Strategy Guides - Differentiation

These strategies will allow opportunity to add elements of high quality project-based lessons to further student engagement while exploring PBL. These provide a step-by-step framework making it easy for you to implement with your students.

• Notice and Wonder Charts (PDF)
• Notice and Wonder Charts (Google Doc)

STRATEGY GUIDE

Notice and Wonder Charts

PURPOSE

Notice and Wonder is a strategy for scaffolding student inquiry. Students record what they observe (notice) about an artifact or phenomenon and are encouraged to share the questions that it inspires (wonders).

STEPS

1. Select an artifact or phenomenon for students to consider. Since Notice and Wonder is a strategy for launching or sustaining inquiry, this should be tied to the class content.
2. Students should create a t-chart in their notebooks or in a document. Label one column “Notice” and the other “Wonder”.
3. Allow students to explore the artifact or phenomenon. As they explore, they should record their thinking in the chart.
4. After sufficient time, pair students and allow them to share their noticings and wonders with one another for 5 minutes.
5. Facilitate a whole class discussion, inviting students to share key takeaways from their small group conversations.
6. OPTIONAL (but recommended) Create a class chart to document what the students share.