The Power of Essential The Power of Essential QuestionsQuestions

The Question is the answer!The Question is the answer! Anu PandeAnu Pande

Liberty High SchoolLiberty High School

Today we will examine: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?

Essential Questions are: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

Which Questions Matter ?Which Questions Matter ?

• Prime questions:

• Why?Why?

• How?How?

• Which?Which?

• Not whatNot what

Why?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

How?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

Which?Which?

• Requires thoughtful decision-making based on clearly stated evidence

• Who we will become-Which path will I follow?

• Choice with criteria and evidence

Essential Questions-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

The Depth of our Thinking The Depth of our Thinking is realized in the Quality is realized in the Quality

of our Questions!of our Questions!Raising the bar:

Be sure your higher level questioning Be sure your higher level questioning is also present in your assessments.is also present in your assessments.