The Power of Essential Questions The Question is the answer! Anu Pande Liberty High School www.schoolofeducators.com
Today we will examine: Content objective: Participants will be able to write and connect an Essential Question to a lesson. Essential Question: Why are EQ’s crucial to learning? Bloom’s levels How do you write and connect an essential question to the lesson? Connect to your assessment? Which Essential Question should I choose? How do I implement the uses of the EQ? www.schoolofeducators.com
Essential Questions are: At the top of Bloom’s Taxonomy-students EVALUATE(make a thoughtful choice between options that are clearly stated) SYNTHESIZE (invent a new or different version) or to ANALYZE (develop a thorough and complex understanding through skillful questioning. Spark curiosity and connect to background knowledge Engage students in real life applied problem-solving suggested by NCTM and Science Standards, and across the professional literature Lend themselves to interdisciplinary connections and investigations that require APPLICATION. Students can learn to ask their own EQ’s www.schoolofeducators.com
Which Questions Matter ? Prime questions: Why? How? Which? Not what www.schoolofeducators.com
Why? Why do things happen the way they do? Why requires analysis of cause-effect variables. Leads naturally to problem-solving Basic Constructivist tool-figuring stuff out www.schoolofeducators.com
How? Basis for problem-solving and synthesis Used to pull and change things until a better version emerges Inventors favorite question How is about inquiry www.schoolofeducators.com
Which? Requires thoughtful decision-making based on clearly stated evidence Who we will become-Which path will I follow? Choice with criteria and evidence www.schoolofeducators.com
Essential Questions- Require higher level thinking not recall Enable students to make up their own minds! Foundation for Information Power, Engaged Learning and Information Literacy Great opportunity for formative assessment High achieving schools adopt a questioning toolkit-blended into each curriculum area www.schoolofeducators.com
The Depth of our Thinking is realized in the Quality of our Questions! Raising the bar: Be sure your higher level questioning is also present in your assessments. www.schoolofeducators.com