The Wonder Wall: What I want to know is...

While inquiry is often guided and “success criteria” are shared in advance of pursuing given tasks, it is also important to provide time and space for individual inquiry. This might happen at various junctures and is integral to a curriculum that wishes to avoid imposing artificial and abstract concepts on students, to which they have no real connection. Indeed, the PYP states “students are encouraged to be curious, be inquisitive, ask questions….”; such scope for researching individual affinities, within the unit, is essential.

Students in Grades 4,5 & 6 have recently had the opportunity to take their musings from the “Wonder Wall” display in class and find some answers. The range of questions comes from the early stages of the Inquiry Cycle, where students join with the teacher in framing the process through their questions. These questions develop in myriad ways; from simply being answered to morphing into wider inquiries stemming from initial stages of research, which simply stimulate curiosity even further.

Their questions varied from the insightful to the profound:

“Why do people want to dress like celebrities?”

“Why do people sell counterfeit goods?”

“Why do ‘Fashion Shows’ include weird clothes that never seem to make it to the shops?”

“Why do people judge each other based on their fashion?”

“Can fashion make people popular?”

“How does culture/religion affect fashion?”

Students will share their learning, from this journey, as a part of the upcoming Unit Celebration. We hope you will enjoy seeing their unique perspective as well as discuss what questions you have, upon hearing what they have learned.