Our training continues this week as first grade ninjas. Our firsties have learned all about what it means to have bravery (as a kid) and perseverance. Today we introduced curiosity and its importance to students.
Our lesson on curiosity was not new this year. We have been doing this same lesson for the past few years because it helps the kids to form questions.
This lesson is then repeated once each day during the entire week of school. They get into the routine of asking questions and learn how to form effective ones. Here is what we have found about this lesson:
*Students learn to form questions (versus statements or just saying one word).
*Students learn to ask questions that will give them the most information. ("Is it a hat?" versus "Is it something I can wear?")
*Students learn how to use what they know already to form more questions. (For example, after they learn that they object is made of paper, they will not ask "is it fruit snacks?" This question would not make sense because fruit snacks are not made out of paper.)
These are great lessons to start off the year with because it sets them up to be more successful in asking questions and looking for clues throughout the the year.
What kinds of things do you put in the mystery box? Is it something for the whole class (like a treat, snack, etc) or just an item for them to guess? I love the idea of them learning to ask questions (drives me especially crazy in an assembly!) and I'd like to give this a try. Thanks for the suggestion!
ReplyDeleteI think I am going to ask them too what they are curious about (what they want to learn this year). I am interested to say what a kindergarten child would say in response to the question at the beginning of the year. I think we'll give it a whirl this week or next.
Amanda