P re -re ad in g Sp e ak in g
Ⅰ. Pair wor k
Read the following passage and tell your partner your opinion of a sense of wonder .
“A child??s wor ld is fresh and new and bea utiful，full of wonder a nd excitement.
It is our misfor tune that for most of us that clear -eyed vision，that true instinct for what is beautiful a nd awe-inspiring is dimmed and even lost before we reach a dulthood. If I had influence with the good fairy，who is supposed to preside over the chr istening of a ll children，I should ask tha t her gift to each child in the wor ld be a sense of wonder so indestructible that it would last throughout life，as an unfa iling a ntidote aga inst the boredom a nd disenchantments of later years，the ster ile preoccupation with things tha t are artificial，the a lienation from sources of our strength. ”
Carson，Rachel. The Sense of Wonder . New York: Harper & Row，1956
Ⅱ. Talking about th e p ictu res
1. What can the following pictures remind you of?
2. What do you miss most in your childhood?
Po s t -re ad in g Sp e akin g
Ⅰ. Grou p d iscu ssion
1. What does“the innocent eyes”mean? Do you agree that we should always keep our“innocent eyes”? Why or why not?
2. Learning comes from wondering. How do we develop and keep this amazing sense of wonder alive for children? Here are some ideas of how parents can provide an atmosphere in which wonder can flourish in children. Give some real-life examples according to the following ideas.
A sense of wonder is created，nourished，and sustained when
sensitive parents react in a prompt，responsible，and satisfying way to the voiced and unvoiced needs of their children.
children are well-fed，rested，and allowed ample opportunity to run，jump，ride，climb，and play.
parents have lovingly held and cuddled their child in ways and amounts that addict
not only the child but the parent to their mutual comfort and joy.
the child feels secure in the child-satisfying love and attention of her parents.
parents and other adults who are models for the child regularly show their surprise,interest，and attraction to the natural world and its happenings from the movements of a worm，the wag of a dog??s tail，bubbles popping in a bath，the shadow cast by the sun，and a spider??s web，to the mold on an old slice of bread.
parents and other adults close to the daily life of the child interact with the child and her world from evident interest，spontaneous humor，and joy.
parents encourage children to freely experiment，taste，feel，hear ，see，explore,and get into things that are interesting and safe.
parents show their pleasure and delight and create novelty in what otherwise would be life??s daily mundane chores and routines.
children see and hear their parents become engaged and responsively enlivened when doing such things as reading a story and playing or listening to the music.
children safely and playfully enact the stories in their imaginations or the imaginations of creative，empathetic parents.
children notice that their parents let themselves get lost in the fun and creativity of play.
parents find something good about the mistakes children will make as they grow.
parents are flexible enough to postpone their planned activities from time to time and let a child??s creative idea or direction lead the way.
children are encouraged to voice their emotions and to talk about their hurts and fears with attentive，responsive parents.
children can choose play activities based on their own feelings of interest and boredom and not the decisions of another person.
the efforts of young children are regularly encouraged and prized. Children??s sense of wonder is damaged and grows weak if their efforts are often met by adult corrections and criticism.
Ⅱ. Quotat ions
Read the following quotations. Tell your class what kind of inspiration can you get from them?
“I am enough of an artist to draw freely upon my imagination. Imagination is more important than knowledge. Knowledge is limited. Imagination encircles the world. ”
- Albert Einstein
“I have no special gift; I am only passionately curious.”
- Albert Einstein
“Imagination is the highest kite one can fly.”
- Lauren Bacall，American actress
“If clouds are full of water，they pour rain upon the earth. Whether a tree falls to the South or to the North，in the place where it falls，there will it lie. Whoever watches the wind will not plant; whoever looks at the clouds will not reap. ”
- Bible，Ecclesiastes 11
“In all affairs it??s a healthy thing now and then to hang a question mark on the things you have long taken for granted. ”
- Bertrand Arthur William Russell
