Wonderopolis

Wondering About Your Recent Inspiration …

Edwards Family — Thu, 02 May 2013 00:31:20 +0000

What has caused you to feel inspired recently?

I have been on the road quite a bit recently …

I went to ASCD in Chicago

I went to NCTIES in Raleigh

I went to the Antares Rocket Launch NASASocial even at Wallops Island

And I just came from after spending a few days in Kentucky at the National Center for Family Literacy Conference …

Each of these experiences has been exciting, interesting, and meaningful in its own way …

I am still trying to wrap my mind around all the space stuff I learned about on my NASA experience …

And I think that I feel more inspired today after returning from the literacy conference that I did the recent technology conferences …

I know many may say I feel that way just because it was the most recent one …

But I don’t think that is it …

I think it has more to do with the relationships and connections …

As Wonderopolis Ambassadors, Barbara, Jon, Paul and I got to spend time connecting and sharing (and we sure missed Maria) …

We also connected with the people of NCFL …

We got a change to connect with the guys of EepyBird … and even get to create our own geysers!

Listening to them share their creative process at the banquet was quite powerful …

Be obsessive. Be stubborn. Be extreme.

Listening to and talking with CC Chapman as well as getting a copy of his book to read has made an impact on me even in such a short time …

As I went to work today, I had a new vision and purpose …

I may not yet know the exact details of that vision and purpose yet …

But it is there …

I want to move from 1 to 10 to 100 …

I want to decide what to do and choose or create a path to follow …

I want to find joy in what I do each day …

Stories of Freedom …

Edwards Family — Tue, 13 Nov 2012 01:59:48 +0000

As I was thinking about the many brave men and women who have served in the military this Veteran's Day, I began to wonder how their stories will be remembered by those of us now and in the future …

Before they moved away from Dyersburg, TN about six years ago, my grandfather sat down with a pen and a notebook to write down his memories. Grandaddy would write about a page and then hand the notebook to Grandmomma to read it back to him so he could make sure it said what he wanted it to say (he suffers from macular degeneration, which means that over time he has been and will continue to lose his sight). Grandaddy doesn’t really talk much about the past and his time in service, but the words in these written memories could not be more descriptive and full of details.

One notebook turned out not to be enough, so he filled up about one half of another one. These notebooks trace his memories from the beginning of his life through the end of his army service. Grandaddy even has chapter titles to describe the specific parts he includes, so it is very well organized.

The second notebook starts off with the title Army:

“I was required by law to register with the Dyer County Draft Board for the military serice on my eighteenth birthday which was April 22, 1943. I was deferred by the Board to do Farm work that summer, and I worked at the cotton gin that Fall. I was drafted in January 1944 and ordered to report to the Court House in Dyersburg to go for a physical exam at an early hour on a certain date. If I had stayed at home the pr

evious night, I had no way to get to Dyersburg at that early hour. So I had to go to Dyersburg the previous day and spend the night in Dyersburg.

To put things in perspective when I left home that day: I was 18 years old; I had never been away from home; I had only a few dollars in my pocket; I knew nothing of life outside the community; I did not know where I was going or what to expect or what would be expected of me; I did not know when or whether I would ever be back home; I did not even know where I was going to spend the night; All I knew was that there were actually 2 wars going on, one in the South Pacific and one in Europe, and that if I passed the physical, I would be in the US Army.”

Wow is all this normally very wordy person can think to say …

When Madalyn and I took Grandaddy to eat tonight, we talked about these words again. He said he remembers having so many questions but he knew what he had to do even if he did not know the answers to any of those questions ….

Seeing the past wonder from one year ago yesterday, #404 Who is the unknown soldier?, coupled with our experiences today inspired this post …

I encourage you to go search for some memories that would be lost and listen as well as show respect for the people who made it possible for many of the things we have today!

photo credit: nickirp via photopin cc

What does Wonderopolis mean for you?

Edwards Family — Thu, 04 Oct 2012 00:09:19 +0000

Create. Laugh. Imagine. Explore. Learn. Smile. Grow.Visit Wonderopolis.™ It’s a place where parents seek and nurture a brighter world for their children through the power of discovery, creativity, learning and imagination. Wonderopolis™ is brought to life by the National Center for Family Literacy (NCFL). You see your children not only for who they are but for all they can become, yet you may need a little help directing that passion and igniting that wonder. We can help you get there — together. You don’t have to travel far. Wonderopolis is a special place found in a curious question, an everyday adventure and right in your own home. Just let wonderment be your guide. Our Wonders of the Day will help you find learning moments in everyday life, ones that fit in with dinner preparations or carpool responsibilities or a stolen moment between breakfast and the bus.~ from the About Wonderopolis page

For me, Wonderopolis is different from tools I have used in the past since I am never quite sure exactly what I will find. I know that I will find great information presented in an established format so that I know where to look for what I want, but it is the content as well as the way it is presented that keeps me coming back and encouraging others to visit too!
I believe questions are what is needed for true learning to take place. I feel we should be focused on getting children to look at things and ask questions rather than just take everything at face value and not ever wonder “what if” or “how come”. If a child is asking questions about something that interests him or him, that is built in motivation to learn.
I know teachers want to be able to plan ahead and know what to prepare for, but I think the aspect of not knowing what Wonder will come the next day is part of the intrigue of this site. You can always search back through past wonders to choose one to plan for to talk about on a certain day or connected to a certain topic. So many great wonders have been s
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hared, so why not look back and see what more you can learn?
On my WonderFamily Blog, I have shared many ideas and ways that we have used Wonderopolis at home and ideas for ways it can be or has been used in the classroom. I also enjoy sharing past Wonders of the Day from one year ago on that particular day on both twitter and facebook.
I am not really sure which ones stand out the most … I have memories and/or special events associated with so many of them.
I think that parents and/or teachers just need to find a way to use Wonderopolis that works for them in their situation and environment. I work with teachers who use Wonder Question as journal prompts or research starters. I work with teachers who have students not able to read and understand the Wonder of the Day, so they may use the video as a jumping off point and/or find information to start a discussion or a time of asking questions about a topic.

Madalyn and I go back and look at some of her favorite wonders on a regular basis, so while we may not be introducing new topics when we do that, we are reinforcing information encountered previously and maybe digging a little deeper or even noticing something we may have missed before.

I am planning on throwing a Curiosity Party for my daughter and her friends … inspired by Wonderopolis.I am still in the planning stages, but be on the lookout for more information!!!

Here is my blog post from when I first discovered Wonderopolis: As I Wonder About Wonderopolis

I am excited to promote learning, curiosity, creativity, and the asking of questions!