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Sparking Curiosity From Underground to Outer Space
Classroom Activities That Travel from Underground to Outer Space
Engaging Students Through Curiosity
It’s 2 p.m., and your students’ eyes are glazing over. Phones buzz, pencils tap, and you’re losing them. What if you could flip a switch — so they’re so curious they forget the distractions?
Curiosity can turn that dream into your classroom reality. Research shows it’s not just nice to have — it primes the brain for learning. Studies found it actually boosts memory retention by activating the brain’s reward system.
I’m sharing with you here, three ready-to-use activities based on Curiosity-Based Thinking that use two weird and seemingly unrelated topics: the Naked Mole Rat from The Screaming Hairy Armadillo and the question “What if You Could Travel at Almost the Speed of Light?” from The Book of What If…?. Each activity takes minimal prep but delivers maximum engagement.
Naked Mole Rat: A Curiosity-Driven Survivor
Did you know there’s a rodent that lives like a bee, survives 18 minutes without oxygen, and might unlock cancer-fighting secrets?
