Teaching Wonders Virtually

 Many of us who teach the McGraw Hill Wonders curriculum have probably all been in the same boat throughout this online learning journey.  How do I keep the students accountable for their own learning? How do I know they are actually thinking about the questions I ask? How do I get them to disuss and share with a partner?  These are all the things we do in the classroom to keep the kids engaged and accountable for their learning.  The struggle became very difficult when we went to online learning.  When you pose a question and ask the kids to type their answer into the chat, it often becomes the same 10 kids right? Even if you're using equity sticks or a random selector tool for names, it's difficult when they have not been able to discuss the ideas with their peers first.  Putting kids on the spot like that isn't the best teaching method, but at the same time we want to make sure we are reaching all kids. So what is the solution?

There are just a few things I have done with Wonders to try to bring back in that collaboration piece and student accountability.  It's nothing magical that I do, but it has helped to get the kids talking and working more efficiently.  They know I am going to call on them randomly after I have given them time to discuss in beakout rooms with peers, so most of them are engaged and working as they know my expectations.

Wonders Platform

The Your Turn Book pages, CRC pages, and digital stories are all available on the Wonders digital
platform.  You can assign the YourTurn Book Page digitally.  Then what I do, is I will share my screen and show them how to type on them and save/submit.  For instance, on Day 1 of Wonders instruction for the week, after I teach the vocab lesson, I will assign the vocab practice page.  I will then put the kids in breakout rooms with a partner to work together in creating their vocab sentences, while I'm popping in and out to assist and prod them along.  When we come back whole group then I use the Kagan random selector tool to have the kids share out what they wrote for each vocab sentence.  This is a much better way to go becaause I'm supporting my lower kiddos, EL kiddos, sped kids etc as they have now had the time to work together and talk together, with a partner to create their sentences.

Another option is to retype, or cut and paste, the Your Turn Book questions into a google doc and then assign it on google classroom.  I do this often with the reading comprehensions passage questions.  This way you can keep track of the assignment in google classroom.  In the video here, you can see the kids working to discuss and answer the comp passage questions in the Your Turn Book.  Here I assigned the page digitally.

Its also nice to assign the story you're reading so that struggling readers can play the story when they need to reread it to answer questions.

Anthology Discussion questions

Throughout the Teacher's Manual where you have the discussion questions throughout the story, this is where it becomes a struggle.  In the classroom, you'd stop, pose the question, have students discuss in table groups then randomly call on students to anwer (also incorporating various kagan strategies for discussion during this time).  So in the virtual setting, I type the question into the chat and read it aloud several times.  I tell them they all must respond their thoughts into the chat-they can send to everyone or to me privately.  This way they're not put on the spot answering outloud without having time to talk to a partner, but it also keeps them accountable for participating.  Once we are finished reading the story.  I then type up those questions from the TM into a google doc and put the students in breakout rooms with a partner to again discuss and answer the questions. Then once back together whole group I would use the random selector to have them share out, because they've now had the opportunity to think and discuss and type with a partner. Then they can turn in the assignment for credit.  Doing this really helps me see which students are with me and paying attention.  

Nearpod

I also use the collaborate board in Nearpod to facilitate discussion of the "Making Connections" questions that you see generally at the mid and end of the stories in Wonders.  The Making Connections questions at the end of the paired text ties in all 3 stories from the week and brings focus to the essential question.  Doing this one on Nearpod can help prepare them for doing a RACES writing on the essential question.  It can serve as a prewrite/brainstorm type of discussion.

I hope this gives you a few ideas of how you can incorporate the Wonders workbooks and discussion questions into your virtual lessons, while ensuring that all students are participating and accountable.

Virtually Learning,

Megan Brown

megan.brown@omsd.net