Guiding+Questions

__Guiding Questions in the Classroom__ Present one of these question to a student (modified to the subject you are studying) as a beginning questions. After they begin researching and forming answers, begin to ask more detailed questions to guide their responses.Students should then come to conclusions which they can back up with evidence.
 * Guiding Questions **

__I____ndividualization and Differentiation__ Questioning leads to a great deal of differentiation, because students may find the answer any way they want, by asking the teacher, looking it up on the internet, asking a friend, etc. This means also that the teacher doesn't spend any time lecturing at the front of the classroom, rather she/ he presents the questions and then guides the students where to find the answers. Formats should be varied, so as to avoid boredom; such as, make it a competition between two or four teams, assign small groups, impose restrictions such as "no computers," time limitations, "use a new resource," etc.If possible try to make the questions so that all students can relate them to their **own unique passions. ** Teachers can do this as they present the questions to small groups or individual students, for example if you ask "what are fractions and why do we need them?" you can appeal to individual interests such as how fractions are used in art, music, dance, sports, etc. Teachers should encourage students to link their passions to curriculum regularly, to do it on their own without being prompted, so that they make meaningful connections.

__Examples__  __Testing your questions__ You can determine whether your guiding questions are good or bad by looking for these things:
 * What effect do plants in your environment have on the air quality?
 * How are sounds made?
 * How could we make our community better for its citizens?
 * When is war justified?
 * What makes someone a hero?
 * <span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 13px;">How can we design the best networking plan for a school or business?
 * <span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 13px;">How can we use mathematics to design a roller coaster or holes for a miniature golf course?
 * <span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 13px;">How could global warming affect our community?
 * <span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 13px;">Can we capture the spirit of our city in art, music, poetry?
 * <span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 13px;">How can we plan an effective campaign to prevent water pollution in the lake?
 * <span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 13px;">How can we design a web site for teenagers about books they like?
 * <span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 13px;">Is our soil healthy enough to support a vegetable garden?
 * <span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 13px;">How do architects use geometry?
 * <span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 13px;">How does technology make war more or less humane?
 * <span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 13px;">How can childhood memories show who we are today?
 * <span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 13px;">What are the positive and negative results of genetically modifying organisms?


 * <span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 13px;">Bad: **
 * <span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 13px;">Can be answered simply, with a right answer
 * <span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 13px;">do not have multiple solutions and sub questions for students to explore
 * <span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 13px;">do not fit in the time frame available (too broad or too narrow)
 * <span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 13px;">are phrased in too academic or jargon-based a style
 * <span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 13px;">have no actions associated with them, that is, the answers don't cause students to do anything
 * <span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 13px;">Good: **
 * <span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 13px;">Have multiple solutions
 * <span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 13px;">have local and global implications
 * <span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 13px;">have practical results
 * <span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 13px;">students react by saying "that's a good question"
 * <span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 13px;">can be adapted to different student interests and passions
 * <span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 13px;">lead students to real actions that change the world

References for this page: Prensky, M. (2010). //Teaching Digital Natives: Partnering for real learning.// Thousand Oaks, CA: Corwin Press.