Across grade levels 6–12, literacy classrooms often drift toward compliance, over-scaffolding, and formulaic responses. What if we redesigned the year around curiosity and joy instead? 

The first six weeks set the tone for the entire year. In this session, teachers will design foundational routines that cultivate curiosity rather than compliance. Participants will build structures for discussion, questioning, writing, and reading that communicate to students: your thinking matters. Through the lens of Creating Curious Classrooms, teachers will develop essential questions, wonder routines, and joyful writing invitations aligned to Unit 01 standards across grade levels. This session focuses on intentional launch moves that foster independence, cognitive engagement, and authentic literacy habits from day one.