Refining Maps Through the Incorporation of Essential Questions Session 6 The power to question is...

Refining Maps Through the

Incorporation of Essential Questions

Session 6The power to question is the basis of all human

progress. --Gandhi

The power to question is the basis of all human

progress. --Gandhi

Essential Question

How does inquiry effect knowledge?

Supporting Questions

How may curriculum mapping aid in improving student learning and performance?

How may designing learning based on conceptual questions effect student learning

over time?

How may essential and support questions influence instruction practices including instructional delivery

and assessment methods?

Refine is defined as: to use precise distinctions in

thought, speech, or text.

Refining Maps Equals

Refining Current Curriculum Design

There are a variety of ways that curriculum can become distinctive. In this session the refinement focus pertains to the distinctive features of essential and supporting conceptual-based

questions.

Refine is defined as: to use precise distinctions in

thought, speech, or text.

Refining Maps Equals

Refining Current Curriculum Design

There are a variety of ways that curriculum can become distinctive. In this session the refinement focus pertains to the distinctive features of essential and supporting conceptual-based

questions.

Mapping the Big Picture: Integrating Curriculum and Assessments K-12. ASCD, 1997.

Dr. Heidi Hayes Jacobs has a chapter dedicated to Essential Questions in…

Chapter 4: Refining Maps Through Essential Questions

The key word here is refining! Beginning mapping does not ask for or include EQs unless teachers have been extensively trained in this type of unit design and are all ready using EQs to curriculum, instruction, and assessments.

Just because Essential

Questions appear

on maps, it does not

mean that the questions are truly essential!

Recommended Reading…

If you do not have time to read, you do not have time to lead! –Phillip Schlechty

Concept-Based Curriculum and Instruction: Teaching Beyond the Facts --H. Lynn Erickson Corwin PressConcept-Based Curriculum and Instruction for the Thinking Classroom --H. Lynn Erickson Corwin PressStirring the Head, Heart and Soul: Redefining Curriculum and Instruction --H. Lynn Erickson Corwin PressUnderstanding by Design --Grant Wiggins & Jay McTighe ASCD

Essential questions are meant to serve as Mental Velcro* for the learner…

EQs define concept-based big ideas or enduring understandings

EQs set direction for a unit of study’s content-skill sets and intra-aligned assessments

EQs create depth rather than breadth given time constraints

EQs increase interaction and retention of what students must know, be able to do, and how the various cognition levels (Bloom) and perspectives (Wiggins/McTighe) of learning are accurately measured

EQs define concept-based big ideas or enduring understandings

EQs set direction for a unit of study’s content-skill sets and intra-aligned assessments

EQs create depth rather than breadth given time constraints

EQs increase interaction and retention of what students must know, be able to do, and how the various cognition levels (Bloom) and perspectives (Wiggins/McTighe) of learning are accurately measured

*Mental Velcro Analogy, Jacobs, H. H., Curriculum Mapping Institute, Santa Fe, New Mexico, 2006.

Big Ideas / Essential Questions are broader, global,

concept-based questions that are not

answered easily. One must synthesize multiple facets of understanding to adequately answer

Essential and Supporting Questions.

Understanding by Design’s Six Facets of Understanding

1998

http://www.21-learn.com/teamtarget/WINDOWS/Desktop/Janet's%20Life/Janet's%20Life/Janet's%20Seminars/wodney.ppt

Understanding By Design Grant Wiggins/Jay McTighe Well-designed

Essential/Supporting Questions causes students to

experience/explore/evaluate learning via the…

Six Facets of Understanding A multi-faceted view of what

makes up understanding (p. 44)

Can Explain … Can Interpret …

Can Apply … Have Perspective … Can Empathize … Have

Self-Knowledge …

EQs serve as a framework for a unit of study’s learning…

• Similar to a Table of Contents informing readers of what is yet to come, EQs (and SQs) inform learners of what the conceptual focus or focuses will be in the unit learning.*

• The wording of EQs greatly impact the conceptual focus(es) and the factual, topic-based learning (SQs) in a given unit of study. For example, think of the variety of learning that could take place given the slight wording changes below by (a) using how versus why, and (b) by switching the two nouns within the EQs:

*Jacobs, H. H. Curriculum Mapping

Institute, Santa Fe, New Mexico, 2006.

How does water effect motion?

Why does water effect motion? __________________________

How does motion effect water?

