“It is a dynamic and emergent process that builds on students’ natural curiosity about the world in which they live.” Students’ questions drive the learning process forward.”  (Natural Curiosity) 

One aspect of encouraging natural curiosity in the JK classroom is our ‘Wonder Window’, where the children have a looking glass into our natural playscape. Using the binoculars, the children are able to zoom in on items that capture their interest. Using the words, “I See”, “I Think” and “I Wonder”, we scribe their thoughts of what they see outside of our window. They illustrate what they see and share their findings with their classmates. From this perspective we examine their thoughts, questions and their theories, as we explore the beauty of Nature.

“I should ask that a gift to each child in the world be a sense of wonders so indestructible that it would last throughout life….If a child is to keep alive in in born sense of wonder, he/she needs the companionship of at least one adult who can share it, rediscovering with him/her the joy, excitement, and mystery of the world we live in.” ~ Rachel Carson, The Sense of Wonder