Inspiring Investigations through Citizen Science

Educators can be catalysts for students to observe and wonder by providing them with resources or opportunities for doing so. They help also help students develop questions from their wondering. Students can be guided towards observing and wondering through activities and prompts from the teacher. It is important that educators help students discover what they are interested in and use that interest to drive their wonder.

Giving the students opportunities to have the time to observe and wonder is key. So often time is what leads the lesson and the time to take things in is cut. Being in a position of not being in the classroom I feel gives me more flexibility to add in more opportunities for learners to have the time to observe and wonder.

First, we should model curiosity across disciplines by using "think aloud" (hmmm...I wonder why...), asking questions, and making observations.  Second, we can catalyze student curiosity by presenting interesting phenomena, exploring the natural world, and exposing students to local and global issues.

By taking students outdoors for a nature walk, they will have many unique opportunities to observe a variety of species and habitat characteristics that are sure to lead to observations and questions. This is a beneficial activity regardless of the grade that we teach.  Providing them with clipboards while walking will enable them to stop and write down any of their questions or observations at the moment they are occurring instead of waiting until they get back in the classroom. Their field notes can then be used to guide future individualized projects.

I've always been intimidated taking kids on a nature walk, cause I don't know the names of the stuff that we are seeing. But essentially that could be a benefit, because I will not just be giving the answer all the time! I can leave it open ended, and encourage the kids to search out their won answers to these questions.

You give them something worth observing. Jessifer mentioned that by just taking kids outside, they have a natural tendency to make observations. My ideas are taking my students (with sticky notes) on a walk through our nature preserve and asking open ended questions about the environment to get things going. Or taking them into our garden and doing the same. There is also a park we could visit. In any case, the great outdoors provides a feast for kids to abserve and wonder.

As an educator, it is our job to get students to wonder!  To notice what is going on around them.  To bring the joy and wonder of what is in our world so they can see it, touch it, explore it.  In a world when they are growing up with everything is just a click away....  to bring it forth and send it away... with just a click.   To give them the chance to sit and actually explore our world.  A chance to experience our world. I had a parent come up to me and thank me for introducing her child to bugs.  1st grader??  I didn't know what to say. What the mother was telling me was so foreign to anything that I know.  She said that her and her husband like to eat outside, but due to the 1st grader's response to bugs  they could not.  (screaming and running)  So, they did not eat outside??  The student did react to bugs adversely at first, but, she adjusted quickly to our program of insect observations.  She was right with the other students digging up the dirt and pushing over rocks, chasing down butterflies, and turning over leaves to find new insects.  My heart bleeds for this generation of students who are not able to experience the natural world.  It definitely is showing up in the students.  Hand them playdough, shaving cream or dirt and water to make mud and they hesitate about getting dirty.    I now have a selection of rubber boots and various types of clothes for students who fear the displeasure of their parents for not staying clean.  That way everyone is happy!

As educators I think we need to get away from the memorization of content, which I think is where inquiry comes in. Either taking the students outside to observe, or bring the outside inside. We also need to lead by example and explore our curiosity with them. The more excited and interested educators are about what they are doing, hopefully the more excited the students will be. I also think they need to be taught how to observe and ask questions. I really liked the "Lemon of a Lesson" from the previous section to get them started.

I think that setting time aside for students to purposely ask questions is really important. Part of this can be stating the learning objectives at the beginning of class which often can be phrased as questions. You can also review the essential questions that guide the topic. At the end of the class you give students time to write on the I wonder board. Often times students might come up with their own open ended questions. I have found it very difficult for students to understand open ended questions or even come up with their own. It might be more appropriate to first start off with more simple closed questions and slowly introduce them so that they can get more practice. Remember, learning to ask and answer open ended questions are part of higher order thinking skills, and just like any skill needs practice.

I believe as an educator we must instill in our students that we, the educators, never stop learning, observing. exploring and asking questions. We must let them know we don't know all of the answers to everything we do. We must say "I don't know, let's find out, or I will try to find the answer to that and get back to you". Even though we are knowledgeable in our topic area, that knowledge is very narrow or shallow in reality. I have a unit in which I place a can on my desk and give students slips paper to fill out, the can has a sign on it that says "You can ask questions". At the beginning of each class I grab questions out of the can and attempt to answer them.  Often I need to say I don't know the answer to that question but I will research it and get back to you tomorrow. I really like the idea of a "Wonder Board" to be placed where it can be up all year.  I believe this will help be a catalyst for our students to observe and wonder on their own.

Although sometimes we are low on time, I try to encourage students to share connections with the lesson we're covering and their personal experiences. Like Jen says in the video, open-ended questions also keep discussions moving where everyone feels they can contribute and there's no right or wrong answer or questions to ask. It's also important to set the students up for success by giving them the right tools and vocabulary to use. It's a bit of a pet peeve of mine when an adult "dumbs down" content for kids without giving them the opportunity to grow their vocabulary about their observations. For example, an adult might call a fawn a "baby deer" rather than what it is - a fawn. While it is important to use words with which kids are familiar, we must also bridge the gap of understanding to higher-level learning through the use of upper-level vocabulary. We can always define a word to help them understand the new word better, but I think sometimes adults just get lazy and want to hand the kids the answers without making the work challenging for the students.

