Questioning

We started another thinking strategy today.  I showed the students a tool that I use in the kitchen quite frequently a garlic press.

 As a class we started to make a list of questions that we had about the object.  Here are some of the question that we asked:  Who invented the object?  Why does it have holes on the bottom?  When was it made?  Is it an antique?

Then we did a question blitz about pumpkins.  The students had about five minutes to write down as many questions as they could about pumpkins.  I loved some of the questions...Why do we carve pumpkins at Halloween?  What is the most pumpkin seeds ever in a pumpkin?  Are pumpkins a fruit?  Why are pumpkins orange?  Then we picked two questions that the class could research.  The two questions that we picked were...What is the world record largest pumpkin?  Why do we carve pumpkins at Halloween?

Optional homework is just what it sounds like, it is optional.  If the students want to try and figure out the answer to one or both of these questions, then they can try it for homework.  If they do not want to figure out the questions, then they do not need to complete the assignment.

Our new thinking strategy is obviously the strategy of questioning.  I love teaching this strategy because to me it is one of the most important strategies.  I also think that sometimes students think that asking questions makes them look "dumb."  I am hoping this week we can change this perception.  I want students to realize that by asking questions before they read, during their reading and after their reading they can help themselves become better readers.  I also want them to realize that asking questions shows a type of curiosity that can help them find answers about the world.

Students also got rubrics for the appetizer projects.  There are three appetizer projects and the students need to pick one appetizer to complete.  The three projects include making a new book cover for The One and Only Ivan and Charlotte's Web, writing a six word summary of both books, or writing an "I am Who I Am" poem about Charlotte and Wilbur.  You can find these rubrics in the reading folder.  I also gave an example of my Ivan "I am Who I Am" poem and a six word summary I wrote for Finding Nemo.  I am hoping these examples will help the students complete these projects.

Hope you are having a great week.