Successful people don’t only ask questions, they search for the questions to ask. They are curious, and they deliber-ately craft questions designed to gather the sort of information required. This HABIT OF THE MONTH is about creating a classroom of Powerful Questions. Just like our habit from last month, Turn and Talk to Your Partner, consistently using Powerful Questions is a teacher habit.
There are many different reasons to ask questions. Sometimes we need a specific answer. Other times we might want to open a discussion. It is critical that we use Powerful Questions and that we teach the art of developing questions to our students. Knowing when to ask the “right” question can greatly impact discussions, study, and learning. Make it your HABIT OF THE MONTH to grow in your own understanding of the three levels of ques-tions explained below and to spend time in class helping students learn to understand and craft their own questions.
Art Costa’s Three Levels of Questions: Level 1—INPUT- An input question asks a simple fact requiring little engagement. The student either knows the answer or can easily find the answer in text. Some of the verbs used in Level 1 questions are define, describe, iden-tify, list, name, observe, recite.
Level 2—PROCESS-A process question engages the student’s brain in seeking patterns between and among facts and concepts. The student must use information learned or found in text and think about that information in order to infer answers to questions. Some of the verbs used in Level 2 questions are analyze, compare, contrast, group, se-quence, synthesize.
Level 3—OUTPUT— An output question requires students to apply their understanding in a new situation -- or to synthesize and evaluate their knowledge -- to stretch their conceptual framework. Some of the verbs used in Level 3 questions are apply, evaluate, hypothesize, imagine, judge, predict, speculate.
ISSUE 2 V OLUME 2 SEPTEMBER, 2014
P R O V I D I N G I N F O R M A T I O N AN D R E S O U R C E S A S W E
M O V E I N T O T H E F U T U R E W I T H M U S K O G E E S C H O O L S
MPS HABIT OF THE MONTH Powerful Questions
Teacher Trainers, MPS
HABIT OF THE MONTH, MPS, 2014-2015 Talking to Learn Reading to Learn Writing to Learn August: Talk to Your Partner Nov/Dec: March: September: Powerful Questions January: April: October: February: May:
Art Costa’s Three Levels of Questions are often illustrated as a Three Story House. This site offers many resources to “build” upon this house including question stems, signal words, explanations, and even a lesson to use with students: http://schools.birdvilleschools.net/Page/2167
VIDEO RESOURCES . . . Check out this flipped classroom video! The teacher introduces his students to the three levels of questions: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gJZtrrI2M_Y
These sixth grade students write the questions for class using several methods: https://www.teachingchannel.org/videos/developing-better-questions