As an environmental educator, I have to be unafraid to say "I don't know" as an answer to some students question. BUT, I  don't let the "I don't know" be the end of the discussion, rather as an opening for more questions and investigations. "I don't know but how do YOU think we cold find out?" I feel this empowers students to be critical thinkers.

One of the things I find is that we are so busy during the school day, we do not allow time for wonderings to occur.  As an outdoor educator at a school my time with kids outside was often limited by the other specials kids had to go to, other classes, etc.  One thing I did with a sixth grade teacher was plan to take kids outside to a wooded area on our grounds at least a few times per month for most of the school year.  Small teams of students were given a meter square to record data and observations.  The team used the same area every time they went out.  The kids recorded certain data every time they went out and then made observations and wrote down questions they had.  Several teams turned their questions into science experiments they displayed at our annual STEAM night at the school.  It was just a matter of giving kids the time and the framework to wonder.....

One of the ways to help guide students to observe and wonder is by allowing them the opportunity to see new things and places. When they are surrounded by the unfamiliar, naturally questions and wonder arise. We can also ask open ended questions which might lead them to seeking answers but also might encourage them to ask questions about other things. I think the best way is just by modeling that even teachers don't know everything and we have our own questions about things. This type of modeling makes it more comfortable for students to ask questions as well. Sometimes its best not to give students the answers but to encourage them to solve problems on their own. Another way to encourage wonder and observations is by having them come up with their own questions by giving them options of ways to observe. For example, we have two game cameras, where should we put them? Then the students can start thinking about questions they want to answer using the game cameras.

Asking open ended questions creates students to think about other ways to observe and to look at not just the subject but also the environment they are in.

Posing those open ended questions is really essential. Modeling how to observe and ask questions is important, and then showing lots of enthusiasm is ideal for getting students interested and into observing and questioning. Allowing students choices and what interests them is important too.

Showing that you are curious (and don't already know everything!), enthusiastic and interested in topics you are teaching is crucial to students also being engaged. As is showing that students' knowledge and questions are important and valued too, by letting them be the drivers of their learning and inquiry. As talked about in the video, modelling asking open-ended questions is a good place to start.

I think it's important to take a risk and try something new.  I am sponsoring a club and I would like to try nature journaling.  I have no experience doing this but I think being volnerable and open with students---modeling that I am curious and willing to learn and try new things will help them do the same.  I also love hearing the different perspectives and insights students have and highlighting these. I enjoy having open-ended questions and allowing the questions to linger without answers.  This, in my mind prompts curiosity and shows students that getting answers quickly isn't the name of the game but is a part of learning and being oopen to possibilities outside of one's perspective or experience.

As suggested in the video, it is important to ask students open-ended questions and to also model this behavior with students, but it's also critical to set up a welcoming climate for questions. A colleague of mine often begins her classes by showing a diagram or lab demo.  She then calls on students asking their questions about what they saw. Consequently, students in her class become comfortable asking questions and contributing in class. I think it is important to set a climate where students do feel comfortable asking questions and they know they will be respected. Once that climate is in place, more of focus can be put on open ended questions that are derived from observations students make.

I provide students with "stem questions" in which only the first half of the question is present and the student must then complete the question to determine what he/she wants to know. Some students have not asked any questions for quite some time because they have been force fed information their entire education. Once the student understands how questions are to be written for a good scientific exeriment can answer them I allow the students to provide me questions throughout each topic either he/she wants to answer or provides the questions to other students for them to answer.

As I an educator, I try to give students 50 % of the lesson as content and 50% as inquiry and project-based learning. I do this to give value to the lesson and  to actively engage students in the lesson.

As many other people stated below, I think modeling is the best way to foster wonder and curiosity in my students. By allowing myself to wonder out loud I can model the inquiry process, which in turn will hopefully be a positive example to my students.

On a weekly basis, in my 8th-grade science class, I will ask a controversial question for a bellringer.  A few were: 1.) How important do you think it is for us to explore our solar system? 2.) Do you think access to water is a human right? 3.) How will artificial intelligence change our future?   Students cannot be correct or incorrect in their thinking as long as they back up their answers with some evidence.  I can become better with this by asking open-ended questions relating to the curriculum I teach, such as genetics, weather, and chemistry.

Each day, each lesson is an opportunity to encourge curiosity or stiffle it.  The goal is to find the balance within ourselves that allows for freedom of thought and curiosity while also developing logical thinking skills.  Of course the second half of the equation involves getting through the standards, ensuring that students have enough base and background knowledge to move forward, and the skills that they will need in the next grade or phase of their life.  Ultimately, it starts with me nurturing my own sense of wonder, my own curiosity and drive to learn.   So much easier said than done.  So much.

Students tend to mirror what their teacher model and encourage, so often stating my own wonderings out loud. Also, providing positive feedback for students who observe and wonder is important.

