Characteristics of Good Essential Questions
from Understanding by Design,
by Grant Wiggins and Jay McTighe
Definition
- Doorways to Understanding … Grant Wiggins
- What is the Goal of the Lesson?
- What Knowledge Will the Students Acquire and
Integrate?
- The Heart of What Students Should Examine and Know.
Characteristics
- Highlights conceptual priorities
- Provides sharper focus and better direction for inquiry and investigation
- Promotes higher order thinking skills
- No more than 2 to 5 in number
- Fulfills outcomes
- Language for organizing
- Open for investigation
- Logical sequence
- Connects a range of disciplines
- Understood by each student
Examples
- Flight
- What flies?
- How does flight impact humans?
- How and why do things in nature fly?
- Intelligence
- What is intelligence?
- How has intelligence evolved?
- Math
- How will I ever learn to multiply?
- Where will I ever use multiplication?
- Are imaginary numbers real?
- Snow
- What is snow?
- How does it affect people?
- Basketball
- How can I be a successful team player?
- How can I improve my coordination?
- History / Social Studies
- Why do people immigrate?
- Is the Civil War still going on?