Windows into Wonder is a secular, interdisciplinary curriculum built around the belief that learning becomes deeper when children can see how ideas connect. Rich storytelling is the structure for lessons which weave together language arts, mathematics, science, and social studies.

Meet the Creator

I’m Aryn, the curriculum designer and founder of Windows into Wonder. With an MA in TESOL and more than ten years of experience as a classroom instructor, curriculum designer, and teacher development specialist, I have had the opportunity to teach learners across nearly every stage of education. From preschoolers encountering the alphabet for the first time to master’s degree candidates preparing to become educators themselves, I have been able to to observe and work with a diverse range of learners. As a published researcher and international speaker, I bring together research, classroom experience, and curriculum theory to create learning experiences that are thoughtful, engaging, and grounded in what we know about how people learn.

My experience of teaching across such a wide range of ages has given me a unique bird’s-eye perspective on the education system. I’ve been able to see not only what children are learning at each stage, but also how the skills and logic they develop early on shape everything that comes later. This perspective ultimately led to the unique curriculum design that is bespoke to Windows into Wonder, shaped by a philosophy of intentionally developing the foundational knowledge and skills children need.

I’m passionate about creating curriculum that is academically rigorous while remaining engaging, accessible, and responsive to the ways children learn and make sense of the world. I also understand that choosing a curriculum is an act of trust. Every lesson is created with the hope that it will not only help a child learn something new, but also nurture their confidence, curiosity, and desire to keep discovering.

Our Philosophy

Learning through story

Narrative gives learning a human context. Rather than presenting information as isolated facts, Windows into Wonder uses stories to place ideas within experiences of work, wonder, discovery, challenge, relationship, and belonging. Through narrative, learners encounter academic concepts as part of a larger human experience and are invited to consider not only what people have learned, but why it matters.

Spiral Learning

Windows into Wonder follows a spiral approach, intentionally revisiting important ideas and skills throughout the unit. Concepts return in new contexts, with increasing depth and complexity. This allows learners to build connections over time while developing automaticity with foundational skills through meaningful repetition and freeing their attention for more complex thinking and discovery.

Accessibility

Learning should not depend upon having abundant resources, time, or energy. Windows into Wonder is intentionally designed with accessible materials, flexible pacing, and low-preparation activities wherever possible. The goal is to make rich learning experiences attainable without requiring specialized equipment or extensive preparation.

Communal Learning

Learning is most meaningful when the learner can see themselves as part of something larger. Windows into Wonder encourages learners to recognize their place within an expanding circle of connection from themselves, to their family, to their neighborhood, to their community, and ultimately to the wider ecosystem. We believe learning also creates opportunities for intergenerational knowledge transfer, recognizing that wisdom, skills, stories, and traditions can be shared across generations. In this way, learning becomes an opportunity to notice how people, places, and living things depend upon one another and how even small contributions can have meaning.

Wonder before answers

Windows into Wonder places curiosity before certainty. Learners are encouraged to observe, question, predict, investigate, reflect, and become co-creators in their educational journey. This cultivates habits of mind that extend beyond any individual lesson and helps learners become confident, capable, and resilient people.

Curriculum Philosophy

  • Windows into Wonder is not a Charlotte Mason curriculum, but families may recognize some shared elements. Windows into Wonder incorporates poetry, literature, art appreciation, nature, hands-on experiences, and an emphasis on wonder and meaningful connections.

    However, Windows into Wonder has its own distinct framework. Its four core subjects, Language Arts, Mathematics, Science, and Social Studies, are intentionally integrated around shared themes, creating a cohesive learning experience while still providing structured academic instruction.

  • Windows into Wonder is not a Montessori curriculum, but it shares some values with the Montessori approach, particularly an emphasis on hands-on learning, independence, real-world experiences, and following a child's natural curiosity.

    Windows into Wonder also differs from Montessori in important ways. It uses a structured, integrated curriculum that connects Language Arts, Mathematics, Science, and Social Studies through shared themes, narratives, and hands-on activities.

  • Windows into Wonder is not a Waldorf curriculum, but it shares some elements that Waldorf families may find familiar, including an emphasis on story, imagination, nature, seasonal rhythms, artistic expression, and learning through meaningful experiences.

    Windows into Wonder, however, differs from Waldorf in several significant ways. It provides a structured, integrated academic curriculum connecting Language Arts, Mathematics, Science, and Social Studies through shared themes, while incorporating hands-on activities, literature, art, and opportunities for students to make connections across subjects.

