More Wonderings

One of my colleagues went through the National Board certification process the same year I did it, so when she asked if I was willing to co-teach an inquiry unit with her, I eagerly agreed. Not every person can collaborate with another, but I hoped our styles were similar enough to work well together. To say I was fairly dancing with excitement in her classroom today is an understatement.

It was my task to demonstrate how building background knowledge helps us better understand what we already know, what we learn, and what we want to learn. I used a book entitled The Canada Goose for my example, first listing things I thought I knew (they migrate, they are herbivores, the mate for life, they appear to get food by sticking their necks in the water, they hiss when they feel threatened). Then I demonstrated how the text supported many of my background knowledge facts and how I learned additional things. When my co-teacher said, "I cannot help but wonder more things as you read and share your information," I was ecstatic. It was the perfect way to share my own desire to record my wonderings as I read about the geese. Teaching and learning together is so rewarding.

The children eagerly expressed their own wonderings (and sent me their list via email). I still need to find out whey double rainbows display colors the opposite direction. This rainbow was double for a short while, but by the time we could stop on Going to the Sun Road, the second one had faded.