Start your own curious kid’s guide to noticing and wondering

Spark your thinking!

1. Set up your early SEL mini spark recording page: #13: Start an “I wonder…. journal”

2. Read the The steps for How to Write an “I Wonder…” Journal.  When you are done write “I read steps 1-7 about how to write a journal entry!”

 Step 1: Get Ready to Wonder. Before you start writing, get into a curious mindset. Your goal is to notice something interesting and ask questions about it. Think: “What’s something I saw or felt today that made me curious?” or “Did anything surprise me or seem strange?”

Step 2: Choose Something Interesting. Pick something from your day that stood out to you. It can be: Something you saw (like a bird, cloud, or a strange bug), A feeling you had (like nervousness, excitement, or confusion) or An interaction (a moment between you and someone else) Something new (a tool, toy, food, word, etc.)

Examples: A squirrel carrying a huge stick, The way my heart raced before my class speech, Why my dog tilts her head when I talk or A weird dream I had last night

Step 3: Start with “I wonder…” Now write a sentence that begins with: I wonder… Use this to ask a question or show your curiosity.
Examples: I wonder how birds know which way to fly during migration, I wonder why I felt so nervous before presenting or I wonder what my dog is thinking when she stares at me.

Step 4: Add Details and Ideas. After your “I wonder” sentence, write 3–5 more sentences that: Describe what you noticed, Explain why it caught your attention or Share your thoughts, guesses, or feelings

Example:

I wonder why some squirrels have darker fur than others. I saw one today with almost black fur, while others are light brown. Maybe it helps them hide in different places. I also wonder if it depends on where they live. I want to look it up in a book or ask my teacher.

Step 5: Ask Another Question (Optional)

If you’re still curious, ask another “I wonder…” question at the end.
This keeps your thinking going and shows you’re open to learning more.

Step 6: Reread and Check

Make sure your journal:
✔ Starts with “I wonder…”
✔ Talks about something real and specific
✔ Includes your thoughts, ideas, or feelings
✔ Is written clearly with full sentences

Step 7: Helpful Starters:

• I wonder why…
• I noticed that…
• This made me think…
• I started to feel…
• Could it be because…
• I want to know more about…

3.  To earn this mini spark, write 1 journal entry following the steps outlined above for three days. Include the date with your entry.

4.  Share your SEL mini spark recording page and journal entries with your teacher or the EY coordinator in your building

Check out the I Wonder Journal Challenge badge at the EY website.

Stress responses aren’t unique to humans; they’re shared by almost all animals. Learn more about human stress and what’s going on with our bodies when we respond to challenges

Spark your thinking!

1. Set up your SEL mini spark recording page: #17:  What can we learn about stress from birds?

2. Watch this video form the Cornell Lab of Ornithology. Record 5-10 vocabulary words with a short meaning for each.

3. Research in birds is helping us to discover when natural selection favors a strong stress response, and when it is better to stay calm. Using examples from the video complete these sentence stems.

It was helpful for the bird to have a strong stress response when…..

It was not as good for the birds to have a strong stress response when….

In our evolutionary history humans respond strongly to challenges in the past so that…….

4. Write 3 examples of events/situations that cause stress for you?

5. While stress is sometimes viewed as negative, there is such a thing as good stress. Think of a time when it would be beneficial for you to have stress and record it here. 

6. Scroll to the bottom of this post to read about a situation when good stress is helpful for humans.  Write “I read it!” on your recording sheet. If you could not think of an example of good stress for step 5, go back and record an idea after thinking about the bike situation.

7.  Share your SEL mini spark recording page with your teacher or the EY coordinator in your building.

Good stress happens when we confront a challenge we believe we can manage or control. 

Here’s an example: A child is coasting down a hill on a bike with just one hand on the handlebars. When she sees a pothole up ahead, she feels stress and instinctively puts her other hand on the bars.

In less than a second, her brain goes into survival mode. It tells her heart to pump blood to her legs. Her vision gets a little better because her pupils open to take in more light. She’s ready for evasive action. She guides herself around the hole and continues safely down the slope.

In this case, she quickly handled the danger without a problem. It was good stress that helped her meet the challenge, because she believed she could do it.

