonder words, and wonderful text sets are being created around wonders too. As we dig deeper around these wonders, our thinking and learning grows too. We connect wonders across texts to grow ideas using the hashtag #WOTDP (wonder of the day pairing). As an example, I am including a group of wonders and paired texts that celebrate wonder and kindness. When I think about the work we are privileged to do in teaching and learning as a commUNITY, kindness and wonder are at the heart of it all.   

Wonder of the Day Are you a good observer? #WOTDP: Finding Wild – written by Meghan Wagner Lloyd and illustrated by Abigail Halpin

Encourage students to “adopt a spot.

Choose an area to sit reflect, write and jot down thoughts and observations.  

What do your students wonder about? What will they investigate next?  

“Wild keeps many secrets waiting to be discovered.”

Wonder of the Day Are You Talented? #WOTDP: The OK Book- Amy Krouse Rosenthal

What are your strengths?  What would you like to learn more about?  

“Exploration through learning is one of the best ways to discover your talents.”  Getting to know your students? Thinking about goals for the new year? Resolutions?

Everyone is "excellent" at something. What will you work on being excellent at?  

http://wonderopolis.org/wonder/is-it-really-better-to-give-than-to-receive\

It is better to give than to receive. Encourage random acts of kindness too.

#WOTDP: Maybe Something Beautiful Written by Campoy & Howell, illustrated by Lopez  

Wonder of the Day: How Can You Make Someone’s Day?

http://wonderopolis.org/wonder/are-you-beautiful-on-the-inside

#WOTDP: One Smile by Cindy McKinley

                                                           

Words can and do hurt.  Smiles are priceless and can change someone’s day. My grandmother always said, “A smile costs nothing.”

Wonder of the Day: How Do You Have a Voice?

#WOTDP: I Am a Story by Dan Yaccarino

How can we get our students to share their voices and tell their stories?

Power lies in stories shared.

http://wonderopolis.org/wonder/how-can-you-pay-it-forward

#WOTDP Lend a Hand written by John Frank and illustrated by London Ladd

Making a difference in this world comes from teaching heads, hearts and hands. 

http://wonderopolis.org/wonder/what-makes-you-light-up-inside

#WOTDP: Last Stop on Market Street Written by Matt De La Pena and illustrated by Christian Robinson

Find beauty in the people and the world around you. Be present. Be kind.

Thanks to @Wonderopolis and friends for joining our #WonderChat on #WOTDP. Here's a link with additional possibilities for connecting the wonderful world of kid lit and wonder! #WonderChat: Storify