Duck and Goose inspires inquiry in Kindergarten

Today the Kindergarten students and I read Duck and Goose by Tad Hills. I love reading this book aloud. It's so much fun to act out the scenes with Duck and Goose. This book is not only a fabulously fun read aloud, it is a great way to build a bridge between neighborhoods in the library for these young students. We are wrapping up our initial exploration of the Picture Book Neighborhood and getting ready to open up a new neighborhood - the Wonder Wall or Nonfiction Neighborhood. The place to go to answer your wondering questions.

After reading and laughing about Duck and Goose, I share that I am wondering if duck and geese are friendly with each other in real life. I also share that I love the illustrations but wonder aloud if ducks have orange beaks and geese have black and yellow beaks.I then ask the students if they have wondering questions about ducks and geese. Let me tell you, they do. I've taught a version of this lesson before and it is astounding what deep thinkers these five-year-old students are. Inquiry comes so naturally to them.

Here's what my students were wondering today:

Why do they walk?
Why do they have webbed feet or stuff between their toes?
How do ducks lay eggs?
Why are ducks so similar to geese?
Why do ducks waddle when they walk?
Why do ducks have black eyes?
Why do they have black on them?
Why do they walk on the islands?
Why do they have feathers?
Why do ducks have sharp beaks?
How do ducks go to the bathroom?
Where do ducks sleep?
Where do they eat?
Where do they put their eggs when it is cold, very cold?
Where do ducks play?
Where do they find things?
What kind of water do they swim in?
Where do ducks swim?
Where do they play?
Where do they find food?
Are geese and duck friends?
Do geese make louder noises than ducks?
Where do ducks come from? How do they get alive?
Why do geese honk louder and ducks quack softer?
Do they have the same kind of feet?
Are ducks smaller than mice?
Why do ducks fly?
Why do ducks swim?
Why are geese white?
Why do ducks have green on them?
Why do they have so much yellow?

Next week, we'll be trying to answer these questions with books from our Wonder Wall.