Wonder Project

Wonder is the story of Auggie, who, after being homeschooled, enters the 5th grade of a regular school. Though he’s had 27 surgeries, Auggie’s features still “look like they’ve been melted, like the drippings of a candle”, earning him nicknames like “Freak” and “Lizard Face”. Despite his physical ailments, Auggie’s an engaging boy who’s smart, funny, kind and brave, and who feels pretty normal inside. Palacio intersperses Auggie’s first-person narrative with the voices of family members and classmates, wisely expanding the story beyond Auggie’s viewpoint and demonstrating that Auggie’s arrival at school doesn’t just test him, it affects everyone in the community.

The character, Auggie, was born with Treacher Collins Syndrome, characterized by multiple anomalies such as absent cheekbones and ears, diminutive jaw, near deafness and the need for a tracheostomy. Ms. Palacio wrote Wonder as a result of an encounter of her sons with a young child with Treacher Collins Syndrome in a Brooklyn ice cream parlor. Her boys’ negative reaction towards this child compelled her to conduct extensive research and write this endearing novel in order to raise awareness about difference and to teach people to be kind.

myFace has developed a pro-compassion English Language Arts Curriculum based on Wonder. Working in collaboration with Wonder’s author, R. J. Palacio, we are proud to make this curriculum available online.

The myFace Wonder Project is structured thematically, rather than chronologically. This allows for flexibility in that some classrooms might only be looking at this book for a few days or a week; others might be exploring for longer – you, as a teacher or administrator, can determine the entry-point. Although each of the six sections focuses narrowly on one specific theme, all of the themes weave throughout the curriculum. These themes, Exploration of Self, The Masks We Wear, Friendships/Relationships, Bullying, Empathy, and Choosing Kindness are all explored through a variety of educational activities and exercises.

To download the myFace/Wonder curriculum, please fill out this quick form: