What is Notice and Wonder?
When students become active doers of mathematics, the greatest gains of their mathematical thinking can be realized. The process of sense making begins when we create classrooms full of curious students' thoughts and ideas.
By asking "What do you notice? What do you wonder?" we help our students see problems in big-picture ways.
Self-confidence, reflective skills, and engagement soar, and students discover that the goal is not to be "over and done," but to discover multiple strategies for tackling a problem.

NCTM is pleased to expand this concept through the introduction of two mathematics-loving characters:
Notice, the snail, and Wonder, the owl.
Explore the world with these two friends discovering that math is all around them. Notice and Wonder provide fun and engaging mathematics prompts to spark the sense of curiosity that leads students to understand that math is everywhere!
Notice and Wonder Resources
Check out these resources to help you incorporate Notice and Wonder instruction in your classroom.
Notice and Wonder Teaching Aids
These free Notice and Wonder digital assets are available for use in your online classroom. Use these pieces to enliven your Zoom meetings.
Don’t forget to visit the
NCTM bookstore for more Notice and Wonder products!
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Animated Zoom Background
Delight your students with an animated background of Notice and Wonder exploring a classroom! Designed to be entertaining but not distracting, let Notice and Wonder help keep your students’ attention on you.
Download
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Pi Day Multi-platform Backgrounds
We can think of 3.14 great reasons to download this Pi Day background set: 1.) Who doesn’t love pi(e)? 2.) Celebrate this amazing number in a tasty way, 3.) Hint to your class that you are always receptive to baked goods, 4.) Always…. Ah-ah-ahhh. We said 3.14 reasons. Sorry,
not sorry!
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Notice and Wonder Snowman Zoom Background
Brrrr-ing winter to your Zoom meetings with this seasonal background. Surround yourself with chilly Notice and Wonder and their cool new friend.
Download |
NCTM Members
Click Here for More Free Notice and Wonder Teaching Aids.
Share your own stories with the hashtag #noticeandwonder