I believe that educators can easily stifle students' ability to observe and wonder or allow these skills to flourish. The most important thing is to provide time and opportunity to allow students to construct their own meaning, investigate passions, and explore self-guided learning. So often in classrooms, I see teachers guiding students to understand, providing answers, and working at very basic levels of understanding. By asking questions beginning with "Why?" or "How?" and allowing students to do the same, teachers can encourage them to seek answers that can't be discovered within the confines of the space and time of a classroom. There are many pressures put on teachers to cover content and standards; looking at these standards in a different way and allowing students the trust and freedom to explore can also meet standards and provide a more meaningful learning experience in the process.

We can give our students the OPPORTUNITY to observe and wonder. As teachers, we often times just want to get through the standards (because that is what is expected of us), but we need to move away from merely teaching the standards to really teaching students scientific practices, which include observing and wondering. These are regular parts of life and they help build critical thinking skills. If a students does not know the content, they can easily look up the information on the internet, but the skills of observing and wondering, those are harder to Google.

One of the best ways is to model by example. "Today I saw... and I wondered..." Share your own questions with students and encourage them to ask their own questions about things they observe around them. Most importantly, fostering a safe environment where all questions are treated as important and valid. Once students feel comfortable asking questions, it is important to give them the space to answer questions and the freedom to give wrong answers without feeling bad, and giving them tools to analyze their answers and explore other ways to approach a problem to perhaps come up with a different solution.

I think the first thing I can do is voice my own noticings and wonderings.  Students need to hear this modeled to know what it might sound like and know it's ok, and beneficial to not always know the answers.  I love the lemon lesson idea, because it got at the heart of making very close observations, not general ones.  It's hard sometimes to get students to move past sweeping observations at first.  I also feel like taking students outside and having them write down observations is a good way to spark wonderings.  As they notice more and more it's likely that they wonder more and more about what they observe.  If they're having trouble making the jump to wonderings I can take their observations and voice some things it makes me wonder about.

Practicing and becoming an expert in automatically having the ability to ask open-ended questions is a trait all people who interact with children should possess. In my opinion, there is a crucial element to this goal that has been overlooked (at least in this point of the course). Asking the open-ended question is only half of the scenario in being catalysts for students to observe and wonder, the other half is to allow "wait time" or "think time." The power of silence, at least 10 seconds, when using wait time increases student thinking and the depth of their answers to questions. This link gives a helpful look at incorporating wait time in the classroom as a teacher shares his experiences and reflective thinking: Use Wait Time to Increase Student Thinking

I really liked the continuum presented in the video showing the difference between closed and open-ended questions.  As educators, I think we can model our own development of open-ended questions and then also show that we don't know the answer right away, and that is OK!  In fact, it's even desirable!  This is a mind-shift for students, who go through much of school thinking they have to already have the correct answer to a question when asked.  I also think that placing students in environments where there are events to observe and wonder is important, such as right outside the classroom, school or even their own window!

My school is 1-to-1 with Mac books. When having discussions as a whole group, it is great to be able to have easy access for all students to the internet. If we're having a conversation and someone brings up a question, it is easy to give students 5 minutes to open their computers to do some research on the topic. Then we can continue our discussion with the newly learned information that the students found. In the beginning of the year, I like to do simple activities to help students reflect on their abilities to observe well. Sometimes students forget about all of the different ways that they can take observations. I think allowing students to observe and wonder about things they are interested in is important. I always work to build a classroom culture where students use their downtime to explore and wonder -- For example, I have tons a magazines in my classroom -- I always encourage students to grab a magazine and just look at the pictures... no need to read (unless they want to) instead of going on their phones or computers.

I have always struggled to stick to a lesson rigidly - which is what is expected of me when I teach. I have always encouraged students to ask questions and fostered a sense of curiosity. One time I was talking about gardening and the topic of worms came up. Several students asked questions about worms. I did not have the answers but said I could look them up and get back to everyone with the answers. Then one student raised her hand and explained to the class all about worms and answered all our questions. It was a great experience as we all learned together! Of course I didn’t cover all the material I had planned for that day, but I felt we learned something more valuable.

Because of COVID-19, most teachers and students suddenly find themselves forced to integrate observation as they teach and learn. Inquiry-driven instructional design serves as catalysts for learning. Encourage your students to observe in new and different ways. Show how all stakeholders that students are engaged in their learning even when it seems like they are just observing and working independently. The possibilities of wonder are literally endless.

As educators we can do our best to help cultivate a classroom culture where curiosity and questions are the norm. In this type of environment, children will be used to and feel comfortable asking questions and sharing their wonderings with the class. Sometimes I think teachers feel rushed and pressure to cover certain material so rather than asking open ended questions, they rush and ask questions with yes or no or other basic answers.   Until watching the video above, I never thought about how these questions can be intimidating for children. They may be afraid of getting the answer incorrect and may choose not to participate. Asking what do you think or opinion questions may be more inviting for students.   It is also important to teach students we don't always find the answers to their questions but can continue to investigate and learn more throughout the year.

