Essential+Questions

**// * A lesson is planned by the concept or skill, not a class period. It can be more than a day. //**
 * The Lesson Essential Question* **
 * Checklist on Observation Tool 2012-13: **
 * Appropriate to the State Standards and/or established Curriculum ||
 * Open-ended, requiring thinking and/or application ||
 * Written in student-friendly language / understandable to all ability levels ||
 * Used to introduce the lesson / guide instruction ||
 * Available to students throughout the period (posted, handed out, or written down) ||
 * Large enough to be broken down into assessment prompts ||
 * Referred to throughout the lesson (to maintain focus, or with assessment prompts) ||


 * ** What? ** || ** Why ** ? || ** When? ** || ** How? ** || ** Where? ** ||
 * The lesson essential question is the objective in the form of a question.

Assessment prompts define what students must learn in order to answer the essential question. || Organizes and sets the focus of the lesson.

Provides evidence of student learning. || Each lesson has an essential question asked at the beginning.

There is usually only one essential question per lesson.

Planning is by the concept or skill so there may not be a new essential question each day. || Make the objective into a question.

Focus on the learning, not the activity.

Write in student grade level language. || Posted sequentially for the unit as they are taught.

Accessible to students. ||


 * Essential Question Planning Questions **
 * 1) Is the Essential Question driven by State Standards?
 * 2) When answered at the end of the lesson, is it what I want students to know, understand or be able to do?
 * 3) Have I identified what students must learn in order to answer the essential question? (Assessment Prompts -- “What ‘chunks’ do I have to teach and assess for students to answer the LEQ?”)
 * What Makes an Essential Question Effective? **
 * It is posted in the classroom at the beginning of the lesson where it is easy to read
 * It is worthy of our time and likely to spark interest and awaken curiosity (it passes the “so what” test)
 * It has evident value, clear goals, and generates more ideas, connections and challenges the more it is pursued
 * It engages the learner, activates prior knowledge, focuses on the learning and stimulates thinking
 * It is written so students can understand it (kid friendly)
 * It is open-ended and requires higher order thinking, problem-solving, or decision-making skills
 * It would require students to learn several things along the way before answering it (Assessment Prompts)
 * It serves as a summarizing or formative assessment tool when answered
 * How Do You Use Essential Questions? **
 * Introduce a lesson
 * Make sure students understand the question and that they are responsible for answering it at the end of the lesson
 * Refer to the question during the lesson often to gather evidence of learning throughout the lesson and to maintain focus
 * Assess student learning by ensuring they can answer the question at the end of the lesson


 * Essential Questions Stems/ Examples **
 * How would you recognize a __________ if you saw one?
 * How do readers _______________________to better understand what they read?
 * How do writers _________________________________?
 * How do I solve _________________________________?
 * What is the relationship between __________ and __________?
 * What were the major causes and effects of ________________________?
 * Why would we study __________________________________________?
 * How are ______________________ useful in _________________________?
 * What influence did __________________________ have on _______________________?How does _________________________ impact _________________________?
 * What are the most effective ways to __________________________________?
 * How do we use _____________________________ to ____________________?
 * What are the essential components of ______________________________?
 * What can we learn from ____________________________________?
 * How can I identify _____________________________________?
 * What similarities exist in _____________________ and ____________________?
 * What are the responsibilities of _______________________________?
 * <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 19px;">How does _______________________ illustrate ___________________?
 * <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 19px;">How do ___________________ interact with __________________________ to ______________?
 * <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 19px;">What events led up to _______________________________?
 * <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 19px;">How can _________________________ be classified?
 * <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 19px;">Where are _________________________ found in our world?
 * <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 19px;">How can you describe a missing ________________________?
 * <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 19px;">How do ______________________ and ______________________ work together to ________________?
 * <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 19px;">How do _____________________ reflect ____________________________?
 * <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 19px;">Where would I ever use __________________________ anyway?
 * <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 19px;">How can you use ______________________ to find ___________________________?
 * <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 19px;">What strategies can we use to solve __________________________?
 * <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 19px;">What are representations of ________________________________?
 * <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 19px;">How can we show ______________________________?