Look and wonder
Notice, Think, Wonder
Study a strange little alien, then sort your ideas into what you notice, what you think and what you wonder.
Thinking sheet · Look and wonder
Guess the Old Gadget
Look at an object from long ago, like a rotary phone or a typewriter. Guess what it did, then compare it to today.
- Grades
- 2–5
- Time
- about 20 minutes
- Topic
- Look and wonder
- Kids practice
- history, making inferences, comparing
What kids do
“This gadget is older than your grown-ups! What do you think it did?”
- Draw the old gadget
- I think it was used to… because…
- Compare it to what we use today
- One question I’d ask someone who used it:
How to run it
- Show a photo or bring in a real old object: a cassette, a film camera, a phone with a dial.
- Look for clues: buttons, cords, holes, size.
- Ask a grandparent to tell the real story.
Talk about it
- What clue helped you most?
- Why do you think it was replaced?
- What gadget of ours will look old one day?
Take it further
Draw what you think that gadget will look like 50 years from now.
Pairs well with
Free for home and classroom use. Print as many copies as you need.
More thinking sheets
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Whose Shadow Is This?
A mystery shadow. Use clues to guess who it belongs to, then draw what you think it really looks like.
Look and wonder
Zoom In, Zoom Out
Pick one object. Draw a tiny part of it huge, then draw the whole thing small in its place.
Look and wonder
Same and Different
A cartoon velociraptor and a robot T. rex. Sort what they share and what makes each one special.
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