If, as an educator, you yourself are always asking questions and wondering about things, it can help students to both learn and feel comfortable with that process and experience. Having a general wonder board and question box can also be a way to encourage questions and keep track of them, to follow up for projects, discussions, and investigations. It is also helpful to loop questioning throughout content areas so that students can see the relationship between questions and subject areas. Getting outside is also a great catalyst, but if that can't happen, then it is still possible to bring something into class whether it is skins, old nests, feathers, images, seed pods, oak galls or any facet of the natural world for students to document, notice, ask questions about and begin investigation with. It is also good to follow up with general questions/comments to garner more details & discussion like "tell me more about that", "does anyone else have anything to add", or "what does this remind you of".

In general, modeling with your own enthusiasm and curiosity and not getting in the way of theirs. Ideally providing exposure and opportunities to observe, possibly pointing out some things of potential interest (anything from “Look at that!” to open-ended questions), asking guiding/exploratory questions, and providing time for reflection. Like a few others, I often work with groups in limited time spans and goal oriented programming which doesn't lend itself to these approaches, but you can sometimes still sneak a few things in - e.g. take advantage of downtime (walking to next location, breaks, etc by giving a "to think about" question or brainstorm with a partner/in small groups on unknown this-or-thats related to something we just saw. If meeting more than once, you can send them off with similar “homework” but possibly on a larger scale, such as: “Well, we sure saw a lot of crows this week! I wonder if they're being as active other places too? Maybe we can all keep our eyes & ears alert for crows this week and share what we saw/heard at the start of our next meeting” (or draw pictures of things, or take some data, or write a journal reflection, etc.

Many of my outdoor programs are recreation oriented - hiking, kayaking, bicycling, etc. I would like to more intentionally incorporate inquiry in these programs, as well as design natural and cultural history programs that more readily incorporate open-ended questions. Presently they are not, and I often end up being a type of tour guide relaying factual information rather than helping participants explore their own curiosity. I will be more conscious going forward to ask for 'I wonder' questions before we head out anywhere, and ask questions rather than offer answers as we move along.

I teach very young students (JK/SK 3-6 years), all of whom are Deaf or Hard-of-Hearing. Some of my students have very (VERY!) short attention spans due to a multitude of factors. Observation skills and their "attention for detail" are at an early stage of development. I notice that their attention span becomes significantly lengthened when the have an "Observation Tool".  I use a few tools and strategies to foster observation and wonder by linking observations to their senses. A Basket of Senses (I have a picnic basket full of sensory-stimulating tools to use in class and in the field) 1) Visual aids. My students will look longer and more carefully when they use tools to focus and magnify objects. The basket includes: binoculars, magnifying glasses, a loupe, a "bug" container, a pen light or flashlight, a fully charged iPad for children to take photos and videos, and their "field journals" for their illustrations. We may make a pair of toilet paper roll binoculars or a paper towel roll telescope at our Creation Station for outdoor observation. The power of imagination is strong and our toilet paper rolls work magic! 2) Hearing aids. Literally. We offer students the choice to wear hearing aids or cochlear implants for those who use them. We keep ziplock bags on us outside if students choose to remove their aids/implants. Loud environmental noise, blowing wind, rain or snow may make hearing aids/cochlear implants uncomfortable to use and/or cause the aid to malfunction. 3) Touch Tubes. Pringle cans with a toe-less knee sock glued to its opening. The can is wrapped with construction paper decorated with illustrations and adjectives that describe texture and temperature (sharp, wet, cold, fuzzy, hard, sticky, etc). Students take turns finding a special item, placing it in the can and their classmates feel the object, describe it and guess what it is. 4) Sniffy Cups. Collection of small film canisters, each with a cotton ball inside, that can be used to absorb scent and cushion a delicate item. Canister lids have small pin-prick holes to allow scents to be sniffed, described and identified. Lavender, mint, sage, chives, and other herbs from the Learning Garden are good examples of things that might be placed in our Sniffy Cups. 5) Blindfold Taste Test. A kerchief to use as a blindfold and a partitioned container to hold different foods (or different variety of the same food eg. apples). Students are blindfolded and take turns tasting items, describing and identifying foods. Students share their opinions on likes/dislikes and their "favourites". A hand-held, laminated (reusable) "My 5 Senses" pocketbook can be used with wet-erase markers for age-appropriate data-collection to help students record and recount their experiences to their teachers and/or their peers. Activating the senses and linking them with experiences, expands vocabulary and communication skills while also building background knowledge of their own senses and how their bodies work/interact with a wide variety of items.

The thing to do is to get students outside of their element, to give them something to explore outside or inside: an animal, a mechanical puzzle, a task or project. We need to set the stage for curiosity and wonder - something to inspire them to learn. My students who are looking to get the best grade flounder and fight with this - there's always the right answer to get the grade. If they relinquish this pressure or need, they actually have fun but it is a struggle.