Why does motion effect water?

How does water effect motion?

Why does water effect motion? __________________________

How does motion effect water?

Why does motion effect water?

Get ready for a “light bulb” moment!

1. Find a blank of paper and a writing utensil.

2. Listen for the verbal directions…

So, I want to make certain I am getting this right ….

An well-written Essential Question is not simply “a question.” It is a question based on broad

concepts (big ideas) and can be answered quite differently based on personal viewpoints

and perspectives…

Simple tools

are found

in the kitchen.

Consider yourselves divided!

LEFT RIGHT

Draw illustrations…

Consider yourselves divided!

LEFT RIGHT

Draw illustrations…

Simple tools solve

problems.

Simple tools solve

problems.

Simple tools

are found

in the kitchen. Fact/

Topic-Based

Concept- Based

Do both statements have nouns or noun phrases and connecting verb or verb

phrases?

Technically, there is great variety to the types of questions asked in the classroom…

Essential Questions Concept-Based Big Ideas / Enduring Learning

Supporting Questions Unit-Specific Factual & Concept-based Related Learning

Foundation Questions Yes or No/ Factual

Isolated-Answer Learning

Isolated Questions

A concept is an organizing

idea; a mental construct that is…• Universal

• Timeless

• Abstract & Broad

GENERALIZATION = Enduring

UnderstandingTwo or more concepts

combined to make a relationship...Concept Concept

“CONCEPTUAL BIG IDEAS” CAN TRANSFERTO DEVELOP OR EXPAND GENERLIZATIONS

H. Lynn Erickson ● lynnerickson.net ● www.corwinpress.com

• An big idea or enduring learning has embedded generalized concepts. Most often two concepts form one relational statement.

• Facts relate directly to the concepts to support meaning and understanding. Therefore, relational supporting questions aid in students’ ability to combine the foundational questions knowledge gained to independently address the EQ and SQs.

• Concept/Big Idea = A country’s geography has a direct impact on its economy.– Essential Question = How does geography impact

an economy?– Supporting Questions (Foreign Trade) =

• How does Japan’s land and sea trade routes impact global economies?

• How may changes in United States trade routes impact global economies?

--Age group or groups and interests

--Stage of maturational and cognitive development

--Language acquisition--School and local

community connections

--Personal and collective aspirations






Essential questions and supporting questions must be written with consideration for

the unit of study and the student population:

Grade 5 EQ

How does movement affect

lifestyle?

Grade 5 EQ

How does movement affect

lifestyle?

Grade 3 EQ

How does direction affect

movement?

Grade 3 EQ


movement?

Grade 7 EQ

How does lifestyle affect movement?

Grade 7 EQ

How does lifestyle affect movement?











Did you notice the previous slide’s concept-based EQs have a variety of possible

discipline directions regarding specific learning? This is intentional. A unit’s EQ needs support questions (SQs) that are

specific to a learning topic.

Essential questions and supporting questions must be written with consideration for

the unit of study and the student population:Grade 3 EQ


movement?

Grade 3 EQ


movement?

Concept-based big ideas or enduring learnings (generalizations) can be

translated into essential questions…

H. Lynn Erickson ● lynnerickson.net ● www.corwinpress.com

DO NOT USE PROPER OR PERSONAL

NOUNS

DO NO USE PAST

PAST PERFECT

PRESENT PERFECT

TENSE VERBS

For Generalization Statements• Culture exhibits both change and continuity

through time.• Properties distinguish living and non-living things.• Line defines shape and adds meaning.

What can we do to improve students’ retention and desire to learn?

Big Ideas/Essential Questions are design based on one or a combination of standard statements.

Standards

Curriculum Content-Skill

Sets

Assessments/Evaluation

Standards

Curriculum Content-Skill

Sets

Assessments/ Evaluation

Students investigate (observe, record,

describe) characteristics

in daily weather and

seasonal cycles.

Why do people dress in

different ways?

SQ Why do families dress in different ways in different

seasons?

Grade 1 Earth Science


How can we truly improve our students’ quality of learning?

1. Represent quantitative

relationships graphically and use the graphs to solve

real-world and mathematical

problems.2. Generate a table of values from a formula

and graph the resulting ordered pairs on a grid.

How do trends influence

production?

SQ How can

mathematical statistics influence Arizona’s

economy?

