Free! WONDEROPOPLIS would likely be the brainchild of Willy Wonka had he honed his entrepreneurial chops during the information age. The critical thinking portal is devoted specifically to those who wonder aloud, in their thoughts, or in their dreams. Created and maintained by the National Center for Family Literacy, Wonderopolis achieves its purpose mainly through Wonders of the Day. These wonders include a brief history of the subject matter, a list of related activities, a glossary of terms, and advanced options for further learning. Take for example, Wonder #852: Why Do Zebras Have Stripes? As it turns out, the zebra's primary predator, the lion, is prone to color-blindness and the stripes serve as a camouflaging mechanism. The keywords used in describing this Wonder range from the everyday ("stripe") to the less obvious ("Serengeti"). And the Wonder serves a primer to a detailed lesson on African wildlife from National Geographic Education. Wonderopolis is an top-notch resource for any teacher looking to engage students with interesting facts or create a detailed lesson for structured inquiry.
