Quick, Quality, Question Cards for Differentiating Curriculum with

Dimensions of Depth and Complexity

“Districts meet the needs of gifted/talented students by modifying the depth, complexity, and pacing of the curriculum and instruction ordinarily provided by the school.”

From: Texas State Plan for the Education of Gifted/Talented Students, TEA, 2009

Q3 Cards are a tool to quickly develop quality questions to differentiate content according to the elements of depth and complexity.

They contain question stems based on the elements of depth and complexity as defined in Sandra Kaplan’s model.

They can be used by the teacher or by the student. (They can also be used by parents.)

Why Q3 Cards?

Dr. Sandra Kaplan’s Model of Depth and Complexity provides teachers with a tool to help students:

1)Develop a deeper understanding of the curriculum through investigating layers of experience (depth),

2)Discover relationships/make connections with what they have learned to other content (complexity).

Language of the Discipline

Details Patterns Trends Unanswered Questions Rules Ethics Big Idea

specialized vocabulary names of skills or tasks particular to people working within the discipline

tools used by the discipline symbols and jargon used in a field

What specialized language is needed to define and/or describe this topic?

How would this topic best be described by people working in this area, field, or discipline?

attributes/characteristics parts/factors/variables facts/information/data/evidence elaboration/embellishment

What are its attributes?What distinguishes this from other things?What features characterize this?What are the parts or specific elements?

repetition in ideas, elements, or events form (i.e. template, blueprint, sewing pattern)

provides predictability and shows relationships

What are the reoccurring events?What elements, events, and ideas are repeated over time?

What was the order of events?How can we predict what will come next?How can we make another just like this?

forces which influence or cause change ongoing factors direction courses of action can be social, political, economic, religious, etc.

What are the external factors affecting the information about this topic?

What ongoing factors have influenced this topic?

What actions affected the development of the ideas about this topic?

discrepancies missing parts unclear ideas incomplete ideas

What ideas remain unclear or incomplete about this topic?

What information is still ambiguous about this topic?

What ideas are still unresolved about this topic?

What information is relevant to this topic but is still

unavailable? SPARKS NEW RESEARCH!

structure order hierarchy explanation/guideline explicit/implicit; written/unwritten; natural/man-made; proven/unproven

How is this topic structured?What are the guidelines or regulations affecting this topic?

What hierarchy or ordering principle is at work?

looking at opposing sides of an issue arguing from different points of view examining different opinions investigating controversies, dilemmas, prejudice, discrimination

What dilemmas or controversies exist regarding this topic?

What arguments could emerge from a study of this topic?

What elements can be identified that reflect bias, prejudice, and/or discrimination?

generalizations principles theories laws helps student gain a greater understanding of a discipline

What overarching statement best describes what is being studied?

Which ideas are best included in this general statement?

What law or principle is at work?

Over Time Different Perspectives Interdisciplinary Relations

relationship between the past, present, and future

relationships within a time period correlations/reflections/connections

How does the passage of time affect this topic?

How are the ideas related between the past, present, and future?

How are these ideas related within or during a particular time period?

What perspectives does time provide in understanding this topic?

How and why do things change or remain the same?

multiple perspectives opposing viewpoints differing roles and knowledge helps achieve flexibility of thought

What are the opposing points of view?How do different people and characters see this event or situation?

How does viewing from different perspectives help you understand an event, body of knowledge, or set of ideas?

relationships within the discipline relationships between the disciplines relationships across the disciplines

What are the common elements among the topics from the different disciplines?

How does this idea relate to all of these topics across the disciplines?

How do each of these topics across the disciplines contribute meaning to this idea?

1. THE TEACHER in creating curriculum and instruction which provides opportunities for high level thinking;

2. STUDENTS in completing activities which provide appropriate challenge; and

3. PARENTS in offering opportunities for their

children to improve their thinking

skills at home.

For the Teacher:

1) Hook/culminating question2) Discussion questions used during

the lesson3) Tiered assignment

Examples: Language of the Discipline:

What specialized language is needed to define and/or describe a habitat?

Details: What distinguishes a desert

from grasslands? Patterns:

What elements are repeated in all of these habitats: desert, grassland, tundra, coral reef?

Examples: Language of the Discipline:

What specialized language is needed to define and/or describe a polygon?

Details: What distinguishes a concave

polygon from a convex polygon? Patterns:

What elements are repeated in all of these polygons: quadrilateral,

pentagon, decagon?

