Maron, our 3 year old, started his first season of soccer a few weeks ago.  He's been kicking a ball since he started walking. Jack is a great sports mentor. Maron will try almost anything his big brother does, and he loves playing soccer with him in the backyard. During Jack's soccer season, you'll find Maron dribbling the ball and shooting in the little goal during timeouts and halftime. The local YMCA doesn't have soccer for 3 year olds, but we did find a local soccer club that has "itty-bity" soccer for kids under 5. It's pretty cute. They learn very simple skills and play a lot of fun games while encouraging teamwork and good sportsmanship. Although I teach kindergarten, I don't think I have the chops for coachin over a dozen 3-4 year olds with a soccer ball in an open field (what I do takes place in a contained environment - ha!)

I was a soccer player myself, so there's a little pride in seeing my kids take up the sport. It would be fun to see them continue in their school careers. No matter what they end up doing, mom and dad will always be their BIGGEST fans!

Check out these soccer related Wonders on Wonderopolis

#16 How old is soccer? and  #389 What is a hat trick?

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Today we got out our sidewalk chalk and committed our poem to pavement.

Although we're a week out of April and National Poetry month, I was inspired by my fellow Wonderopolis Ambassador, Barbara Phillips and her "Chalk-a-bration" post.

Sidewalk chalk is on the "must-do" list in Kindergarten. Our weather here in Montana gives us a window of sidewalk-chalk time in the beginning, and end, of our school year when the weather is just right.  In the beginning of the year, it's mostly drawing and writing names. I am completely in awe of what my kindergarteners are now able to do. Hand them a piece of chalk (eight months later) and they can write a poem. Ah-mazing!

A special thank you to Amy Ludwig VanDerwater and The Poem Farm, which was featured on Wonder of the Day #575 - What is a Poetry Slam?, and Betsy from Teaching Young Writers for her Chalk-a-bration inspiration.

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The caged bird sings
with a fearful trill
of things unknown
but longed for still
and his tune is heard
on the distant hill
for the caged bird
sings of freedom.

~Maya Angelou

This post was inspired by todays Wonder - What is a poetry Slam?

Poetry is breathtaking. Something about it stirs the soul. I had the opportunity to listen to Maya Angelou while in college, and she opened with this poem. She is one of the many who have inspired me. Her life life is a song, a poem. And it is moving. 

In my kindergarten classroom we have been celebrating National Poetry Month. Its a welcome break from the other genres of writing. Poetry allows for beautiful and creative expression without some of the rules of traditional writing.  We learn to break open our words and use our senses to describe the things around us. It's quite powerful. Poems make you laugh and smile. Poems encourage and inspire. Some poems even bring a tear to your eye. They come in different shapes and sizes - in topics as far as the mind can imagine. It is a wonderful genre to culminate our year of writing. And one of the times in the year where the kids can break the rules...of writing, of course (complete sentences and end-punctuation are not required).  

Last year around this time, my students celebrated "Poem in your pocket Day" with Wonderlead Maria, and her 5th graders in Ohio. Read the post on my kindergarten classroom blog. 

This year we celebrated with my #kinderchat friend and colleague from twitter @hechternacht.  We skyped our pocket poems to our kindergarten friends on the east coast.  It was a great exercise in public speaking, building confidence, and sharing our learning with others outside of our school. Thanks so much Heidi for giving us an audience of great listeners. Whether it's an old favorite, or a new verses waiting to be spoken - there is a poem in all of us.

(practicing in front of our class)

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(skyping with our friends)

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Last weekend, my wife and I celebrated our 10th wedding anniversary.  We dropped off the boys with grama & papa, and left for an overnight in the town of Bigfork Montana, just two hours north. The short road trip is what I consider to be one of the most beautiful scenic drives in the country.  One leg of the trip in particular is my absolute favorite. A short climb to the top of a hill that borders the National Bison Range treats every northboud visitor on Higway 93 to a panoramic view of the snowcapped Mission Mountain Range. It's beatiful, incredible, and simply-breathtaking.  Each time, I sort of pretend that I've never seen it before just to experienc the awe - all over again. I suppose we all have a place like that. It is definitely a wonder that I will never get tired of seeing. 

It reminds me of Wonder #534 - Do all mountains wear snowcaps?

If you're ever in The Treasure State, Big Sky Country, The Last Best Place - take a detour through northwestern Montana. It will take your breath away.

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I have a Wonderopolis literacy center in my classroom. The kids love it. It's a cozy little corner of the room that is set up for wonder. I leave out several items for the kids to create with, draw with, write with, and of course - wonder. There's also an iPad that they use for a variety of things - from visiting Wonderopolis, scanning QR codes, taking pictures and creating video. I keep several apps available for the kids to use and explore. The iPad is a great way to blend literacy and technology learning with Wonderopolis as the springboard. By the way - while I have an iPad, any kind of tablet device is great!  As usual, I was browsing through the pictures and video  and came across this video of the kids. While there's always learning going on, it makes me smile to know the the kids are also having fun. I want the Wonderopolis literacy center to be a place where they can sing, dance, have fun, and be silly - everything that I want and expect out of a 5-6 year old. Shenanigans can be a good thing!

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It's spring break here in sun-shiny Missoula, and there's no better way to start off the week than practicing a little patience. 

