In this edition:
🎉🥳 Off-Center Celebrations! 🥳🎉
🎤Podcast - The Grammar of Classical Education 🎤
📚☀️ Classroom Connections & Reviews ☀️📚
💖💖 Amazing Blessings 💖💖
☕️ 🫖 Enjoying the Reali-tea ☕️ 🫖
🎉 🥳 Let’s Celebrate! 🥳 🎉
Off-Center Celebrations - 2025
October
Week 2 - World Space Week (October 4-10, 2025) [14 pages]
When they think about it, would your students really like Living in Space? [Thinking / Writing - 3 pages]
The Planets in Our Solar System introduces students to some fun facts about each of the eight planets in our solar system. After their research practice, they write a brief answer as to whether they would want to live there or not. [Reading / Research / Writing - 3 pages]
The current way for people to live in space is on the International Space Station. On these pages, students learn about the ISS and determine if they would like to live there for a six-month rotation. [Reading / Writing - 4 pages]
Meteoroid, Meteors, and Meteorites is a fun scientific investigation of the impact of meteorites. Hands-on learning is the best! Includes instructions and a student investigation sheet. [Science - 3 pages]
Additional Resources is a small but mighty collection of resources for ALL THINGS space! [1 page]
Week 1 - In celebration of Random Acts of Poetry Day (October 2, 2025) [27 pages]
The goal of Random Acts of Poetry Day is to put poetry into our lives in surprising ways.
Pocket Poems
Pocket Poem Activities
Random Acts of Poetry
Acrostic Poems and Double Acrostic Poems
September
Week 4 - In celebration of the Autumnal Equinox (September 22)
Week 3 - In celebration of Classical Music Month (September)
Week 2 - National Waffle Week (Sept 7-13)
Week 1 - National Childhood Injury Prevention Week (Sept 1-7)
☺️ Please jump over to Classroom Collective, where you can use the “password” you received with your subscription (on EVERY level) to access many freebies like the Off-Center Celebrations (daily in 2024 and weekly in 2025).
🎤 Podcast - The Grammar of Classical Education 🎤
It’s always a little sad to have a series come to an end, and this one is no exception. It has truly been challenging to be reminded of all the hats we wear as teachers, in addition to the hats we wear as wives, husbands, parents, children of our parents, and children of God.
As we close up our series, we look at How to Be - - that’s it - - just How to Be. Scripture calls us to be several things, and as we take a quick look at them, we end will probably the most needed reminder - the one BE that in the chaos crazies of our everyday life, is most needful, but also must overlooked.
Join us, as together we consider just HOW TO BE. . .
In the podcast, I mentioned a resource to help you find verses that address any struggles that your students are facing. The Character Compass app is available free to Substack subscribers. If you use your “password” to go to the Classroom Collective, you will see a button that will take you to what I hope will be a helpful resource - not just for your students, but for you as well.
📚 ☀️Classroom Connections & Reviews ☀️📚
My goal is to help you engage and review with your students using various methods and techniques. Admittedly, there is truly nothing new under the sun, but hopefully, this section will spark an idea that suits a need you have in your classroom, co-op, or homeschool setting. ☺️
This week’s Classroom Connection & Review is exactly that - BOTH a connection and review opportunity for your students. While most ideas in this section can be adapted for classrooms, co-ops, and homeschools, this one is definitely more beneficial in a school or co-op setting.
🤔“I was thinking about _____, and _____”🤔
Purpose:
Teaching students to think fully through their thoughts and make connections is a skill that they will use for a lifetime! (This is a very simplistic introduction to a Harkness Discussion.)
Preparation:
After any lesson.
Reading may be the easiest, but any subject should work
A “I was thinking about ____, and _____” sheet for each student
Procedure:
Teach the lesson.
As you end, pass out a “I was thinking about _____, and ____” for each student.
The first time you do this activity, you will want to walk through the procedure with them. The more carefully you model the thinking of this activity, the more beneficial it will be in the long run.
After you have done a few together, give them a chance to do a few on their own or with a partner.
When everyone has their paper filled in (or mostly filled in) gather together to have a “I was thinking about ___ “ review
If you can sit in a circle, that would be GREAT. If not, that’s okay
The first time few times, you will want to allow them to share exactly what they have written on their papers. (Younger students may need to continue with this level for quite a while.)
As they get a little more comfortable with the basic idea, you may want to switch to the “I was thinking about _____, and ___” #2
This encourages them to make connections not just to things in their lives but to other subjects (Reading, History, Bible, Math, or Science)
As they get accustomed to the “I was thinking about ____, and ____” #2 , introduce to them the “I understand, but / and ___”
This encourages them to add to the statement of another person.
AND it encourages them to tie what they have written down to another person’s idea
The first few times, you may want to tell them that there has to be at least ONE “I understand, but/and ____”
Eventually by fifth or sixth grade (maybe even fourth), they will be able to keep a conversation going as they build one thought into another.
Notes and Modifications:
In the packet, you will find “I was thinking about ___, and ___” #1 and #2 as well as a sample “discussion.”
In a homeschool setting, this activity works well when you have several children of different levels, where one has already read or studied what the other is currently learning. If there is one who isn’t really in the loop yet, they can participate by asking clarifying questions (that you may need to feed them!)
🙏💖 Amazing Blessings 💖🙏
In Psalm 129, we are given a very clear reminder that circumstances and situations aren’t always going to be easy. The Psalmist opens with “Greatly have the afflicted me from my youth - let Israel now say - Greatly have them afflicted me from my youth.” We are familiar with persecution that the Jews have faced going back as far as their time in Egypt, but instead of dwelling on their past, on their persecution, the Psalmist shifts his focus in verse four when he says, “The LORD is righteous, He has cut the cords of the wicked.” Circumstances may not change, but a change of focus can make all the difference.
Join us this week as we discuss how this Imprectory Psalm should be guided by a God’s heart, but more importantly how our focus on God allows us the opportunity to trust Him with the result because, “The Lord is righteous.”
☕️ 🫖 Enjoying the Real-i-TEA 🫖☕️
As you may know, my goal with Leading to Wonder is to strengthen and encourage teachers, whether in the classroom, at home, in person, or on Zoom. I want to meet you where you are and help you move toward becoming the best teacher you can be. To do this, I trust you will feel free to reach out via our Substack chats or by sending an email to Newsletter@LeadingtoWonder.com.
Let us seek to “bear one another’s burdens” and “encourage one another. . just as you are doing.” (Galatians 6:2 / I Thessalonians 5:11)1
Thank you so much for joining me at Leading to Wonder! I am honored that you have spent the time reading and possibly listening to my passion project. I do want to be as helpful as possible, so if you have any comments, suggestions, or questions, please use the button below, and I will try to address them in a timely fashion! Thank you again, and remember - “always be on the lookout for the presence of wonder!”2
English Standard Version Bible. (2001). ESV Online. https://www.esv.org
E.B. White