  • Yes! Windows into Wonder can be a wonderful fit for roadschooling and worldschooling families because its learning is organized around flexible, meaningful themes rather than a rigid daily schedule. Lessons invite children to observe, explore, create, read, investigate, and make connections with the world around them.

    The integrated structure also makes it easy to connect your travels and experiences to what your child is learning, whether you're exploring a new landscape, visiting a museum, learning about local history, or simply noticing the world around you.

  • Yes, Windows into Wonder is informed by evidence-based educational practices, but it is not a curriculum built around a single educational model or research study. Its approach draws on established principles of child development, literacy, inquiry-based learning, hands-on learning, interdisciplinary connections, and social-emotional development.

    Windows into Wonder also brings these ideas together through its own spiral, integrated framework, designed to give children repeated opportunities to encounter concepts, make connections, and build understanding over time.

  • Yes, Windows into Wonder is standards-aligned. Windows into Wonder is aligned with Washington State Learning Standards and the Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS). Specific standards are listed in the Instructor Guide for every unit, making it easy for educators to see which standards are addressed throughout the curriculum.

    However, because state requirements and regulations may vary, it is each family’s responsibility to review their state’s specific requirements and ensure that Windows into Wonder meets the standards and regulations applicable to them.

  • Yes, Windows into Wonder is a secular curriculum. It does not teach or promote a particular religion, denomination, or religious worldview.

    Windows into Wonder explores nature, history, culture, literature, art, and human experience from an inclusive, educational perspective. Families from a wide range of backgrounds can use the curriculum.

  • Interdisciplinary learning means connecting ideas and skills from different subject areas so children can understand how knowledge works together in the real world.

    In Windows into Wonder, subjects are not taught as isolated pieces of information. Instead, language arts, math, science, and social studies are intentionally woven together through shared stories, questions, experiences, and themes. A concept introduced in one subject may become a tool for thinking in another, helping children build connections and see how different kinds of knowledge support one another.

    This approach also reflects how learning happens naturally. Children do not experience the world in separate “subjects.” They read, measure, observe, ask questions, solve problems, and make connections all at once. Windows into Wonder is designed to honor that natural way of learning while still providing intentional, standards-aligned instruction in each subject area.

    The result is a curriculum where each lesson contributes to a larger web of understanding, rather than functioning as a standalone activity.

Using Windows into Wonder

  • A typical day of using Windows into Wonder follows a simple, predictable rhythm:

    Wonder Prelude (5 minutes)

    Four Lessons (60 minutes)

    Wonder Together (5 minutes)

    The “Wonder Prelude” introduces the day's theme or idea and helps set the stage for learning. Then, students move through four lessons in the core subjects: Language Arts, Mathematics, Science, and Social Studies. The day concludes with “Wonder Together”, a shared activity that brings ideas from the day's lessons together.

    Each individual lesson follows a straightforward structure: a short narrative introduces the new concept or skill, followed by direct practice of that new skill. This gives children an opportunity to encounter an idea in context and then immediately put their new understanding into practice.

  • Most individual lessons take about 15–20 minutes to complete. This keeps the daily rhythm manageable while still giving children enough time to engage with the new concept and practice the skill.

    Some activities may take a little more or less time depending on the child, the lesson, and how deeply your family chooses to explore the idea.

  • Yes! Windows into Wonder is designed to be open-and-go, especially for parents who want a clear structure without having to spend hours preparing lessons ahead of time.

    The Instructor Guide provides the guidance you need for each lesson, while the Student Book contains the learning activities. Open the book, follow the lesson, and begin your day of learning.

  • Windows into Wonder is designed to use simple, affordable materials that families can easily find at home. Most lessons do not require expensive specialty supplies or large collections of manipulatives.

    When a lesson calls for additional materials, the Instructor Guide identifies what you’ll need ahead of time. The goal is to keep learning hands-on and engaging without making preparation complicated or costly.

  • Yes! Windows into Wonder can work well for homeschool co-ops and learning pods. Its integrated, hands-on approach gives groups opportunities to learn, discuss, explore, and create together, while the individual lessons provide a clear structure for instruction.

    Each purchase is intended for use by one household, so co-ops or pods with multiple households should purchase a separate copy for each participating household.

  • Yes, Windows into Wonder can be used by charter school families and educators, provided the curriculum meets the requirements of their particular charter program.

    Windows into Wonder is designed to be flexible, standards-aligned, and easy to adapt to different learning environments.