Jack & Maron (7 & 3) wear many masks throughout the week - and even a day. They are super heros, ninjas, acrobats, bikers, skateboarders, dancers. They have an ultimate stash battle props at their disposal - costumes, soccer balls, footballs, rackets, foam bats, hula hoops, water cannons, and shields (garbage can lids). They even have a fortress - backyard playfort with launching swings and double escape-hatch (slides).

This week, Jack has been really into sharpening his spy techniques, and who better to ask than "dad".  On Saturday as I was doing some yardwork, he spent most of the day trying to get by me without being seen.  Finally he asked "Dad, can you tell me what I can do to be a better spy?"  I told him the first thing was "patience".  A spy must practice the art of patience.  He walked away and returned 10 minutes later and asked for the next secret of being a spy. I told him to master the first before I would reveal the second. Amazingly, he practiced being patient for the next two days. I thought he had forgotten and moved on. I didn't hear a word about it until yesterday when he said "Dad, I've been patient for two days, can I have the next secret?". 

Patience is something we all need to practice a little more of. I teach it to my students, but I know there are times where I don't have enough. We both learned a great lesson though. To get better at something, sometimes you just need to have some patience. Isn't that the truth?

Here's a wonder from the archives that I "spied". Do spies really use gadgets?  It doesn't have much to do with patience, but Jack got a kick out of reading it.

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I blogged about my kindergarteners doing potato races in music class on my classroom blog a couple of weeks ago. I almost forgot about it until I found the video on my camera. I love that - going through your camera and coming across a picture or video that you forgot you took. 

It's nothing huge - but it was a great memory for me. I take a lot of pictures and video of my students  "in" the classroom, as well as on field trips, but I don't think I've ever taken the time to spy on them while they're with their specialists (ie.- gym, music, or library). Their learning and fun continues there too. 

One of the best things I've trained myself to do is to carry my digital camera/video recorder around with me whereever I go. You just never know when there'll be a moment or "wonder" you need to catch on camera.

So - why this random post about my kindergarteners doing potato races? I was browsing the wonderopolis archive and came upon Wonder of the Day #435 - Do Potatoes See With Their Eyes?  In kindergarten we call that "making a connection",  specifically a text-to-self connection (connecting something you've read with a personal experience).  My kindergarteners would be so proud of me.

(Be warned - you may find yourself singing the potato song on the Wonderopolis video)

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I had a request to post one of my classroom videos (from a few months ago) in response to Wonderopolis' Wonder of the Day #415 - What rhymes with orange?  We rhyme A LOT in kindergarten. It's a big literacy skill we learn early on and use all year long. Minutes after visiting Wonderopolis during our morning meeting, the kids made an immediate connection to one of our all-time favorite rhyming songs. Willaby Wallaby Woo. We recorded our version here to share with all of our Wonder Friends!

Thanks Wonderopolis & NCFL - for bringing the Wonder into our classroom!

I found another video as I browsed through images on my camera - and I LOVE this one. It's a mere 30 seconds long, but it captures the heart and spirit of my 3 year old.

I was sitting at the dinner table, plugging away at some work when I heard my little guy fire up the strings. I suppose he knew I was behind him, but he paid no attention.  Luckily I had my camera on me. 

I've always been fascinated by the ukulele. It's an instrument synonymous with Hawaii - I practically grew up hearing the sounds of the little 4-stringed instruments all around me. I played it briefly in elementary school but didn't pick up playing it until later in life. As an educator - a kindergarten teacher - it is akin to the magic flute in my classroom.  Whenever I need to (which is often - at least once a day) I can hush my little kinders and have them singing along with me in less than 10 seconds. It's a great classroom management tool. With only a few chords you can play just about any song, which comes in handy with a bunch of 5 and 6 year old kids.

There are a few stories about how the ukulele got its name. Find out more about the jumping flea, or ukulele. And since you're here -  enjoy watching two of my favorite ukulele musicians. 

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I've been so inspired by my online colleagues and fellow Wonder Leads. NCFL and Wonderopolis has opened the door to brand new ways of extending learning into our classrooms and homes. 

I love the Wonderopolis-bond that Melissa has with her daughter.  The wonder never ceases at home or at school. They are a great source of inspiration for things to do with my family or my kindergarteners at school.

Maria's excitement for Wonderopolis is so contageous that her 5th graders practically never miss a day commenting on Wonderopolis. The relationship that her students have developed with Wonderopolis is about as authentic as you can get.

I love Barbara's passion for literacy and the way that she invites her 2nd grade students to Wonder in the classroom. There is a real connection between her Wonderpolis experiences, whether at home with her family or in the classroom.

I can only imagine the Wonderopolis-shenanigans happening with Samantha and her students. Each day seems like a new adventure. There never seems to be a dull moment, from a decked out Wonderopolis wall to the adventures of Pierre.

And who says that you can't bring Wonder into the high-school classroom.  As a kindergarten teacher, I CAN'T imagine teaching teenagers...but I CAN imagine the breadth and depth of a conversation that Wonderopolis can stir among high-schoolers in Sarah's classroom.

I think that the beauty of Wonderopolis is what it offers at an intrinsic level - the ability to wonder and imagine, unhindered by walls or boundaries. When it comes to wondering - no one can tell you you can't. We are only 2 months into our journey and I continue to be amazed by the things that Wonderopolis has helped bring to the table for educator and families alike. 

How do YOU "Wonderopolis"?

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