Your Students Have Been Working on Developing Questions. Now What?

Question Formulation Technique: What's Next?

Longtime readers know that I'm a huge fan of Harvard University's Right Question Institute and their Question Formulation Technique. You'll also know that teaching students to develop questions is one of the social studies skills included in the new standards.  

But what comes next? Developing questions is just the first of our six new social studies skills. (The second is "Plan inquiries.") As importantly, if students just ask questions without any follow-up, there's a risk of them thinking that the activity is make work. 

Not too long ago, the RQI's newsletter focused on answering how teachers can use student-generated questions to drive learning. Here's material, copied shamelessly from their newsletter: 

Video: Using student questions to drive learning

Educators often wonder what to do with questions their students have generated. As Kim Sergent, a social studies instructional specialist, notes, "If you don't use them" (the questions) "you will lose them" (the students). In this video, educators talk about different ways they use student-generated questions — specifically, questions about primary sources. 

Blog: 'Next steps': examples from first-grade
First-grade teachers Ashleigh Burry and Kristy Mandel provide some more examples of what to do with students' questions, including reading and writing exercises, project-based learning, and activities like "wonder wall" and "exploration hour." 

Handout: More 'next steps' ideas and examples (You'll need to complete RQI's free registration to access this material)
We've compiled a list of more examples, based on insights from hundreds of teachers, and put them on continuum: From quick "exit tickets" to multi-day projects, student questions can drive the next steps of learning, no matter what your time frame or objectives. 

More on Developing Questions

Looking for more on getting students to ask questions? Check out this Education Week article, "10 Strategies for Encouraging Students to Ask Questions." 

More on Teaching Social Studies Skills

Teachers from across the state will be gathering to share ideas about teaching social studies skills on Wednesday, March 16, from 4-5 on Zoom. Register here by March 15 to receive an invitation. (Attendees will earn one OPI Renewal Unit.)  

Speaking of workshops--there's still time to register to attend one of our FREE on-the-road educator workshops for six hours of engaging professional development with award-winning classroom teacher Jim Schulz. Jim conducts the best workshops I've ever been to, hands down, and this one includes resources for teaching students to evaluate sources (SS.K12.3). So join him in Great Falls (March 23), Butte (March 25), Missoula (March 28), Bozeman (April 4), Billings (April 6), or Miles City (April 7). Learn more and find a link to register here.