    As with co-ops and learning pods, each purchase is intended for one household. If multiple households or classrooms will be using Windows into Wonder, each should have its own copy. For charter school rates or questions about larger-scale use, please contact Windows into Wonder directly.

  • Each Windows into Wonder unit includes:

    • One Student Book

    • One Instructor Guide

    • Two graded-readers

    • Any other necessary items such as letters or maps that complete the narrative experience

    Everything is thoughtfully packaged and prepared for your learning experience.

  • The Instructor Guide is designed to give you both the big-picture structure and the day-to-day support you need to use Windows into Wonder. It includes:

    • Curriculum Scope for an overview of the year’s learning

    • Unit Guide for understanding the themes, goals, and structure of a particular unit

    • Weekly & Daily Rhythm Suggestions to help you plan your learning days

    • Standards Alignment for that unit

    • Individual Lesson Guides with guidance for teaching each lesson

    • Continue the Wonder with ideas for extending learning beyond the core lessons

    • Suggested Reading List with additional books to enrich the unit

    Together, these resources make it easy to understand where you're going, what you're teaching, and how to extend the learning when you're ready.

  • The Student Book is where your child does the work of learning. It includes the daily lesson activities, warm-ups, practice, prompts, and spaces for students to record their reflections and complete their work.

    Each unit brings together Language Arts, Mathematics, Science, and Social Studies as well as art and poetry appreciation and social-emotional development. Following the central theme, your child will complete hands-on activities, weekly projects, and make connections across subjects.

Support & Accessibility

  • Yes! Windows into Wonder is designed to be approachable for parents, including those without formal teaching experience. The Instructor Guide provides the guidance and structure you need to confidently work through each unit, while the student book gives your child clear, engaging activities to complete.

    Windows into Wonder is designed to help parents facilitate learning rather than feel like they need to become a teacher overnight. The lessons provide a framework while leaving room for conversation, exploration, and following your child’s curiosity.

  • Yes. The Instructor Guide is designed to help parents and educators feel supported when a lesson doesn’t go as planned. Each individual lesson plan includes a “Possible Problems & Solutions” section with practical suggestions for addressing common challenges and helping learners move forward.

    Windows into Wonder recognizes that learning doesn’t always happen perfectly the first time. The goal is to give you enough guidance to adapt, troubleshoot, and keep the learning experience positive.

  • Yes! Windows into Wonder includes opportunities to extend learning when a child is ready for more. The “Wonder Beyond” section in the Instructor Guide provides ideas for taking individual lessons further, offering additional questions, challenges, or ways to explore the concept in greater depth.

    Be sure to check out our Resources page for free practice worksheets and additional activities you can use to extend learning when your learner is ready for more practice.

  • Yes. Windows into Wonder is designed with flexibility in mind, and lessons can be adapted to accommodate children with different physical abilities.

    The individual lesson plans in the Instructor Guide include ideas for differentiation under “Possible Problems & Solutions,” offering suggestions for adapting activities when a child may need an alternative way to participate.

    Windows into Wonder encourages educators to focus on the learning goal rather than a single way of completing an activity, allowing children to engage with the material in ways that work for them.

  • Windows into Wonder approaches history with care, respect, and age-appropriate context. We aim to represent cultures and communities without stereotypes or caricatures. Indigenous peoples, for example, are presented as distinct, living communities with their own histories, cultures, knowledge, and perspectives, not simply as relics of the past. We recognize that respectful representation is an ongoing responsibility and continually review our content with this in mind.

Future & Community

  • Yes! We recognize that some families love having additional activities and enrichment opportunities to explore alongside the core curriculum. Every unit will eventually have optional extensions in art, music, outdoorsmanship, cooking, French, and Spanish. These are designed to enrich the learning experience without being required to complete the core curriculum.

    We can’t wait for you to meet the rest of the Wonder Guides!

  • Windows into Wonder was purposefully designed as a performance-based learning system, with students demonstrating their understanding through projects, activities, and discussion rather than relying primarily on traditional tests. We are, however, also developing summative assessment materials for future releases.

  • Yes! Little Windows will provide curriculum for Pre-K and Kindergarten, while Windows into Wonder will eventually extend through 5th grade. We’re excited to grow the Wonder world with your family!

  • The Wonder Circle is a special community for the first 100 Windows into Wonder families. As an early member, you’ll receive exclusive lifetime benefits and become part of the first families helping bring the Wonder world to life.

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