Wonderopolis

Have you seen Thinkfinity's newest feature? It is called Wonderopolis and it is a place for families to go where parents can interact with their children on a daily topic.

Visit the site to view the Wonder of the Day which includes:

• Video related to the topic
• Have you ever wondered . . . . questions related to the topic
• Did you know?  Background information and facts that may include additional web links 
• Try it out!  Try activities related to the topic 
• Wonder words to know and use:  Words used in the topic information 
• Wonder what's next?  A hint related to the next, upcoming topic

For example, have you ever wondered, "Do French Fries Really Come from France?"  Wonder #24 explores the topic of french fries and where the name originated.   Visit the site daily for a new Wonder topic.  Explore previous Wonders by browsing or selecting a category name.   You can even nominate a Wonder of the Day!  You can share the site with others using social networking tools such as Twitter, Facebook, Digg, Delicious, and StumbleUpon.

Parents will find helpful resources by clicking on the "about" link at the top of the page.  Wonderopolis is provided by the National Center for Family Literacy (NCFL).  Click on "additional resources" on the about page to link to Family Resources provided by the NCFL.

Remember to have fun with your child as you explore this wonderful site!

Teachers:  Ideas on using Wonderopolis in the classroom:
-- Translate the Wonderopolis page from English to Spanish using http://babelfish.yahoo.com
Enter the URL for Wonderopolis on the Babelfish site in the box for Translate a web page.  Next  Select from and to languages.  Then click the Translate button.
--Use a Wonderopolis topic as a writing prompt in your classroom
--Explore the categories for information on a research topic
--Guide parents to the Family Resources provided by NCFL
--Share the site at a PTA/PTO meeting or with parents at conference time
--Add the website link to your classroom webpage