Questions for Small Group Purposeful Talk

Instructions

You have dice at your table You have dice at your table. Roll the dice and discuss the topic or the question with your partners. You don’t know who will be called on to answer the question, so everyone must be ready to speak! Practice what you will say if you are called on to respond!

Fiction Questions for Small Group Purposeful Talk

…discuss this question as a group! If you roll a… …discuss this question as a group! Describe the setting (time and place). How does the setting effect the plot? Think of an adjective to describe one of the characters. What does the character do or say that made you choose this adjective? Explain the main conflict so far. What other smaller conflicts also exist? Summarize the important events so far in the sequence they appear in the text. Make a prediction! Explain what you think might happen next using text evidence to persuade others. Take turns asking and answering each other’s level two questions.

Non-Fiction Questions for Small Group Purposeful Talk

…discuss this question as a group! If you roll a… …discuss this question as a group! Explain the main text structure (organization) that the author used. Are other ones used to a lesser degree? How do the subheadings / subtitles help you when you read? Are there any that you would change or rename? Explain the main idea of what you just read. What makes the author seem like an expert on this issue? Why is this person qualified to even talk about it? How does the author use his words to convey his message? What does he want you to do? Explain which two details are the strongest ones the author uses to support his position on the issue.