Part 3:
A Blueprint for Thoughtful Questioning
The goal for this session is to move our work on four-style questioning
deeper by examining the criteria for thoughtful questions and applying
our learning to the development of extended lessons and units.
Copyright © 2007 Thoughtful Education Press
In this session you will:
 Learn what makes a question thoughtful.
 Explore the “blueprint” for designing lessons and units that
place thoughtful questions at the center of learning.
 Examine and discuss a set of blueprints designed by
teachers at various grade levels and content areas.
 Design your own lesson or unit using the blueprint model.
Copyright © 2007 Thoughtful Education Press
Now that you have tried a questioning tool out for yourself and have
observed one of your peers using a questioning tool, it’s time to share
what you’ve learned.

What was the purpose of the activity?

How well did the questioning tool help to achieve that purpose?

Did the teacher explain/model the process? How did students
respond?

How well were the four styles of questions represented?

How would you characterize students’ level of engagement
during the activity?

What signs of deepCopyright
comprehension
did Press
you observe?
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Share your own thoughts on your activity
What goals did you set out to achieve?
What steps did you take? What was hard for you?
What came naturally?
What worked about the activity and what just wouldn’t work?
What three tips would you give yourself to make your activity
work better next time?
Copyright © 2007 Thoughtful Education Press
What Makes a Question Thoughtful?

Have a clear instructional purpose

Focus on critical content

Address various learning situations

Invite diverse styles of thinking

Clearly identify the product or kind of response students
will develop

Often need to be set up
Copyright © 2007 Thoughtful Education Press
Classroom Excerpt 1
Purpose
To have students generate ideas for
settling disputes
Content
Arguments and settling disputes
Situation
Discussions
Style(s)
Interpersonal
Understanding
Product
List of techniques for dissolving
arguments
Story of two friends
Setup
Uses prior knowledge of own arguments
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Classroom Excerpt 2
Purpose
To have students use fractions related
to real world situations
Content
Fractions and real-world application
Situation
Homework
Style(s)
Mastery
Understanding
Product
Explanation in journal
Fractional analysis of grocery list
Setup
Use of family grocery list
and cost to use fractions
Copyright © 2007 Thoughtful Education Press
Classroom Excerpt 3
Purpose
To have students write a short essay to
show their understanding negative or
positive feedback
Content
Negative or positive feedback
Situation
Essay
Diagram
Style(s)
Interpersonal
Understanding
Self-Expressive
Product
Diagram
Essay
Setup
Giving an example of negative or
positive feedback
Copyright © 2007 Thoughtful Education Press
Classroom Excerpt 4
Purpose
To have students show their
understanding of Civil War through an
interview skill
Content
Civil War
Interview skills
Discussion
Situation
Discussion
Note cards
Style(s)
Product
Setup
Interpersonal
Understanding
Self-Expressive
Interview
Hypothetical situation
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Questions:
The Stuff That Great Lessons and Units Are Made of
How is a lesson or unit like a home?
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“Blueprint” for designing Lessons and Units
Foyer
Where we activate
students’ prior
knowledge and arouse
student interest
(Knowledge Anticipation)
Workshop
Where students
rehearse and practice
what they are learning
(Practicing and Processing
New Knowledge)
Copyright 2007 Thoughtful Education Press
Library
Where we provide
information and ideas
through lecture,
readings, or viewings
(Knowledge Acquisition)
Kitchen
Where students cook
up a product
that demonstrates
what they know
(Knowledge Application)
Porch
Where students lean
back, reflect, generalize,
and question what they
have learned
(Reflection)
The Model Lesson: Inference at Bat
Goal 1.2: Students make sense of the variety of materials they read.
Core Content Standards
RD-E02.0.7: Identify the organizational pattern in a text.
RD-E02.0.8: Identify main ideas and details that support them.
RD-E02.0.9: Make predictions and draw conclusions based on what is read.
RD-E02.0.10: Connect the content of a passage to students’ lives and/or realworld issues.
Goal 1.11: Students write using appropriate forms, conventions, and styles to
communicate ideas and information to different audiences for different
purposes.
Core Content Standards
WR-E-1.3: Literary writing artfully communicates with the reader about the
human condition. Literary forms in the portfolio include poems, short stories, and
scripts.
Copyright 2007 Thoughtful Education Press
The Model Lesson: Inference at Bat
What do I want students to know (facts,
details, summaries)?
What happens in the poem
How the poem “works” (rhyme
scheme, form, etc.)
What do I want students to understand
(big ideas, concepts, and
generalizations)?
That authors use clues to express
unstated ideas (inference)
That personal attitudes and
performance are related
What attitudes or habits of mind do I
want my students to develop?
•Appreciation for narrative poetry
•Learning how to adjust their own
attitude to improve personal
performance
What skills do I want students to
develop?
•Making inferences and
supporting them with evidence
•Writing narrative poetry
Copyright 2007 Thoughtful Education Press
The Model Lesson: Inference at Bat
Foyer
How might attitudes affect
your performance?
What signs or clues might
reveal your attitudes?
Workshop
Can you retell the poem
in seven sentences?
Is Casey’s attitude
responsible for his failure?
Collect evidence that
supports or refutes.
As you listen to the poem,
close your eyes and try to
imagine what is happening.
Porch
What’s an attitude you
have that you’d like to
change?
Then, as you read it,
ask yourself: What clues
point to Casey’s attitude?
What clues might show
that your attitude is
improving?
Library
Kitchen
What would Casey say in
his post-game interview?
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Write a final stanza to the
poem that provides clues
to Casey’s attitude.
Bill’s Blueprint for “Casey at the Bat”
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Blueprint for Native Americans and pilgrims
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Blueprint for long division
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Blueprint for Vietnam War: The War Powers Act and
The Gulf of Tonkin Resolution
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ThoughtWork: Before the Next Session
What questions did
the teacher ask to…
Workshop
…help students rehearse
and extend learning?
Foyer
…activate prior knowledge
and arouse interest?
Library
…help students attend to key
information?
Kitchen
…help students apply their
learning?
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Porch
…help students reflect on
learning?
ThoughtWork: Before the Next Session
Collecting Artifacts for Part Four
Remember to continue collecting your artifacts that will demonstrate progress
toward your two goals.
Artifacts might include:
• Classroom observation (your own or a fellow teacher’s observations)
• Pre- and post-test scores
• Sample student work
• Assignments or lesson plans
• Student surveys or questionnaires (capturing students’ reactions and
reflections)
• Video or audio clips from your classroom
• Entries from your personal reflection journal
• A case study of a particular student or group of students
Copyright 2007 Thoughtful Education Press