Using a Wonder Day Project to Spark Student Inquiry Blog Post

My friend George Couros once said, “If students leave school less curious than when they have started, we have failed them.” I tend to agree. I’ve never heard of a cosmologist who says, “I’m done with the universe. No more questions here.” I’ve also never…

Wonder Day and Wonder Week Page

Please leave your email address below and click the yellow subscribe button to receive the free inquiry-based Wonder Day / Wonder Week project. It includes the process and the handout you can use with students. I will also send you a weekly email with free,…

On Eclipse Day: 5 Ways Natural Wonders Make Us More Creative Blog Post

In a few hours, we will begin observing the eclipse. No handouts. No close reading exercises. Just a bunch of families in the neighborhood gathering together to break bread, eat bacon, and then see the shadows change and the stars appear and the temperature drop….

Life is a Vapor (My Birthday Reflections) Blog Post

“Cross out the word ‘vanities’ and replace it with ‘vapor.’ It’s a vapor of vapors. Life is temporary. Nothing lasts,” my professor explained. I waited for him to continue the lecture but instead he said, “Go on, do it. Now. Everyone. Find the mis-translation and…

The Maker Monday Challenge: Begin Each Week on a Creative Note Blog Post

One of the key take-aways from Moore’s Law is that technological developments tend to double every six months. Products that sounded like science fiction a generation ago are now so commonplace we take them for granted. We are in an era of rapid changes in…

How do we bring wonder back into the classroom? Blog Post

A few years ago, I had the chance to teach science in a self-contained classroom (teaching all subjects). I scoured the Internet for examples of great demonstrations that would captivate my students’ attention. It worked at first. I did the typical experiments. You know, add…

7 Tips for Getting Started with Student Choice in the Classroom Blog Post

Our students will inhabit an unpredictable world. With machine learning and other advanced forms of AI, students will need to become really good at what AI can’t do and really different with what can do. They will need to be adaptable as they navigate the…

12 Ways to End the Semester on a Creative Note Blog Post

Let’s just put it out there. December is exhausting for teachers. The days are shorter. The weather grows colder and (at least here in Oregon) wetter. Students are anxious — whether it’s a buzzing excitement for vacation or a sense of dread that some kids feel in…

The FACTS Cycle for Prompt Engineering Blog Post

Over the last year, I’ve had the opportunity to work with educators who are incorporating generative A.I. into their classroom practice. Whether it’s working with the pre-service teachers at my university or in working with current teachers in the workshops and professional development I lead,…