The brain loves success and will store the memory of this event. The next time this child faces such a dangerous situation, this positive memory will help her deal with it. Good stress makes us stronger, ready to take on new challenges.

Brian is unnoticed by the other students in his class. He is never included or invited… until the new student Justin arrives and shows us that it just takes one friendship to change a person’s life.

Spark your thinking!

1. Set up your SEL mini spark recording page: #19: Book Lesson: The Invisible Boy

2. Listen to the story by Trudy Ludwig, and when you are done write “I listened to The Invisible Boy” on your recording page.

3.  Think about how Justin felt during the events of the story  Print this book review sheet or create one on your recording page.  Fill in the sections.

4.  Share your SEL mini spark recording page and your book review with your teacher or the EY coordinator in your building.

Sometimes the world feels broken. And problems seem too big to fix. But somehow, we all have the power to make a difference. With a little faith, and maybe the help of a friend, together we can find beauty and create change.

Spark your thinking!

1. Set up your SEL mini spark recording page: #11: Book Lesson: Something, Someday 

2. Presidential inaugural poet and #1 New York Times bestselling author Amanda Gorman and Caldecott Honor and Coretta Scott King Honor winner Christian Robinson have created a timeless message of hope. Listen to the story, and when you are done write “I listened to Something, Someday” on your recording page.

3.  Make a list of 3 times that the students in your classroom or school work together. Make a list of 3 ideas problems that you would like to fix in your classroom, school, or community.

4.  Young people can make a difference.  Print this flower sheet or create one on your recording page.  Record your ideas on the flower.

5.  Share your SEL mini spark recording page and your flower with your teacher or the EY coordinator in your building.

Enjoy this spark? Check out the Mini Spark about Amanda Gorman.

This deep breathing technique is at the core of many mindfulness and relaxation practices. It may take a lot of practise to get right, but it is well worth the effort!

Spark your thinking!

1. Set up your SEL mini spark recording page: #20: Brain Break: Belly Breathing

2.  Watch this video. When you are done write, ” I did the Brain Break: Belly Breathing” on your recording page.

3.  Why are brain breaks helpful to use when you feel worried?

4. Write the steps explaining how to do this type of brain break. The audience is grade 3 students.

5.  Share your SEL mini spark recording page with your teacher or the EY coordinator in your building.

Why do we procrastinate and how can we stop? Learn more about procrastination and also listen to a few suggestions on how to help.

Spark your thinking!

1. Set up your SEL mini spark recording page: #15: Procrastination 

2. When are you most likely to procrastinate?  Write two or three examples on your recording page. 

3.   Watch this TED-ed video. Explain one of the reasons why we procrastinate as outlined in the video.

4.   The video offers a few suggestions on how to combat procrastination. Write these on your recording page. When you are done, scroll to the bottom of this post to see if you have them all listed. If you forgot any, add them to your recording page. 

5.  Look over these othre suggestions that may be helpful when you feel like you are putting off a task.  Write the bolded words on your recording sheet.

• Prioritize tasks: Identify the most important tasks and tackle them first, especially when you have the most energy. 
• Set deadlines: Create personal deadlines for each task to maintain a sense of urgency and accountability. 
• Use time management techniques: Work in focused bursts with short breaks or scheduling to structure your time effectively. 

7.  Share your SEL mini spark recording page with your teacher or the EY coordinator in your building.

Test anxiety is that nervous feeling you may get when you’re about to take a test. It’s normal to feel some pressure before an exam, and a little stress can actually help you focus and do better. But for some people, the worries are so strong that they can’t concentrate and don’t do as well as they’d like.

Spark your thinking!

1. Set up your SEL mini spark recording page: #2: Guided Meditation: Test Anxiety

2.  Sal explains how meditation can help you reduce stress when you are getting ready to take an important test .  Write ” I watched the intro video” on your recording page.

3.   NOTE: This step will take about 10 minutes and it is helpful if you can sit in a quiet space.

Listen to “Guided meditation to help with test anxiety” with Sal. When you are done, write “I did guided meditation” on your recording sheet.

4.  Write down three ideas you would like to remember from your guided session.

5. Share your SEL mini spark recording page with your teacher or the EY coordinator in your building.