Asking Questions to Learn

Active learning works well for this topic because asking questions requires students to engage with texts in an intentional way. When students generate their own inquiries, they move from passive readers to active meaning-makers, building stamina for more complex texts later in their learning journey.

• 1st Year
• Foundations of Literacy and Expression
• 3 activities
• 15 min–30 min

Learning Objectives

1. Formulate at least three specific, open-ended questions about an informational text before reading.
2. Identify potential answers to formulated questions within an informational text after reading.
3. Explain how asking questions before and after reading improves comprehension of a new topic.
4. Classify questions into 'information seeking' and 'clarification seeking' categories based on text content.

Think-Pair-Share

⏱ 15 min·Pairs

Think-Pair-Share: The Wonder Wall

Before starting a new topic, students think of one thing they 'wonder' about. They share it with a partner to refine the wording, then write it on a post-it to add to a classroom 'Wonder Wall' that stays up throughout the unit.

Prepare & details

What questions could you ask to find out more about a new topic?

Facilitation Tip: During the Think-Pair-Share: The Wonder Wall, model how to turn a statement into a question by adding a question word and adjusting word order.

Setup: Standard classroom seating; students turn to a neighbor

Materials: Discussion prompt (projected or printed), Optional: recording sheet for pairs

• Understand
• Apply
• Analyze
• Self-Awareness
• Relationship Skills

Inquiry Circle

⏱ 30 min·Small Groups

Inquiry Circle: Question Detectives

Give groups a mysterious object or a strange photo. They must work together to generate five 'Who, What, Where, When, Why' questions about it, then swap their list with another group to see if they can find the answers.

Prepare & details

How can asking questions help you learn more?

Facilitation Tip: In Collaborative Investigation: Question Detectives, provide sentence starters like 'I wonder why...' or 'How does...' to scaffold the process for reluctant questioners.

Setup: Groups at tables with access to source materials

Materials: Source material collection, Inquiry cycle worksheet, Question generation protocol, Findings presentation template

• Analyze
• Evaluate
• Create
• Self-Management
• Self-Awareness

Simulation Game

⏱ 20 min·Whole Class

Simulation Game: The Interviewer

One student plays the 'expert' on a topic the class just studied. Other students must practice asking clear, open-ended questions to learn more, while the teacher helps them rephrase 'yes/no' questions into deeper inquiries.

Prepare & details

Can you find the answer to one of your questions in a book or from a teacher?

Facilitation Tip: During Simulation: The Interviewer, demonstrate how to follow up on vague answers with 'Tell me more about...' to push for deeper inquiry.

Setup: Flexible space for group stations

Materials: Role cards with goals/resources, Game currency or tokens, Round tracker

• Apply
• Analyze
• Evaluate
• Create
• Social Awareness
• Decision-Making

Teaching This Topic

Teachers should model curiosity by asking aloud, 'I’m wondering why the author chose this word instead of another one.' Avoid rushing to answer students’ questions yourself; instead, redirect them to the text or peers. Research shows that students who practice asking questions in low-stakes settings develop stronger comprehension habits over time.

What to Expect

Successful learning looks like students moving from broad wonderings to focused, text-dependent questions. They should be able to articulate why their questions matter and connect them to what they are reading or investigating.

Watch Out for These Misconceptions

Common Misconception

During Think-Pair-Share: The Wonder Wall, watch for students who treat questions like statements.

What to Teach Instead

Remind them to hold up the Question Mark Wand only when their sentence ends with a rising tone and begins with a clear question word.

Common Misconception

During Collaborative Investigation: Question Detectives, watch for students who believe there is only one 'right' question to ask.

What to Teach Instead

Encourage 'wild and wacky' questions during the brainstorming phase and have peers validate unusual ideas to show that all curiosity has value.

Assessment Ideas

Exit Ticket

After Think-Pair-Share: The Wonder Wall, provide students with a short, unfamiliar informational text. Ask them to write down two questions they have before reading and one question they still have after reading.

Discussion Prompt

After Collaborative Investigation: Question Detectives, ask students: 'What was one thing you learned today that you didn’t know before? What question do you have now that you didn’t have before?' Facilitate a brief class discussion to gauge their understanding.

Quick Check

During Simulation: The Interviewer, pause and ask students to turn to a partner and share one question they have about the current paragraph. Listen to their questions to assess their active engagement and comprehension.

Extensions & Scaffolding

• Challenge students to generate three different types of questions (literal, inferential, evaluative) about a single paragraph and justify their choices.
• Scaffolding: Provide a bank of question stems on cards for students to sort and use when stuck.
• Deeper exploration: Have students compare their questions to those posed by experts in the subject area and reflect on the differences.

Key Vocabulary

Inquiry	The process of asking questions to seek information and gain knowledge about a subject.
Informational Text	A type of non-fiction writing that provides facts and details about a specific topic, event, or person.
Comprehension	The ability to understand what you are reading or hearing.
Formulate	To create or devise a question or plan, especially a specific and clear one.