Evaluating and Improving Questions
This 3-page packet for 7th graders guides students through evaluating the quality of a question using a checklist. Students will practice revising questions to be more open-ended and thought-provoking, building critical thinking and analytical skills.
“DIRECTIONS: Read the question below. Then, complete the note-catcher to determine if the question is ‘worthwhile’. If it is, write a follow-up question. If not, rewrite the question to be higher quality. EXAMPLE: "Why does Berea have no clear streets and why do they have more gardens than livable houses?" - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - CHECKLIST DIRECTIONS: Use the checklist below to determine if the question is worthwhile. Then, leave specific feedback by writing down the strengths and areas of improvement below. It requires more than one sentence to answer. It asks for an opinion, not a fact. It allows for people to share multiple perspectives (more than one right answer) It requires you to think before you speak STRENGTHS: This question uses an observation to gather more information instead of asking a question we already know the anwer to. AREAS TO IMPROVE: This question is two unrelated questions combined. Choose one to focus on. - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - LEVEL UP QUESTION DIRECTIONS: Now that you have determined the quality of your question, take this time to level it up. If your question is already high quality, write a follow-up question. If it needs work, improve the question to make it even better. What prevents people from being able to remove or renovate the abandoned houses in Berea? "How does the condition of Berea affect the residents in that community?" - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - CHECKLIST DIRECTIONS: Use the checklist below to determine if the question is worthwhile. Then, leave specific feedback by writing down the strengths and areas of improvement below. It requires more than one sentence to answer. It asks for an opinion, not a fact. It allows for people to share multiple perspectives (more than one right answer) It requires you to think before you speak STRENGTHS: ________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________ AREAS TO IMPROVE: ___________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________ - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - LEVEL UP QUESTION DIRECTIONS: Now that you have determined the quality of your question, take this time to level it up. If your question is already high quality, write a follow-up question. If it needs work, improve the question to make it even better. __________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________. DIRECTIONS: Read the question below. Then, complete the note-catcher to determine if the question is ‘worthwhile’. If it is, write a follow-up question. If not, rewrite the question to be higher quality. Create a HUmanities Lesson”
Teacher Guide & Tips
- Use this packet as a 45-minute whole-class activity or for independent practice.
- Discussion question: What makes a question 'worthwhile' for deeper learning?
- Scaffold for struggling readers: Provide sentence starters for the 'Strengths' and 'Areas to Improve' sections.
- Extension for advanced students: Have students generate their own 'worthwhile' questions about a current event or topic of interest.
- Estimated time: 45 minutes.
What is Diffit?
Teachers use Diffit to get quality materials for their unique classrooms. Adjust difficulty, add scaffolds, or change the topic to get started.
Try Diffit for free“DIRECTIONS: Read the question below. Then, complete the note-catcher to determine if the question is ‘worthwhile’. If it is, write a follow-up question. If not, rewrite the question to be higher quality. EXAMPLE: "Why does Berea have no clear streets and why do they have more gardens than livable houses?" - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - CHECKLIST DIRECTIONS: Use the checklist below to determine if the question is worthwhile. Then, leave specific feedback by writing down the strengths and areas of improvement below. It requires more than one sentence to answer. It asks for an opinion, not a fact. It allows for people to share multiple perspectives (more than one right answer) It requires you to think before you speak STRENGTHS: This question uses an observation to gather more information instead of asking a question we already know the anwer to. AREAS TO IMPROVE: This question is two unrelated questions combined. Choose one to focus on. - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - LEVEL UP QUESTION DIRECTIONS: Now that you have determined the quality of your question, take this time to level it up. If your question is already high quality, write a follow-up question. If it needs work, improve the question to make it even better. What prevents people from being able to remove or renovate the abandoned houses in Berea? "How does the condition of Berea affect the residents in that community?" - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - CHECKLIST DIRECTIONS: Use the checklist below to determine if the question is worthwhile. Then, leave specific feedback by writing down the strengths and areas of improvement below. It requires more than one sentence to answer. It asks for an opinion, not a fact. It allows for people to share multiple perspectives (more than one right answer) It requires you to think before you speak STRENGTHS: ________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________ AREAS TO IMPROVE: ___________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________ - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - LEVEL UP QUESTION DIRECTIONS: Now that you have determined the quality of your question, take this time to level it up. If your question is already high quality, write a follow-up question. If it needs work, improve the question to make it even better. __________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________. DIRECTIONS: Read the question below. Then, complete the note-catcher to determine if the question is ‘worthwhile’. If it is, write a follow-up question. If not, rewrite the question to be higher quality. Create a HUmanities Lesson”
Teacher Guide & Tips
- Use this packet as a 45-minute whole-class activity or for independent practice.
- Discussion question: What makes a question 'worthwhile' for deeper learning?
- Scaffold for struggling readers: Provide sentence starters for the 'Strengths' and 'Areas to Improve' sections.
- Extension for advanced students: Have students generate their own 'worthwhile' questions about a current event or topic of interest.
- Estimated time: 45 minutes.
Evaluating and Improving Questions
This 3-page packet for 7th graders guides students through evaluating the quality of a question using a checklist. Students will practice revising questions to be more open-ended and thought-provoking, building critical thinking and analytical skills.
What is Diffit?
Teachers use Diffit to get quality materials for their unique classrooms. Adjust difficulty, add scaffolds, or change the topic to get started.
Try Diffit for free