Last year, our Science units were organized around an anchoring phenomenon, which took at natural phenomenon such as the Great Dust Bowl or a Mars Biosphere and asked students to complete a See Think Wonder Chart.  During the See portion of the lesson, students either watched a video, read an article, or look at a photograph in order to extend their understanding of the topic.  They first were asked to record what they saw (or use their power of observation), then they were asked to make inferences about what they saw in the think portion; finally, they were asked to write questions in the Wonder portion of the worksheet.  The idea was that students would refer back to their wonders throughout the unit to see if they were able to answer the wonders based on what we had learned during our labs, our learning, etc. The upside of this was that it really got students thinking more deeply about a topic.  There were, however, many downsides.  First, doing these charts and referring back to them throughout the unit was rather time consuming, so much so that as the year progressed, I found I couldn't complete all the required topics and eventually stopped using them.  Second, we really didn't go into any kind of instruction or discussion about what made a good question for science inquiry.  Third, since the units were already made (We used Mystery Science.), the students didn't really get to use their questions for scientific inquiry-the idea of wondering just felt like an activity tacked on to a unit just to say we had covered those parts of the NGSS.

As an informal educator, I tend to answer questions while running hikes and programs, or point out behaviors, ecology, and wildlife. I think that moving forward, I could encourage kids and adults alike to make their own observations and try to develop their own answers and inferences to their questions. I can point things out, but keep everything open-ended to allow for further discussion and inquiry.

I love the quote that students come into classrooms as question marks but leave as periods... Which in my experience, with my rigorous curriculum, the pressure for students to get A's, and time restraints... this absolutely has so much open ended truth.  I know that I stress over time management, planning, and making sure that I "fit it all in" rather than focusing on the skills that we want them to have as scientists... I hope that my enthusiasm and love for science is enough to foster the same in them, and for some it does... but I can't help but wonder - "I wonder- how many more students I would "touch, inspire, motivate" to love science if I left the learning in their hands." I also believe that in order to facilitate and raise student awareness of the importance of the environment, it is time to make sure I am concentrating more on that "students as self" piece rather than worry about the restraints I place on myself as highlighted above.

I love taking students outside. In past years, it was easy -- students were excited to go out, sit on the ground in all temperatures to observe... In the past 3 years, it has become very hard -- the students do not necessarily want to go outside because of bugs, their shoes, their allergies (a dramatic increase), their homeroom teacher's attitude about science or outdoors... I have given much thought about what has changed and how I can change. I think setting up the activity with what them "wondering about" before going outside to observe or gather data may help overcome some of the hesitancy as they will want to see if they can find answers to their wonders or they will be able to revamp some of their wonders when they come back.

This was really enlightening to me in terms of asking students open-ended questions.  When students come to me with a research topic, sometimes it is just something like basketball or algae- very general.  I could do better at asking them some open-ended questions and in turn, guide them to ask their own open-ended questions as possible research starting points. This will also work well with my lower level biology students when I first introduce the scientific method.  We could go outside (to promote social distancing) and incorporate both the I Wonder post-its and open-ended questioning to understand the purpose of observation and how it leads to questions to investigate.

I think as educators the best way to be a catalyst for students to observe and wonder is by being open and excited about the topics we are teaching, and to encourage and listen to students' observations. I've noticed that when I get excited about a topic, or stop to point out something that a student noticed first, it helps inspire others to observe and wonder. I do think being more mindful on framing open ended questions will help in the future as well

When I'm leading a program, it's hard not to point out something interesting that I see and tell the students all about it. Like with the pigeon example in the video, it would be more beneficial to point something out, ask a question, and have the students explore the interesting sight themselves through inquiry. I think it would also be exciting to explore something that I don't know much about. That way I can join in on the students' inquiry and exploration and help them learn about the process by facilitating their questioning and also demonstrating it myself. I occasionally lead programs for adults and I find that I can act more like a partner in those settings more than with kids. I think that if I "position youth as people who do science" I can build their confidence and we can work together as a team of scientists rather than a class and a teacher!

I know that I need to work on scaffolding my open ended questions. I have so many students who come from such a variety of backgrounds and experiences that I need to be more conscious of that. I can tell with the questioning I do in my class it has helped students become more confident in their skills. They start off needing the right answer al the time and then know that sometimes questions can create more questions which can lead to more experimentation. By the end of the year they love the conversations we have.

I think that we can be catalysts for students to observe and wonder better by first of all learning ourselves to improve our ability to ask open-ended questions, not just by going outside to observe and wonder but in everything we do, so through modeling. Then with this, it would encourage students to ask more questions and not feel that they may be wrong in their answer, way of thinking, or that they have a "stupid" question, and would allow them to be more of a "free thinker", be more interested in all aspects of learning and how to find answers themselves. It would also be encouraging to them to see your personal "I Wonder boards/journals", and for older students give them light guidance over their own "I Wonder boards/journals". Make the first few introductions to "I Wonder boards/journals" fun or interesting for students to build their morale up about evening doing the boards/journals.

