We are so excited about next week’s field trips! We are especially enthused about our visit to American Village! It will be fun to jump into Colonial America and see if we can hear a speech from Patrick Henry, or maybe go on a tour through President Washington’s house on Mt. Vernon. And the fun doesn’t stop there! We even get a visit from Miss Annie. I wonder where she’ll take us with her stories the next day!
We’ve started going in depth in our historical study of the pilgrims on the Mayflower. We have taken a virtual tour of the ship and are going to start our voyage and use the map! Check out our journey at http://www.scholastic.com/scholastic_thanksgiving/voyage/.
We are reading a fact-filled book, The First Thanksgiving and keeping a record of what we learn in our Daily 5 journals. Even more importantly, we are asking “I wonder” questions as we read. They are asking questions about what will happen when they get to the new world. How will the Indians (Native Americans) respond to their arrival?
Asking questions is an incredibly important component of comprehension. We are really encouraging our students to ask questions about the text, and about the world. They are learning to ask “who, what, where, when, why and how” questions. As you read at home with your child please encourage them to ask “I wonder” questions during reading. This will help them not only become better readers, but more intelligent students who understand what they are reading.
Part of being a lifelong learner as an adult is to keep this child-like wonder at new things. I hope that I will continue to ask “I wonder” questions like my students. Our goal for these questioning strategies is to help your child become a lifelong learner too!
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