Cathy Mere's post also made be reflect on what an amazing job Wonderopolis does responding to every comment left on their website. As part of our morning routine in my second grade class, we will leave a class comment about once a week about a Wonder. I have done this to model how, why and the importance of writing a quality comment. Our comments include predictions, new learning or to tell what we thought of a Wonder. Everyone likes to know that their comment matters and is valued. Wonderopolis makes us feel valued each time we leave a comment, which in turn makes us want to continue leaving comments and keeps us coming back. After leaving class comments, we look forward to checking back later in the day to see what their response is.
I encourage having my students leave comments on Wonderopolis because:
- Students are writing for a purpose.
- Students are reflecting on learning and thinking.
- It is authentic writing.
- It improves writing skills.
- It enhances written communication skills.
- Motivates students to leave more comments (write more).
I encourage you to not only use Wonderopolis, but for you and your students to leave comments!