I love that Science is a subject so open to questions, observations, and discovery. When we have hatched eggs in an incubator in the past, I would try to get different colors and sizes of eggs to bring up questions. Adding a turkey egg also encourages discussion. Once a student found a robin egg on the ground, so we added it to the incubator and discussed many questions about that. I think modeling questions and discussions is the best catalyst for observations and wonder. It allows everyone to think about the topic and contribute their curiosity. The "I Wonder" board and journaling helps to keep the questions alive as topics to address as students learn and observe more. When students are encouraged to ask questions without worrying about "right" and "wrong" actions, they are allowed to do what comes naturally to them. Then we can discuss ways to figure out how to answer their curiosities.

My organization takes students out into the field. I have found that if the teachers are excited about going out into the field, the students feed off that excitement. On the other hand, I have sadly had teachers that have said "we're not outdoors people" and complained about being outside. This negative attitude was quickly reflected in the students as well. Even students that were initially enthusiastic and excited, changed course when they saw the reaction of their teacher. Having a curious, open-minded attitude encourages students to also have this same attitude.

As an educator, I can be a catalyst for my students by providing them opportunities.  I love field trips.  Our field trip to the wetlands always encourages students to be in an investigative mode.  Students record what they see and hear (sketching, words, ...).  I like the idea of post-it notes to record "I Wonder" questions.  The use of the Seek app will be motivational.  Each child has an iPad, but team work seems to produce more results.  With safety as an issue at this point, just simply using our playground (trees, flowers, and other plants) will provide a place for observation and I will provide time for Wonder questions.  Also, I like the resources available on the Internet.  Our WVU Extension office has partnered up with Energy Express and is posting daily half hour recordings for students.  Yesterday, 7/14 the topic was bird banding.  I learned a lot about this process while at home.  Success will be utilizing the outdoors for observations and wonderings, but if I am limited on location I will use the Internet and books to enrich my lessons.

We need to be non-judgmental and opening to all observations. We need to encourage that not knowing the answer is a good thing. One of my favourite things to say is "I don't know", why don't we try to figure that out together! We need to help students to think in terms of theories and hypothesis vs only right and wrong. We need to expose them to the wonders of nature (as cheesy as that sounds! ;-)).

T0 be catalysts for students to observe and wonder, we can:

• Take them outside, where there are a lot of things to observe and ask questions about
• Create a safe environment for asking questions
• Model by being curious and asking questions ourselves, being a co-learner, willing to say "I don't know"....
• Guide students to help them be familiar with asking open-ended questions, in order to further the discussion and inquiry process.

I think Jennifer said it so well, that by asking questions that empower a person to make observations that contribute to a theory without making the person feel stupid for not knowing a particular answer. This has changed the way I walk in the woods or other natural setting with kids.  I realized that when I named a particular animal or plant, it sort of stopped the learning process that could happen if time were allowed to make observations and share them. One of the most important things to learn when first encountering  something new  is simply to observe it and its relationship with other things with the fresh mind of a beginner. The mindset of wondering allows for creative thoughts about what you see and can open up thoughts in ways that naming it as either  'right or wrong'  can shut down the process of curiosity.   In my own learning, I am often timid in offering answers because I am afraid of being wrong, but leading a conversation with 'I wonder' statements allows for ideas that may be proven wrong upon further investigation, to flow and be shared and stretched to grow further learning.

I believe, especially after reading several other posts, is that being an enthusiastic model is important to have students observe and wonder. Due to students current experiences; living in an urban/suburban area, tight schedules with after school activities  or spending a lot of time in front of screens, it may be something that has to be developed over time. Children don't have the opportunities to explore in nature like many of us did growing up.

I think getting them excited about learning and peaking their curiosity is step one. Let them explore their passions and interests and make the learning applicable to their lives and place. After that making sure they know their opinions and thoughts are important and valued and that no question or thought is a dumb one. I think students are often worried that they won't say the right thing or get the right answer. But in inquiry based learning there may not be a cut and dry answer and their investigation is what will lead them to the answer. Lastly modeling for the students. If they see that the teacher is excited and that being curious is a life-long skill they too will be excited. It is also ok for the teacher to say they don't have or know the answer. This shows students that even adults don't know everything and often have to do inquiry as well, to find the answer.

I agree that learners must feel comfortable and safe in the classroom setting in order to be vunerable and learn that 'I don't know' is a perfectly acceptable answer. Modeling this behavior by also showing that there are many discoveries for us (educators) to explore can help students understand learning is a life-long process. Encouraging observation and acknowledging the contributions of all learners, through the 'I Wonder' board, is a great way to practice this in the "classroom". Repetition seems key too - learners have to see this process over and over to really develop a critically thinking mind. As an educator, I must learn to provide great follow up questions to help students expand upon their initial observations, guiding the curiosity into the process of open-inquiry.

What students have taught me over the years:

• the energy that teachers bring into the room is a powerful source to draw from, especially when they are tired or not intrinsically interested in what the topic/activity/question that day is.
• the way teachers welcome or respond to a particular observation, question or contribution will determine the emotional reaction and teach students what is acceptable or not; and students pick up on response patterns that build open or closed class atmospheres
• taking some ordinary and making it extraordinary is a profound way to open minds (e.g. beach sand is partly made up of fish poop from underwater rocks they nibbled on earlier!! - this is a great one to reveal after spending some time doing a beach clean-up, or using sand for constructing shapes, during a coastal fieldtrip, etc., which prompts LOTS of great questions.  And having a giggle is always a good thing too!)
• recognize that observations and questioning can happen anywhere: yes, taking students outdoors is always great, but if you can't take them out, use the campus, the classroom, the playground - doing I WONDER or I NOTICE or "WHAT, WHERE, WHY THERE, WHY CARE?" activities can be universally applied.

