Have you ever wondered what all the little yellow post-it notes with pictures and questions written on them that come home in your child's folder are from? Have you heard of Wonder Wednesday? Last year we started Wonder Wednesday in our classroom. We would consult the website Wonderopolous on Wednesday morning for the Wonder of The Day, then the children were responsible for writing their further wonders about what we had learned on post-it notes and putting them on the Wonder Wall. At the end of the day we would try to answer as many of their 'wonders' as possible on the internet. We have continued the tradition this year, providing a real-world opportunity for Team Awesome to exercise their burgeoning writing skills. They are required to write their name and draw a picture of their wonder and then write as many sounds of the words they want to use as they can. Because they are intensely interested and invested in the outcome, they are willing to move beyond their comfort zones and take risks with their writing. As the year progresses their writing will become more comprehensible/ conventional. And of course, having their wonders answered is the icing on the cake- leading to yet still more wonders.
And they have tons more wonders! About things we don't learn on Wonderopolous. About everything! Like, why don't cats like water? And, is the Earth made of metal? Which lead me to expand Wonder Wednesday. The children are encouraged to write about any of their wonders when they have a chance throughout the day and post them on the Wonder Wall. We have talked about where they can satisfy their curiosity and learned that books, TV, magazines, newspapers, adults and our brains are all good places to look for answers to our questions. Creativity, critical thinking, collaboration and communication skills are all being practiced through one activity, most of which is student-directed. It's a win for all of us (and who doesn't like to win?).
And they have tons more wonders! About things we don't learn on Wonderopolous. About everything! Like, why don't cats like water? And, is the Earth made of metal? Which lead me to expand Wonder Wednesday. The children are encouraged to write about any of their wonders when they have a chance throughout the day and post them on the Wonder Wall. We have talked about where they can satisfy their curiosity and learned that books, TV, magazines, newspapers, adults and our brains are all good places to look for answers to our questions. Creativity, critical thinking, collaboration and communication skills are all being practiced through one activity, most of which is student-directed. It's a win for all of us (and who doesn't like to win?).
