Definition:

to be amazed at and/or curious about something that is pleasantly unexpected, beautiful, or  mysterious. 

In short:

Curiosity sparks endless discovery. 

Summary:
A boy lives in a tropical place near the water. He is now old enough to travel on his own. He  navigates a small boat over rough waters, through a mangrove forest, and a dark jungle. Sometimes he is scared, but he is also able to enjoy the thrill of the adventure. His journey ends when he arrives at his school to join classmates on the first day!  

Lesson Objectives: 

1. Students learn that some children have to work very hard to get to school, like the boy in the story. 
2. The boy’s curiosity and courage inspires students to be more willing to explore the interesting and wonderful world they live in - one that could be just as interesting as the one in the story if they look hard enough! 

Guiding Questions: 

1. On the first page it says where the boy lives, “where the great river, mother Mekong, tumbles into the endless sea.”  Try to find the exact location on a map. Hint: it’s in a country called Viet Nam, which is in Asia.  
2. When the story started did you guess where the boy was going in the boat? 
3. Describe what kind of place the boy lived in. How is it the same or different from where you live? 
4. If you were the boy in the story do you think you would be nervous about going to school in the boat? What were some of the challenges he faced during the trip? 
5. Were you surprised when you found out he had to go to school by boat? How do you get to school? 
6. How old do you think the boy is? Why do you think his parents let him go by himself?
7. What were some of the exciting parts of the boy’s journey? 
8. Do you remember your first day of school? What was it like? 
9. Try to remember an adventure you had when you did something or visited some place new. What was special about it?