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From Objective to Essential Question

From Objective to Essential Question. Promoting Higher-Order Thinking and Retention. What are Essential Questions?. Our Understanding – 1 to 5 Thinking in Essential Questions vs. Objectives Traits and Examples of Overarching Essential Questions. Statements/Objectives.

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From Objective to Essential Question

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  1. From Objective to Essential Question Promoting Higher-Order Thinking and Retention

  2. What are Essential Questions? • Our Understanding – 1 to 5 • Thinking in Essential Questions vs. Objectives • Traits and Examples of Overarching Essential Questions

  3. Statements/Objectives • Why are questions valued over statements? • Promotes student-inquiry • Develops responsibility on the part of the student • Initiates discussion • Provides an opportunity for parents to become an integral part of learning • Relieves anxiety for some students

  4. Working Definition of EQ • Define Essential Question • http://www.teachertube.com/view_video.php?viewkey=8f70b8321b95e2f1a84e • Is there anything you want to add to your definition after viewing the video?

  5. Define Essential Questions • Conceptual • Suggest inquiry • Set the focus for the lesson or unit • Initiators of creative and critical thinking. • Focus on key concepts implicit in the curriculum

  6. Overarching Essential Questions • Open-ended questions requiring students to use prior knowledge, new information, and individual research/experiences • Encourage analysis, synthesis, and evaluation • One to three per unit • “Big” questions students should be able to answer at the end of each unit

  7. Why Essential Questions? "Essential questions are important because they connect classroom work to the large and enduring issues that affect our lives. They are the links that make expeditions relevant, connecting the curriculum to actual concerns that young people face. They also provide an invitation into critical thinking, providing chances to coach young people to think clearly, precisely, accurately, and reasonably about things that matter" (Umphrey, 2005).

  8. Getting Started with Stepping Stones • Background knowledge • Literal • Concrete with specific correct answers • The student-friendly objective turned into a question • Different questions every day or two • Reflect Bloom’s Remembering and Understanding levels

  9. How can I tell if a question is Essential? • solicits evaluation of data • helps students conduct analysis through problem-related research • makes students produce original ideas rather than predetermined answers • encourages critical thinking not just memorization of facts.

  10. Remembering Understanding Applying Analyzing Evaluating Creating “Is my Question Essential?” Activity

  11. What should the EQ classroom look like? • Overarching Essential Questions • Course-long • Unit-long • Week-long • Day-long • Supporting Questions (Stepping Stones) • Interest-generating questions • Student-friendly objective turned into a question • Leading questions • Somewhat closed questions to solicit facts and build background knowledge

  12. Criteria for Essential Questions  • Easy to understand • No difficult vocabulary • Broad terms • Much to interpret • Posted in the classroom

  13. Learning to Write Stepping Stone Questions • What is your teaching objective? • Write the objective as a question. • Do you need smaller key questions? • Rewrite if necessary to make sure learners understand the question(s).

  14. Essential Questions • How do we present Essential Questions to our students? • Traditional – Board, Overhead, Handout, Oral, Online, Student-Generated

  15. Session EQ • How could the use of high quality overarching essential questions change the way my students approach learning? • Two minutes • Report

  16. References (1996). From now on. Retrieved August 1, 2008, from FNO.org Web site: http://www.fno.org/sept96/questions.html (2002). Writing essential questions. Retrieved August 1, 2008, from myprojectpages.com Web site: http://www.myprojectpages.com/support/ess_questpopup.htm (2004). Themes & essential questions: Framing inquiry & promoting critical thinking. Retrieved August 1, 2008, from Greece Central School District Web site: http://www.greece.k12.ny.us/instruction/ela/6-12/essential%20questions/Index.htm (2005). Essential questions. Retrieved August 1, 2008, from The Question Mark Web site: http://questioning.org/mar05/essential.html (2008). Essential questions. Retrieved August 1, 2008, from Spartanburg School District 3 Web site: http://www.spa3.k12.sc.us/essentialquest.htm Nellan, Ted (2008). What is an essential question?. Retrieved August 1, 2008, from The Nellan Family Jewels Web site: http://www.tnellen.com/alt/essential.html Wiggins, G., What is an essential question?. Retrieved August 17, 2008 from Big ideas, an authentic e-journal: Web site: http://www.authenticeducation.org/bigideas/article.lasso?artId=53

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