Wonderopolis

Wonderopolis offers a “Wonder of the Day” through a question-and-answer format with links to videos and related topics for further exploration and discovery. Audio support is provided so users can listen and read along as the answer is revealed to the Wonder of the Day. Additionally, users can learn more about specific words by swiping them, and links are provided to new content for clarification. Users can also use the “Explore Wonders” to access past Wonders.

Instructional Ideas

1. This app can be used as “Morning Work” in schools or individual classrooms. To do so, teachers can have students all read the “Wonder of the Day” and then have them journal as response to it. Example journal prompts include: (1) Was this “Wonder” interesting?, (2) What makes this “Wonder” interesting?, and (3) If you were going to share this “Wonder” with someone else, what would you tell that person about this wonder? After students have completed their journal entry for the day, the teacher can have a follow-up discussion before transitioning into the day’s lesson.
2. After reading a “Wonder” about a topic, event, place, theory, fact, or person, students can use additional apps to do independent research about the subject. For example, after reading the Wonder, “What is the Smallest State?” and learning that Rhode Island is the answer, Rhode Island can be located on Google Earth and students can compare its size to neighboring states and regions. Teachers can take this activity a step further by having students look up specific information about that place using an encyclopedia or search engine app. Finally, teachers can create an assignment where students have to report their findings.
3. Teachers can use a “Wonder” to develop students’ text annotation skills. To do so, teachers will need to print the “Wonder” and have students annotate the text for important details and keywords. If modeling this strategy for a class, teachers can project the text onto a smartboard and annotate the text on the smartboard. After students have annotated the text, teachers can have them compose a short paragraph that explains what makes this “Wonder” so interesting. As students compose their response, they will have to use the text-based evidence they annotated. This activity will help prepare students for close reads.
4. If students are interested in “Wonder” they read. Teachers can allow students to conduct further research about the topic. Next, teachers can have students present their research as a presentation.
5. To use this app for deepening students’ reading comprehension skills, teachers can have students read a “Wonder” and then complete a graphic organizer, compose a one-sentence summary, or write multiple-choice questions about it.

Screenshots

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