Example: Language of the Discipline:

What specialized language is needed to define and/or describe the civil rights

movement? Details:

What distinguishes the 13th, 14th, and 15th amendments from the earlier amendments to the Constitution? Patterns:

What elements are repeated in the civil

rights movement during the 18th, 19th,

and 20th centuries?

Your Turn:

In groups, use the Q3 cards given to you to develop a question that could be used in your classroom as a hook or culminating activity.

Examples: Patterns:

What elements, events, or ideas are repeated in this chapter of Where

the Red Fern Grows? Trends:

What factors contributed to the conflict in this chapter?

Multiple Perspectives:How did Billy’s parents view his

situation differently from him? Big Idea:

Based on what you have read so far, what do you think is the theme of this story?

Example: Patterns:

What elements, events, or ideas are repeated in this chapter of Lord of the Flies?

Trends:What factors contributed to the

conflict in this chapter? Multiple Perspectives:

How did Jack view his situation differently from Ralph?

Big Idea:Based on what you have read so far,

what do you think is one theme of this story?

Group 1 Language of the Discipline:

What words would an election judge use to

describe an election? Details:

What features characterize an election?

Patterns:What reoccurring events occur in an

election?

Group 2 Trends:

What ongoing factors have influenced elections?

Rules:Explain the overt and covert

rules affecting elections. Unanswered Questions:

What ideas are still unresolved/not settled about elections?

Group 3 Ethics:

What dilemmas or controversies are involved in elections?

Multiple Perspectives:How might the following people

view an election differently: a voter, a politician, an incumbent, an opponent, a sociologist, a political scientist?

Big Idea:What general statement sums up all

we have discussed regarding elections?

Group 1 Language of the Discipline:

What words would a biologist use to

describe DNA replication? Details:

What are the components of DNA replication? Patterns:

What reoccurring events occur in DNA

replication?

Group 2 Trends:

What ongoing factors influence DNA replication? Rules:

What hidden rules of order are found in

DNA replication? Unanswered Questions:

What is still not understood about DNA

replication?

Group 3 Ethics:

What dilemmas or controversies are involved in controlling DNA

replication? Multiple Perspectives:

How might the following people view DNA replication differently: an

average citizen, a geneticist, a politician,

a religious leader, a farmer/rancher?

Big Idea:What general statement sums up all we have discussed regarding DNA

replication?

For the Student:

1) Introducing a topic/concept2) Developing a topic/concept3) Reviewing a topic/concept

Example: ◦Students read an article/selected excerpt or view a video clip designed to introduce the topic. Then they select a card to develop a question based on the information learned. With a partner, or in a small group, students would exchange questions and discuss answers.

Example:◦Students select a card to use in writing a question about the topic/concept introduced in the lesson. Students write the question on one side of a note card and the answer on the other side. Students take their note card and participate in an Inner Circle/Outer Circle activity (concentric circles are formed with the students facing each other). Partners share both their questions and answers. Then the outer circle rotates so that new partners are formed. The activity is repeated until students

◦ have heard from several partners.

Example:◦In groups of 4, students select 4 cards, each of a different type, to develop 4 questions to review information learned in the lesson/unit. Together, students write answers to these questions. When finished, each student in the group finds 3 different partners to form a new group of 4. Students then share both questions and answers to review the information/

◦ prepare for a test.

Place one card on each student’s desk at the beginning of the day/class as an idea starter for journal writing.

Give each student one card a few minutes before the end of class to use for writing a “ticket out of the door.”

Select a card to write an essay question for a test.

Write one question on each face of a cube and let students roll as a die. They answer the question that lands on top.

Select cards to use when helping your child think about making good decisions. i.e. What are the attributes of wise spending?, What are the reasons, motivations, or events that underlie impulse spending?

Select cards to use in asking questions in discussing a family activity.◦ i.e. What variables would have changed the outcome of the game?

Select cards to use in asking questions when reading with your child.◦ i.e. What hidden rules of order are found on Zuckerman’s farm?

Select cards to use in asking questions to guide your child while researching a topic of interest.◦ i.e. Describe the principles of motion at work in flight.

Select a card to use as a discussion starter at the dinner table.

Play a game by placing the deck of cards in the center of the table and taking turns in selecting a card. The player completes and answers the question. Each player who can complete and answer the question gets a point. To make the game more challenging, each player selects a card and completes the question, but the next player answers the question to get a point.