Nifty Fifty

Nifty Fifty by Rasmussen, Greta. paperback edition. ISBN: 9780936110066.

These 500 thinking questions address 50 very familiar things, such as a map, a tree, a clock. From the Penny "Why arent pennies made out of gold?" From the House "Why do houses have rooms?" The unique questions in this sprightly book are open-ended and designed to encourage a lively discussion. What were after is the "Aha!" moment, when a child thinks about an ordinary concept in an entirely new way. Weve provided answer prompts to help out, but they are designed to be used as guidelines only. Let the conversation meander. For example, when asked why door handles arent placed in the middle of doors, one child might say, "Because the door would be hard to open." Fine. But another child might offer, "Because the latch that connects to the wall would have to be too long." Thats fine, too! And when do you turn to Nifty Fifty?" Whenever you have five or ten minutes of time. It has rescued many a teacher from the "What do I do now?" dilemma, and has sparked many a lively family discussion. By the way, do you think there is more water in an orange or in a potato? Why dont people fly kites at night? Why dont stop signs come in different colors or shapes? Just wondering …