Testing week is over… everyone is exhausted… and let’s be honest—no one is ready to jump straight back into intense instruction.
That’s why I always have a go-to read aloud ready for right after TCAP (Tennessee's state test). And every year, I come back to Wonder by R. J. Palacio.
After a week of testing, I’m not looking for anything complicated. But I still want something that pulls students in right away, gives us a chance to slow down, and reminds us what really matters. The chapters in Wonder are very short, which is convenient at the end of the year, as our schedules are choppy with field day, awards day, talent show, and other end-of-the-year activities.
From the very first chapter of Wonder, students are hooked. It might have something to do with the humorous story of the "farting nurse" in the first chapter. I tend to be on the more proper side as a teacher, so they find it hilarious to hear Ms. Slough saying the word "fart" over and over!
After a week that’s all about performance and scores, it feels really grounding to shift back to something that focuses on being a good human.
We have such great discussion around the themes and characters in the book. Wonder opens the door to conversations about kindness, empathy, perspective, and how we treat others.
Things slow down after testing, but keeping structure and routing is important. We also need a few more assignments for the gradebook. So, after each section, we take multiple-choice quizzes in a style they are familiar with. There are printable and digital Google Forms quizzes available. Snag both with the Bundle!
Attribution: Excerpts from the book 'Wonder' by R.J. Palacio, as well as the book cover, are used with permission from Penguin Random House in this copyrighted material.