Grade 8 Patterns, Functions, and Algebra


Analyze and explain the impact on

American society and culture of the new immigration

policies after 1965 that led to a new wave

of immigration. (Individuals, Society,

and Culture)

How does equality generate

policy?

SQ How do formal

and informal leaders generate

immigration policies?

High School US History Unit

The United States in Troubled Times: 1960 to

1980

How Many EQs Per Unit?One to Three

• In order to make a unit of study manageable given need for depth rather than breadth, it is recommended there be no more than two essential questions per unit.

• Beyond the unit’s essential question(s), it is recommended that there are two to four unit-specific supporting questions to aid students’ topic-specific learning.

• The wording of both the essential questions and supporting questions should written with respect to the language acquisition of the students. (Note: There may be one word in a question that will be a part of the unit learning.)

• In order to make a unit of study manageable given need for depth rather than breadth, it is recommended there be no more than two essential questions per unit.

• Beyond the unit’s essential question(s), it is recommended that there are two to four unit-specific supporting questions to aid students’ topic-specific learning.

• The wording of both the essential questions and supporting questions should written with respect to the language acquisition of the students. (Note: There may be one word in a question that will be a part of the unit learning.)

• Post EQs and SQs where all students can see them easily

• Refer to them often during every day or every period’s learning experiences

• Include them textually on handouts and assessments

• Review learning in relationship to EQs and SQs

• Post EQs and SQs where all students can see them easily

• Refer to them often during every day or every period’s learning experiences

• Include them textually on handouts and assessments

• Review learning in relationship to EQs and SQs

Essential Questions

and Supporting Questionsshould be

clearly postedat the beginningand throughouta unit of study!

Essential Questions

and Supporting Questionsshould be

clearly postedat the beginningand throughouta unit of study!

Essential QuestionHow does text influence

readers?What makes a

book a book?

What makes a good book

“good?” If you owned a

children's bookstore and

could only carry five genres of books, which would

you carry and why?

Unit Focus: Leisure Reading

Supporting QuestionsSome teachers

prefer to design topic-based, open-ended SQs, but

not using a noun-verb-noun

pattern.

Physical Science Standard Proficiencies: Recognize basic Earth materials. / Observe

and describe rocks, soils, water and air.

How can attributes define cycles?

How can attributes define cycles?

How can rock cycles be inter-related?


What causes

attributes in rocks?What causes

attributes in rocks?How are rocks

officially classified?How are rocks

officially classified?

What does the term attribute mean?


Do rock cycles have to have sequential

changes or steps?

Do rock cycles have to have sequential

changes or steps?

What does a geologist study?

What does a geologist study?

EQ

SQs

Foundational Lesson

Questions

How can attributes

define cycles?





What causes attributes in rocks?

What causes attributes in rocks?

Activity #1Activity #1






Physical Science Standard Proficiencies: Recognize basic Earth materials.

Observe and describe rocks, soils, water and air.Culminating assessment(s) and

periodic formative assessments incorporate the EQ and SQs relational

knowledge based on foundational learning and prior knowledge.

Activities include

Foundational Questions (Yes/No/ Isolated)

In learning environments where Interdisciplinary Units are the norm for instructional pedagogy teachers from

different disciplines may choose to not only plan a unit of study’s based on the same EQs,

SQs based on one or a combination of the disciplines’ content-skill statements, but also

design a final or culminating assessment for the unit that measures learning

involved in all disciplines!

Shakespeare

• Language Arts

• Social Studies

• Math

• Science

• Art

• Music

Remember that a unit of study’s EQs and SQs must directly connect to the specific

learning within the unit. Students must be able to

cognitively see and experience a direct

correlation between a unit’s content, skills, and

assessments in relationship to the posed EQs and

SQs.

1. Plan

2. Practice

3. Prepare

4. Perform

4 Ps For Writing EQs/SQsBased on standard statement(s), design

learning based on desired depth of knowledge & 6 Facets of Understanding

appropriate for student population.

Write/rewrite questions so that they accurately reflect the desired

conceptual focus (EQs) and topic-focus (SQs) given the planned content-skills-assessments.

A unit’s Essential Question needs Supporting Questions and

Foundational Questions. Plan lessons and resources accordingly.

Activities (Lesson Plans) must be realistic given the time allotted

for the unit of study and EQ/SQs.

How do you perceive your learning organization’s desire to refine current

or future learning expectations and pedagogical practices to reflect a commitment to student learning based on conceptual essential and supporting questions?

