8 Ways to Bring Curiosity into Classes

What if curiosity isn’t just good for learning,?curiosity actually changes your brain so you can learn better.

The science is out! Curiosity is in... but how?

For educators and parents curious about how to bring the curiosity the research is calling for into the classroom, here are eight simple (i.e. 5-10 minute) activities to use to intentionally include curiosity in all you teach.

1. Start each day asking students what they are curious about–related to the class or not–and why.
2. Ask your students who they are most excited about sharing what they learn with, or whom they would ask them to help them learn it with.
3. Play with time. Ask students how learning what they are learning now would be different when their parents were students or when their children will be students. Or, how it would be different to learn it 200 years ago or 2,000 years in the future.
4. Ask your students where they might use what they’re learning. If they say, “nowhere,” ask them to explain why.
5. Ask your students how what they’re learning in class connects to something they’re curious about outside of class.
6. Ask your students why they use what they’re learning and why they might use it in a new way.
7. Ask your students what’s one thing they wish were different about what they were learning.
8. Ask your students what they would do if they already knew what they are learning, what would they do with that knowledge?

If you're curious about curiosity, please follow along with the?Curiosity-Based Thinking Newsletter?for your regular resource Curiosity-Based Thinking for better living through curiosity.

And, as a fun bonus... below is a quick "how to" on the Curiosity-Based Thinking process, "What? to Wow!" that can be used in as many ways as your curious minds can stretch it!

How to What? to Wow!

You can What? to Wow! by providing a single sentence response to eight questions, taking no longer than a minute to think and write each response.

What?is it?

Who?does it involve or affect?

When?does it happen?

Where?is it from or used?

How?does it work or make people feel?

Why?is it important?

Huh??What confuses you or is the challenge?

Wow!?What’s the awesome or what makes you wonder more?

#Curiosity #Education #Learning #School #BackToSchool #LessonPlans #Teachers #CuriosityBasedThinking #Empathy