Planning with essential questions
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An essential question guides meaningful inquiry into big ideas by provoking discussion, debate, and new understanding. It requires students to consider alternatives, weigh evidence, and justify their answers rather than having a single simple answer. An essential question sparks ongoing thinking about assumptions and connections to prior learning in a way that leads to further questions and transfer of learning.
Planning with essential questions
- 1. Planning with Essential Questions Imagine Prep at Surprise John Buzzard
- 2. What is an essential question? A question is essential when it: causes genuine and relevant inquiry into the big ideas and core content; provokes deep thought, lively discussion, sustained inquiry, and new understanding as well as more questions; Source: Wiggins, Grant What is an essential Question www.authenticlearning.org/big ideas/index.lasso Nov 15, 2007
- 3. What is an essential question (2) A question is essential when it: requires students to consider alternatives, weigh evidence, support their ideas, and justify their answers; stimulates vital, on-going rethinking of big ideas, assumptions, and prior lessons; Source: Wiggins, Grant What is an essential Question www.authenticlearning.org/big ideas/index.lasso Nov 15, 2007
- 4. Essential Questions What is one? What isnt one? How do they guide inquiry and learning? How do they lead to projects and exhibitions? How do I use essential questions to plan my class? How do I help students understand and work with essential questions?
- 5. What is an essential question (3) A question is essential when it: sparks meaningful connections with prior learning and personal experiences; naturally recurs, creating opportunities for transfer to other situations and subjects Source: Wiggins, Grant What is an essential Question www.authenticlearning.org/big ideas/index.lasso Nov 15, 2007
- 6. So what does that mean? An essential question guides students to ask their own questions, to question deeper elements of a topic or concept, and to create their own understanding of the world. For example, lets take a look at the essential question:
- 7. Defining an essential question Some qualities of this question: It is clear and brief. It does not have a simple answer. It demands further research and inquiry. Two people could give very strong answers without agreeing on their answers at all. It is not a topic in disguise it is an engaging direction for learning.
- 8. Topic vs Essential Question Topics are: Essential Questions are: Noun - focused Focused on comparisions Interdisciplinary Located within one subject. Big picture Dull and vague Engaging Student -centered Examples: World War II Aircraft Examples: What WW II era plane had the Haikus greatest effect on warfare? Meiosis and Mitosis How can fewer words communicate more? What is the most effective kind of reproduction in the animal world and why?
- 9. Dont just translate a topic Often standards are presented Instead, create questions that as chunks of knowledge to be you would be interested in learned. Avoid simply discussing or researching. assigning a topic by turning it into a question i.e. dont use essential questions like: What World War II innovation Why is World War II has had the greatest effect on important? your life? What are the main steps to doing scientific research?
- 10. Get more information http://www.edutopia.org/teaching-module-pbl- how General information http://www.edutopia.org/teaching-module-pbl- resources#pbl_ppt (read through the power point and engage in some of the activities.)