How do you perceive your learning organization’s desire to refine current

or future learning expectations and pedagogical practices to reflect a commitment to student learning based on conceptual essential and supporting questions?

Hmm…

If it seems overwhelming … Start slow and small! Begin by studying one

current unit’s intra-aligned content-skills-assessments-resources-standards to determine a big idea/key concept within the learning that can serve as a generalized essential question. Next, design one or two related topic-based supporting questions. Based on the conceptual demands, revise the mapped unit’s

current elements, as well modify or create lesson plans to properly reflect the newly defined student

expectations. Now give the unit a try! Meet regularly as a small group to monitor/adjust as the

concept-based unit unfolds.

Recommended Reading…

Learning is not attained by chance, it must be sought for with ardor

and attended to with diligence.--Abigail Adams

Concept-Based Curriculum and Instruction: Teaching Beyond the Facts --H. Lynn Erickson Corwin PressConcept-Based Curriculum and Instruction for the Thinking Classroom --H. Lynn Erickson Corwin PressStirring the Head, Heart and Soul: Redefining Curriculum and Instruction --H. Lynn Erickson Corwin PressUnderstanding by Design --Grant Wiggins & Jay McTighe ASCD

We have not succeeded in answering all of your problems. The answers we have found only serve to raise a whole set of new questions.

In some ways we feel we are as confused as ever, but we believe

we are confused on a higher level and about more important things. --OMNI Magazine

Optional Exercise

The following seven slides may be used to practice the writing of essential questions based on big ideas (generalized statements).

The next slide provides two standards statements that contain potential learning that lend themselves to concepts.

Earth and Life Science Standards Student Expectation:

Grade 5 Topic: Changes in Earth and Sky

History, Origins of Earth• 5.4.3.1. Measure weather conditions (i.e., temperature, wind direction and speed, and precipitation

ELA - Understanding Media Student Expectation: Grade 5 Topic: Using Media for a

Purpose• 5.5.2.1. Produce samples of different media genres to inform, entertain, advertise, or persuade; i.e., memoir, factual persuasive, poetry, narrative

Prepare to use the framework:

____________ + ___________ + _____________

conceptual verb conceptual noun/noun noun/noun phrase phrase

Think about the specific (fact/topic-based) terms used in the standards and

translate them into “conceptual lens” terminology.”

• Brainstorm all possible conceptual noun or noun phrases related to the fact/topic terms.

• Brainstorm all possible relational verbs.

Note: This process is best done on sticky notes that you can move around—one noun or verb word or phrase per note.

Earth & Life Science / ELA Standards

Change

Result

Inform

Cause

Condition

Behavior

Outcome

Observation

Concepts Action

Try different combinations (by manipulating the sticky notes) in the framework:

____________ + ___________ + _____________

conceptual verb conceptual noun/noun noun/noun phrase

phrase

Record the big-ideas combinations that you believe “fit” well given the facts and topics. (Note: You may need to add –s to your nouns or verbs and/or additional words.)

Quality Control: If a Big Idea is truly conceptual, you can generalize and easily think of learning beyond the current key facts and topics!

Earth & Life Science / ELA Standards

Conditions Change OutcomesInformatio

nCreates Outcomes

Media Informs BehaviorOutcomes Create Behaviors

Media Informs Occupations

Outcomes Influence InformationNote: With any of the combinations,

learning can extend outside a science discipline.

The bridge to “cross over” from a Conceptual-based Big Idea

Statement (Noun + Verb + Noun) to an Conceptual-

based EQ is the introduction terms…

BI EQ

How Why

Try your Conceptual-based Big Idea(s) with the both of the introduction terms How ___ and Why ___ in front of the big ideas.

How ____ _____+______ + _____?

Why ____ _____ +_____ + _____?

Important: Notice the use of how versus why will often times change direction of learning!

How does conflict create change?

Why does conflict create change?

Once you choose the desired EQ…How do conditions change

outcomes? Why do conditions change outcomes?

How does media inform behavior? Why does media inform behavior?

How do outcomes influence information?

Why do outcomes influence information?

Next steps include designing topic-specific Supporting Questions,

Foundational Questions, Summative and Formative Assessments, Lesson Plans,

and gathering Resources and Instructional Methods.

Refining Maps Through the Incorporation of Essential Questions Session 6 The power to question is...

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