“For almost a generation, psychologists around the world have been engaged in a spirited debate over a question that most of us would consider to have been settled years ago. The question is this: is there such a thing as innate talent? The obvious answer is yes… Achievement is talent plus preparation. The problem with this view is that the closer psychologists look at the careers of the gifted, the smaller the role innate talent seems to play and the bigger the role preparation seems to play.” (Malcolm Gladwell, Outliers)

Let’s Talk About Asking Good Questions…

The Importance of Inquiry (And You Don’t Have To Mean It)

Asking Good Questions

Levels of Questions  Level One Questions deal with factual information you can find printed in the story / document / whatever. They usually have ONE correct answer.  Examples: Who led Confederate forces at the Battle of Gettysburg? When did Abraham Lincoln die? How many people died of disease or other non-combat causes during the Civil War? Where is Antietam?

Levels of Questions Level One Questions often…  …clarify vocabulary or basic facts  …check for Understanding  … ask for more information It is often difficult to ask or answer Level Two Questions without plenty of Level One information!

Levels of Questions  Level Two Questions deal with factual information but can have more than one defensible answer. Although there can be more than one ‘good’ answer, your answers should be defended or opposed with material FROM the story or related materials. Examples: Why did the North win the Civil War? Was Lincoln justified in suspending some rights during the war? To what extent was slavery the true cause of the war? How did the North’s war aims change over the course of the war and why?

Levels of Questions Level Two Questions might…  …require “Processing” of Information—analyze, synthesize, evaluate, articulate  …require making inferences from the text  …seek understanding from someone who knows more or has larger perspective  …challenge the author (why did you include this but not that, or why was this phrased a certain way?) Level Two Questions are the “meat & potatoes” of Social Studies, and require Level One information as support. They seek informed opinions. They are the stuff we most wish our students (or even other adults) could ask, ponder, or answer intelligently!

Levels of Questions  Level Three Questions deal with ideas beyond the text but which might be prompted by the story / document / whatever. The assigned material is a ‘launching pad’ for these sorts of questions, but responding to them requires going well beyond the original material.  Examples: How can ANY war be called a “civil” war? Is war ever justified? Do you think Robert E. Lee went to Heaven? Is it true Lincoln’s ghost is still haunting the White House?

Levels of Questions Level Three Questions are useful as…  …Big Picture Questions, to make connections  …Interest-builders, discussion-starters, and thought-provokers  …ways to get your teacher off-topic so you don’t have as much work to do English Teachers love Level Three Questions, but in the Social Studies we pick and choose them very carefully. Usually they’re more appropriate for discussions with your parents, pastors, or best friends.

A Dream Deferred (Langston Hughes) What happens to a dream deferred? Does it dry up Like a raisin in the sun? Or fester like a sore-- And then run? Does it stink like rotten meat? Or crust and sugar over-- like a syrupy sweet? Maybe it just sags like a heavy load. Or does it explode?

Other Ways To Think About Questions…  Check for Understanding: What was the difference between ‘infantry’, ‘cavalry’, and ‘artillery’ during the Civil War? Define ‘Copperheads’. Why did Lincoln grow frustrated with General McClellan?  Seek Further Information: How did Lincoln feel about ‘equal rights’ before he became President? Why did so many people die of disease during the war? What was it like to be a soldier at one of these battles?

Other Ways To Think About Questions…  Challenge the Author: Why does the author spend more time on his Southern characters than the Northern? Was the description of the escaped slave found in Chapter XI accurate or representative of the times? How might being from Virginia have affected the author’s perception of the war 150 years later?

Other Ways To Think About Questions…  Analyze, Evaluate, Synthesize, Explore (Essay-Type Prompts): To what extent was the conversation comparing secession to a social club a fair analogy? Justify your response. How might Lee’s decision to charge the hill against Longstreet’s advice be justified based on the information Lee had available at the time?

Let’s Practice! Read the excerpt and write… > 3 Level One Questions > 2 Level Two Questions > 1 Level Three Question Try to include at least one question each that checks for understanding, seeks further information, and questions the author.

Who’s In Charge? (Who Holds The Power?)

Who Gets To Be A “Full American”?

How Do We Balance Freedom and Choice with Safety and Security?

What Is The “American Dream”?

How Far Should America Reach?

Questions / Comments / Thoughts?