Early Years Look & Wonder Story Mats Sharing the Planet

Introducing the LOOK and WONDER Discussion Mats: A Launchpad for Concept-Based Inquiry in Early Years

To guide your young IB PYP learners in developing conceptual understanding, it’s essential to begin with tools that support observation, conversation, and meaning-making in a developmentally appropriate way. The LOOK and WONDER discussion mats are thoughtfully designed to help our youngest inquirers engage with concepts through visual provocations and guided thinking routines.

These mats are an ideal companion for introducing concept-based inquiry in lower grades, and here’s how they support meaningful learning:

•Designed for Pre-K to Grade 2: Tailored to meet early learners where they are, with engaging visuals and simple language that promote curiosity.

•Supports concept exploration: Helps students begin identifying and connecting with key concepts through real-world images tied to transdisciplinary themes.

•Promotes research and observation skills: Encourages slow looking, careful observation, and descriptive language as students examine images with intention.

•Builds thinking and questioning routines: Uses the See-Think-Wonder visible thinking routine to guide conversations and scaffold deeper understanding.

•Boosts oral language development: With simple prompts and accessible questions, students are encouraged to speak, reflect, and listen actively.

•Fosters ownership of learning: Students help identify ideas and connections, building a strong foundation for inquiry and critical thinking.

•Easy integration with your units of inquiry: Broad enough to suit any theme, yet structured to anchor discussions around key concepts like function, connection, form, and change.

These mats are more than conversation starters—they are powerful tools to nurture conceptual thinking and inquiry habits from the very beginning of a learner’s journey.

Included:

•20+ LOOK & WONDER provocation mats with high engagement images

•Editable blank templates to add your own provocation images/text etc.

•3 x differentiated graphic organisers to record thinking

•Self assessment rubrics

Concepts covered are aligned with the most commonly covered IB PYP concepts found within the transdisciplinary themes for earlier years. You are bound to find many that will support your lines of inquiry!

You may be interested in receiving more professional learning for developing concept seekers and thinkers. My monthly members’ community receive professional learning videos/audio, classroom-ready tools to support the monthly application of this learning together with an ALL ACCESS Pass, giving them full access to PYPteachingtools.com to pick and choose their OWN resources. You can find out more here.

Enjoy!

Susan Powers

PYPteachingtools.com