Websites on Essential Questions (Supports Critical Thinking)

A Questioning Toolkit

http://questioning.org/Q7/toolkit.html

This site is a general site about the power of planning instruction around different types of questions. There is a specific link to Essential Questions with many quality examples.

Using the Internet to Promote Inquiry-Based Learning

http://www.biopoint.com/inquiry/ibr.html

This is an e-paper that describes an effective approach to using essential questions in the context of inquiry-based research projects. Additional links appear at the end of the article.

Criteria for Creating Essential Questions

http://www.washington.edu/uwired/outreach/teched/using/mod2less2quest.html

This link lists criteria for developing essential questions using the Understanding by Design model. It also gives examples of essential questions.

Developing Essential Questions / Building an Inquiry Based Unit

http://www.galileo.org/tips/essential_questions.html

This site details successful methods for creating inquiry-based units. Included in the website is a description of the components of essential questions.

Developing Essential Questions

http://mathstar.nmsu.edu/exploration1/unit/content_questions.html

This site gives some pointers for developing essential questions. No examples are given, but the definitions are clear.

The question is the answer: Creating Research Programs for An Age of Information

http://questioning.org/Q6/question.html

Jamie McKenzie site about the importance of questioning in the building of units. Examples, with links to other sites. User-friendly!

Francis W. Parker Charter Essential School: Curriculum Assessment School-Wide Essential Questions

http://www.parker.org/CurriculumAssessment/curriculum.htm

Examples of school-wide essential questions that are used for instruction at Parker Charter School in Massachusetts. Helpful if you want to make essential questions a school-wide focus.