How can educators be catalysts for students to observe and wonder? Educators are tasked to introduce students to knowledge and expand their horizons?  This is a tremendous responsibility that can further society and community depending on the approach. As discussed initially in this class,  the learning environment needs to be  welcoming, safe and comfortable for kids to learn.   A place where they can make mistakes and grow from these experiences. When kids feel safe to learn and explore, then there are numerous opportunities to encourage students to observe and wonder.  One of the best places to observe and wonder is the GREAT outdoors.  The possibilities to observe natural phenomena are endless. No matter where you live there is always something to see and learn outdoors.  The outdoor classroom is a gateway for exploration.   It is a perfect place for educators  to spark learning and get students excited about it.   It is not easy to learn in the outdoors.  Educators need to plan and utilize the practices and frameworks offered thus far in the class.  Using the I wonder board will help keep safe some of the questions that the students want to know.  In addition, asking open ended questions is an important consideration.  For me, this will take practice to develop this habit.  Teachers also need to act excited to be excited - curiosity and excitement are contagious.  By teachers modeling the learning behaviors that they want students to emulate, this will begin a new classroom culture. Also, it is important to engage partners like parents and local organizations that can provide expertise or even equipment.

Sometimes "I don't know" may be the best teacher answer.  Then follow up with, "I wonder if we can figure out how best to find the answer".

I agree that taking kids out to experience nature first-hand is a fantastic way to support wondering and questioning. This reminds me very much of some of the professional development I've done around working with primary sources and also VTS (visual thinking strategies).  I admit that I do struggle with this in science, however.  Since there is pressure to "cover material" and get through several science and social studies units in a year, I think I sometimes don't allow enough time for this kind of open-ended questioning in science.  Also, I sometimes struggle with the I Wonder board.  It usually fills up pretty quickly and then can become unruly.  Some of the questions we come back to or do lead to student investigations, but a lot of times they just stay up there indefinitely.  Do people change out their I Wonder boards with each unit?  How do you keep them fresh and meaningful for students?

I agree that taking children outdoors is probably one of the best ways to get students motivated and encourage them to observe and wonder. I also think teachers and adults in general can provide other opportunities for children to explore and mess about with things.  We must in some settings let children know that they can just explore. Inviting exploration and play in unstructured situations can lead to inquiry. Setting out various natural objects and materials can start children to wondering what has been done and what else can be done with those objects and materials. Just setting out pine cones and other tree seeds can lead to inquiry and investigations about trees. In addition questions to extend learning can be interjected as children explore. The open ended questions are most useful because they lead children to understand that we don't always need a hard and fast answer and often questions are there to help us look at things in new ways therefore stretching our thinking towards other possibilities.

One of the after-school programs that I offer is for 5 and 6 grade students.  The program is broken up into 4 in-school sessions and 1 day in the field.  The 4 sessions are teaching youth how to use a plant identification book, looking at animal skins, scats and prints, identifying parts of a flower by dissecting it and identifying trees during different times of the year.   The field day is spent at a local nature preserve called the Dwass Kill and Usher’s Road State Forest, we invite local scientists to help students along the way and talk about their research.  Students can observe the hemlock forests and how that is different to the Deciduous Forest, find signs of animals being present in the forest, find new plants to identify and much more.  Students start a notebook in school that they carry with them, along with a pencil and hand lens on the field trip. I would agree that getting the youth outside is where the real questions begin to form and concepts that they have learned in school start to make more sense.  Kids work together to identify what they are seeing and hearing, they begin asking real scientist thoughtful questions about their findings.  They make drawings, take leaf imprints, and write questions down to look into when they return to school. I wonder what this program would look like reversed, the field trip first and then giving youth 4 weeks to do research on what they found interesting and had more questions about.

I believe there needs to be a culture within the classroom where students are able to ask questions about things they are curious about.  Often, students look towards the teacher as the individual who knows all the answers and is going to divulge all the information they are ever going to need. This style of teaching does not encourage students to think that their own questions are worthy or even valid.  When teachers ask open ended questions, value student ideas and have those ideas help to drive lessons it can make a huge impact on the learning of students. It helps them believe that their ideas are valid and worth investigating. providing time for observations, integrating the I wonder boards can help teacher become facilitators and partners in learning, rather than the professor that knows it all.

I believe the first step for educators to be catalysts for students is to get them out of their seats, observing and wondering.  We must constantly be thinking of innovative ways to to spark our students 'Inquiry'.  We need to provide a focused platform by providing open-ended questions for them to ponder and wonder, and then an area to explore. Students through exploration will develop their own questions and 'I Wonder' moments.  Sometimes I feel we are so driven by curriculum and time that we do not take time (or have time) for students to just explore.  Our students are the scientists of tomorrow and they need time and a place to explore.

