Thinking Thursday: 5 Phrases to Help Children Share Ideas
Little learners are full of BIG ideas, but don't always have the language to share their thoughts. These five sentence starters, or curiosity catchphrases as I call them in Hands On STEAM explorations, help young learners (and not-so-young learners) share their thinking and move forward as they explore.
1. This reminds me of...
In this catch phrase children are connecting to schema to help them understand new ideas they are still working to figure out!
2. I notice...
When children say, I notice, they are actually making observations! Making observations is important for noticing patterns and questioning.
3. Oops, I learned...
We all make mistakes as we learn. Sharing the phrase "Oops, I learned..." helps young children begin to understand that mistakes are just an entry point to learning.
4. I think if...
Making an inference is one of the highest levels of thinking. When you hear little learners saying words like "I think if..." or "maybe if..." they are using clues from their observations or things they already know to make inferences.
5. I wonder...
Last, but certainly not least, the most magical of phrases for all little, "I wonder". These small phrase packs a powerful punch. It can guide children to exploring, investigation and discovering! This phrase should be discussed all day, every day.
