A Place for Wonder: Reading and Writing Nonfiction in the Primary Grades

by Georgia Heard

A Place for Wonder: Reading and Writing Nonfiction in the Primary Grades

Genres: Education, Professional Development, Teaching, Writing, Nonfiction, Adult, School

246 pages, Kindle Edition

First published September 17, 2009

About the author

Georgia Heard is the NCTE 2023 Excellence in Poetry for Children Award Winner which honors an American poet for their aggregate work for children. She is the author of many children’s books including her most recent Welcome to the Wonder House, (co-authored with Rebecca Kai Dotlich), My Thoughts Are Clouds: Poems for Mindfulness, and Boom! Bellow! Bleat!: Animal Poems for Two Or More Voices.
She received her M.F.A. in poetry writing from Columbia University. She is a founding member of the Teachers College Reading and Writing Project in New York City. Currently, she visits schools in the United States and around the world teaching writing and poetry. She is the author of Heart Maps: Helping Students Create and Craft Authentic Writing and a new edition of Awakening the Heart.
-from georgiaheard.com

Reviews

[Wenyu · Rating 5 out of 5]

The lovely book provides great advice for classroom teachers who conduct inquiry-based teaching.

[Relyn · Rating 5 out of 5]

I can not speak highly enough about this book. Georgia Heard is one of my teaching inspirations; an unknowing mentor. A few years ago I was blessed to hear her speak about language, poetry, writing, and a passion for teaching. You know how your brain starts buzzing as it fills up with great ideas and big thoughts? It begins to feel a bit like a shaken up can of Coke, ready to bust out with all kinds of fizzing goodness. That's how I felt listening to her speak and reading her books.

This book is about so much more than reading and writing nonfiction. It is about making time to notice, to listen, to absorb wonder, and then to express it. An adult can take these lessons into so many areas of life. How often have I rushed in to judgement and/or decision without really noticing, wondering, questioning? How much better would my life and my teaching be if I didn't? And, what a wonderful classroom we could create if we only made the time to look, to listen, to notice, to wonder. And then, of course, to express.

[Heather Wall · Rating 4 out of 5]

If you 19re interested in learning more about inquiry learning 13 currently a hot topic in the field 13 and if in particular you work with the primary grades, check out Georgia Heard and Jennifer McDonough 19s book 1CA Place for Wonder: Reading and Writing Nonfiction in the Primary Grades 1D.

The book is organized into three long chapters: the first chapter explores centers, projects and clubs set up entice kids to wonder about the world around them. Chapter two describes the kids at they tap into their 1Cheart 1D wonders 13 questions they have which may not be research-able, such as 1CWhere does magic come from? 1D and 1CWhy do I love my dog? 1D Georgia and Jennifer model for the kids how to write from the heart to address these important questions for kids. Finally, chapter three outlines 18 mini-lessons that lead kids through traditional nonfiction writing that explores 1Cresearch wonders 1D, including lessons on leads, text features, inferring, formatting options, and elaboration.

[Angie · Rating 4 out of 5]

So technically I started it a couple of days before I ever put it on here.

And it will be one that I will be referring back to and recommending to others.


But I've finished my first run at it and I am very excited! Will be doing some "tweaking" as I am the teacher librarian in a school and not in an individual classroom. But I LOVE the idea of encouraging more wonder in kids. LOVE it. Have started brainstorming ... might have a wonder box in the library where kids can submit questions and I will do a video (which I HATE ... being in front of a camera) blog post talking everyone through how I found the answer. Kids could apply to be "guest answerers." And of course working on kids finding THEIR OWN ANSWERS.



Perfect website to go with this book ... http://wonderopolis.org/.

[Niki · Rating 3 out of 5]

The authors' passion for the topic is very evident and rather contagious! The first sections of the book contain many useful and enthusiastic suggestions for incorporating a sense of wonder into the classroom. However, as a teacher-librarian I cringed a number of times with their research components in the later parts of the book. Their focus is on student's non-fiction writing and not on guiding young children through the inquiry process. If you are looking for a text to spark your, and in turn, your students', sense of wonder, then this is a great text, just balance it with some stronger inquiry lessons, as well.
(Complete review will be available in an upcoming edition of The Green Teacher.)

[Cheri Linton · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is ideal for teachers who are not certain how to incorporate inquiry learning and or nonfiction writing. They provide a step by step guide and include useful reflections. The authors include a useful appendix and they list a wide variety of I wonder books, websites, and blogs. Their wonder boxes and wow words also deserve a second look. The wow word mini lesson outlines their method of encouraging students to abandon tired words and to try out new ones.

[Andrea · Rating 4 out of 5]

Lots of great suggestions for teaching nonfiction. I like the idea of starting with wonders that the students have to get them into nonfiction writing without relying on research but on their own ideas. I also like the idea of having students write about what they learned in books and research without copying it directly from the book/text; this would really help with plagiarism and get students used to putting things into their own words.

[Carla · Rating 5 out of 5]

An in depth look at research writing in the lower grades (K - 2?). I loved the way the authors slowly took the kids through the process of doing research, teaching them how to come up with a good topic, find questions they care about, write in their own words, etc. A fascinating book - I couldn't stop reading. I read it on-line at Stenhouse and I NEVER manage to read a book online. Now I need to buy it for our teachers. What a terrific resource!

[Laura Salas · Rating 5 out of 5]

A terrific book that made me wish I was still teaching. Perfect for educators who are trying to figure out how to go deeper and find magic in nonfiction reading and writing in their primary grade classrooms. Full of practical suggestions and ideas for celebrating the way kids wonder about things and using that wonder to spark a whole lot of learning!

[Heather Sisson · Rating 5 out of 5]

I recommend this to everyone wondering how to get young students into nonfiction, and to those wondering about how to set up and launch a primary workshop for reading and writing. Authentic, personal goal setting for your young students, finally spelled out clearly!

[Barb Keister · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great ideas for shared research in primary grades based on children's natural curiosity about the world. Although this book was written a few years before Common Core, it's an excellent resource for elementary teachers today who are increasing the volume of informational reading and writing.

[Mary · Rating 4 out of 5]

Lots of activities for building inquiry into the Primary grades. Read to see what it offers teachers in K-3 for inspiring young students to ask their own questions. Recognized Nick Maneno's observational science writing/thinking activity for out of doors. Would work with any grade in Science.

[Dava Fletter · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is a great supplement for writer's workshop in nonfiction writing. It is about bringing wonder and discovery into the classroom and focuses on kindergarten and first grade but could also be applied to higher grades. It is amazing what little ones can accomplish!

[Leslie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Love this book. It has shaped my work in the school library and my work with primary students just beginning to learn about research. I can't recommend this highly enough.

[Pam Horton · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was a great book to get you thinking about what makes learning exciting and to remind you about why you do what you do!

[Marilyn Carr · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is an excellent book that outlines practical examples that you can use in your primary classroom.

[Teri · Rating 4 out of 5]

I loved so many ideas in this book. It is really a great guideline for kids' writing. I can't wait to use some of the ideas in my classroom.

[Shannon · Rating 4 out of 5]

If you don't make time for your children to wonder, this is a great book to help you start.