I have found that the more time the students spend outside, the more they naturally learn to observe and wonder.  They spot birds' nests camouflaged, follow sounds to discover a woodpecker making a home in a tree, wonder why a hawk is flying around, why a flock of birds fly on the ground and then into a tree and do it again, why birds flock to our grounds after a rainy day, and which plants attract butterflies and bees in our own garden of native plants.  These are all great experiences to ask the important open-ended questions to encourage thinking and learning.

As educators we can provide the space and the time for students to make observations and share their questions. If we provide positive feedback and model how we make observations and freely share our questions we encourage our students to do the same. In my experience, recognizing a student's questions as a positive can help encourage them to continue and possibly create their own investigation to help them answer their question. Sharing observations and questions with peers can also encourage students to join in.

We can expose them to a variety of circumstances and topics which would be foreign to them. Or perhaps prompt them with inquiry learning to look at familiar situations differently. We can help them by practicing observation and I wonder questions (in a nature journal, on a board or in a sharing circle).

I believe that we can be catalysts for our students by modeling.  Sometimes students don't understand how to ask a question.  As educators we want them to feel confident in what they ask.  The observations and thoughts that they wonder about are important to them.  It's essential that we accept the ideas and questions that they present.  I think the "I Wonder" board is such a powerful way to show that all questions are valued.  When teaching students about the "I Wonder" board it's important in the beginning to model the difference between open-ended questions and closed questions.  The open-ended questions will lead in turn lead to a richer discussion and will make it easier for children to conduct investigations and research about the topic being studied.  In order for questions to occur we need to provide our students with experiences that allow them to observe and wonder about the world around them.  Outdoor activities, nature walks, and watching video clips about a particular topic are things that educators can do to with their students.  The more time and opportunities students are allowed to ask questions, the more experience they will have with asking open-ended questions.

It is important for teachers to establish and nurture a class environment in which all students know that they are valued participants.  This is crucial for students to feel comfortable in sharing their thoughts and questions during activities.  As a teacher, I have always been aware of the questions that I ask when I am trying to generate discussion and bring about deeper thought on the part of my students.  There are occasions where I slip back into the simple, closed-ended questions.  I recognize that these questions are not generating the thought processes in my students that I am trying to achieve.  Sometimes, it helps to think in advance about some of the questions to ask to generate discussion.  Teachers might also write key phrases in advance to help word open-ended questions so that in a moment of quick discovery or an unexpected event, we do not reduce the event to a closed-ended question.

I think one important way we can be catalysts for students to observe and wonder is by giving them good opportunities -- for example, both the bird video we watched and pictures in the presentation were all really interesting. We can also both model asking and encourage asking open-ended questions. We can also make these  opportunities a regular part of the classroom, such as with the ?I wonder" board, so that students can develop these skills.

One way we can be catalysts for students to observe and wonder, I think, is by making learning a "we" process. Like I mentioned in an earlier reply, the idea of being a co-learner fosters children's confidence, their willingness to participate. Open-ended questions go hand in hand with acting as a co-learner, and providing space for interpretation, not just simple yes or no answers that can create boredom or children not participating for fear of not having the -right- answer.

I think that taking students outside and letting them ask questions without the "closed questions" mentioned in the video is a great start, as it gets students generating their questions without prompts. I also think that the "I Wonder" board or a variation of it is also a great way to get students to observe and wonder in their local environment.

Throughout the school year I try to take my informal educ. groups outside to observe or discover class topics. One way to enhance that process would be for me to slow down and make a habit of asking more open-ended questions. I like the tip from the video of pointing out the bird drinking with a question rather than the statement "Look at that bird drinking water." Sometimes I feel like I am helping their discovery by pointing out cool nature, I can see how I may be shutting down higher level/independent thinking. Children have an innate sense of wonder and curiosity, I just need to step aside a bit to let that shine.

Carry out activities outside the classroom to motivate the students to ask questions based on what they observed, no matter the type of question, the idea is that the questions asked can be answered later in the classroom and those that by time or some other aspect that cannot be answered is left as a consultation of themselves to resolve their concerns and thus motivate them to continue learning while observing.

In my classroom, I always model the behaviors I would like for my students to do. This is as simple as pushing in my chair when I get up to asking good questions (the What? the Why? the How?) on a daily basis. Students need structure and routine so by modeling behaviors that scientists engage in on a daily basis, students can begin to see these behaviors in action and hopefully begin to do them themselves. I also think that we can give students activities that are more guided and open inquiry. Designing activities in this manner will help students to build up their confidence in making observations and coming up with questions for an "I wonder" board.  One final thought here, I see the value in open inquiry activities but you must build students up to be able to perform open inquiry investigations so they don't get frustrated and give up.

It needs to be a priority to take them outside often, so they have the opportunity to make these observations. Encourage talking and asking questions by asking open ended questions. Give each student post-it-notes to write their own questions to add to the I Wonder board. Treat each of their questions as relevant and part of the learning process.