Need Wonder activities for your classroom or home school? We have 47 Wonder lesson plans, Wonder worksheets, and more ideas for book projects, kindness activities for middle school, and diversity lessons to make a great study unit for students using both the novel by RJ Palacio and teaching with movies (including the popular precepts project!).
WONDER ACTIVITIES BASED ON THE BOOK AND MOVIE
Pairing up the book and movie Wonder with some Wonder activities and lesson plans is awesome way to add fun to your learning (and what more fun is there than to teach with movies?!).
Reading a book and then watching the movie as a homeschooling project allows us to compare and contrast, as well as opens a deeper discussion on the topic matter.
To save time, we’ve included plot summary, essential questions, character map, themes, worksheets, writing assignments and writing prompts, and discussion questions to explore literary concepts.
Also, students can complete Choose Kind activities, study guides, We’re All Wonders mini book, I Am A Wonder Because, anti-bullying lessons, the Wonder precepts, and MORE!
And, the Wonder movie discussion questions (and the book) provides a range of topics (plenty to keep you busy)!
We plan on doing this with the Wonder movie, reading the book, and then use these Wonder movie activities, book activities, and Wonder book lesson plans to supplement our learning.
But first . . .
What is the lesson of the book Wonder?
Wonder helps students learn to deal with differences and also how to look past the outside of a person, like with Auggie’s Mandibulofacial Dysostosis, which is also known as Treacher Collins syndrome (TCS), and give more attention to what a person is like inside.
What are the main themes in the book Wonder?
- Kindness
- Bullying
- Courage
- Diversity
- Family
- Friendship
- Identity
- Perception
- Isolation
- Acceptance
- & MORE
(We’ll get into the free wonder activities later in the post! SO KEEP SCROLLING!)
Wonder Novel By RJ Palacio: Summary
Wonder
is a children’s novel by author RJ Palacio.
(Isn’t that Wonder book cover fantastic?)
What is the main theme of wonder?
The lead character in Wonder, Auggie Pullman, is “an ordinary boy with an extraordinary face.”
Auggie is born with was a “craniofacial difference” caused by an anomaly in his DNA by a rare condition called mandibulofacial dysostosis, or Treacher Collins Syndrome.
The distorted facial features prevented Auggie from attending traditional school and he has been homeschooled instead.
But, in fifth grade, Auggie enrolls in public school.
Along with being the new kid, Auggie also encounters different situations due to his condition, including a rumor that touching Auggie will give you the “plague.”
The book switches from Auggie’s point of view to different perspectives, including Auggie’s sister and different friends, and the things that they are dealing with along with Auggie.
While dealing with extraordinary circumstances, Auggie wants nothing more than to be treated as ordinary.
What is the main message in Wonder?
The main message in Wonder is kindness and the Choose Kind movement, along with diversity and understanding and accepting the differences of others.
(Spoiler Alert–skip this next part if you don’t know already how Wonder ends.)
What is the conclusion of the book Wonder?
Wonder ends with many good things happening to Auggie and the characters of Wonder. Auggie’s mother is touched by how Auggie pulled through his many struggles during his first year of middle school after being homeschooled. Auggie’s mother whispers to him, “You really are a wonder Auggie. You are a wonder.”
Wonder Book Characters
Who are the most important characters in Wonder?
- August “Auggie” Pullman
- Via Pullman
- Isabel Pullman
- Nate Pullman
- Jack Will
- Summer Dawson
- Julian Albans
- Mr. Tushman
What grade is Wonder for?
You may be wondering, Is Wonder a kids’ book? because of the serious topics. The genre of Wonder the book is children’s literature, but is probably good for older elementary students and middle school and up due to some serious topics.
What grade level book is Wonder?
The listed age range for the Wonder book 8-12, or grade levels 3-7. However, the Wonder book activities are for a wide span of ages.
Learn More About Treacher Collins Syndrome [VIDEO]
Interested in learning more about the condition, what causes Treacher Collins Syndrome, and is there a treatment for treacher collins syndrome?
Check out this real-life Treacher Collins Syndrome wonder!
Wonder Movie Trailer [VIDEO]
If you haven’t seen the Wonder movie yet, grab a tissue because just the Wonder movie trailer will stab you right in the heart!
Both the Wonder book and Wonder movie provide fantastic study tools that cover so many different topics: bullying, differences, kindness, relationships, and more. You can easily create your own Wonder movie discussion questions for students!
Here are some great ways (47 ways actually!) to incorporate both the Wonder book and Wonder movie worksheets and Wonder movie lesson plans into your student studies!
Mix and match to make your own Wonder novel unit study or Wonder lesson plan!
OK!
Let’s get to the Wonder ideas!
47 Wonder Lessons, activities for Wonder, Worksheets & Wonder Book Project Ideas
Plot summary and teacher’s guide to Wonder (Wonder book study guide free)
Author’s guide for Wonder and other resources (Wonder novel study guide)
Songs and references in the book Wonder
Wonder vocabulary list (Great for a Wonder movie guide or Wonder writing activities!)
Read about the author of Wonder, RJ Palacio
Learn more about Treacher Collins Syndrome
9 week unit study on Wonder (free wonder lesson plans pdf)
Writing assignments for Wonder: We are all wonders writing prompt
Free Wonder mini book: We Are All Wonders Mini Book
Choose Kind Movement
The Choose Kind movement is simple: create and spread more kindness in the world. The book Wonder inspired something called the Choose Kind movement.
Here are some ways to incorporate kindness into your learning:
Ideas for kindness projects to go with Wonder Theme Lessons
Make kindness rocks (make great Wonder art activities!)
Kindness lesson plans (access with free sign-up)
Children’s Books on Kindness
Wonder Lesson Plans on Bullying
What messages do movies send about bullying?
Speak Up! anti-bullying videos
How can students help a peer who is being bullied? lesson
Understanding needs and feelings lesson
Being reasonable and ethical lesson plans
Children’s Books on Bullying
Wonder Lesson Plans, Activities, and Crafts
Paint a personal kindness sunshine ray
Use a beach ball for a Wonder book discussion