Questions, not statements will stimulate student curiosity to find the answers. Developing Essential Questions From:“Unwrapping” the Standards Presented by: Center for Performance Assessment

Essential Questions Cannot be answered with “yes” or “no” or with simple recall of facts Often written as “one-two punch” questions: “What are literary devices? Why do authors use them?” “What is estimation? When and how do we use it?”

Essential Questions Open-ended, yet focus inquiry into a specific topic Answering them requires high-level depth of knowledge Succinct – a few words that demand a lot

Criteria for Essential Questions

Essential Questions Inquiry Higher Level Thinking

Cause and Effect Problem Solving and Synthesis Decision Making Why How Which

Which is an essential question? When was Beethoven born? How does Beethoven’s music reflect the world in which he lived? Find a fact – low DOK Synthesize what you have learned about Beethoven, his life, where and when he lived, and his music – high DOK

Arithmetic What is a number? Why do we have numbers? What if we didn’t have numbers? Geography What makes places unique and different? How does where we live influence how we live? Government Who should decide? How should we balance the rights of individuals with the common good? Health What is healthful living? How can a diet be healthy for one person and not for another?

Examples of Units based on Essential Questions

From School Library Media Activities Monthly January 2010 Inquiry and Web 2.0 Tools Integration Guide RIEPS Resources and Files West Warwick Resources Inquiry and Web 2.0