Intel® Teach Program
Thinking with Technology Course
Unit Plan Template
Click on any descriptive text, then type your own.
Unit Author
First and Last Name
Anne Jeschke
School District
Chillicothe R-II
School Name
Chillicothe R-II
School City, State
Chillicothe, MO 64601
Unit Overview
Unit Title
Is Questioning the Answer?
Unit Summary
During this unit students will identify thick and thin questions, determine criteria that is common in
thick questions. Students will generate 3 questions for an upcoming research project or inquiry activity.
Student questions will be entered into the Evidence Tool as Claims. The criteria determined to be
inclusive of thick questions will be used as evidence and students will use that evidence to support or
negate the effectiveness of each question as the best one to guide their research and support them in
higher level thinking. Peer assessment in the Evidence tool will provide further insight for students. .
Learning logs entries will be generated from responses and comments within the Evidence tool and they
will be assessed using
Thoughts for another training
During this unit student pairs will focus on the use of questioning as a tool to deepen thinking and
thereby increase comprehension.
Students will identify and categorize questions into thick (open ended) and thin (closed) questions.
Question stems that lead students to generate thick questions will be identified and used for text
exploration. Comprehension will be assessed before and after exploring question types and the use of
thick questions.
Students will be evaluated through learning logs in which questions and reflections on comprehension
are documented.
Teacher observations and checklists will assess student questioning depth. The Visual Ranking tool will
be used pre and post lesson to determine the value students place on questioning types (stems) in
comprehension.
Given a set of questions, students will use the Visual Ranking tool to rate questions
according to their value in making students think at a higher level. Students will justify their
top and bottom rankings and then compare their results to that of other teams.
Subject Area
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Intel® Teach Program
Thinking with Technology Course
All subjects that use questioning, research, guiding questions
Grade Level
All grade levels
Approximate Time Needed
3 thirty minute class periods
Unit Foundation
Habits of Learning Taxonomy
Questioning and Posing Problems
Thinking and Communicating with Clarity and Precision
Thinking Interdependently

Targeted Content Standards and Benchmarks
Science
71a.Scientific inquiry includes the ability of students to formulate a testable question and
explanation, and to select appropriate investigative methods in order to obtain evidence
relevant to the explanation
Information Literacy
Formulate and research keywords and questions to establish a focus and purpose for inquiry?
CA 2-3
1.1, 1.4
Student Objectives/Learning Outcomes
The students will:

Brainstorm with the class

Classify the questions

Identify common characteristics of thick questions

Generate list of questions for inquiry

Analyze and evaluate questions

Respond on evidence reasoning

Peer Review

Self Reflect
Curriculum-Framing Questions
Essential
Question
Unit
Questions
How can questioning guide research/inquiry?
How can questions be refined to better support inquiry?
How will guiding questions focus research?
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S
a
Intel® Teach Program
Thinking with Technology Course
Content
Questions
What criteria do thick questions have?
What is the difference between thick and thin questions?
How can I determine the most effective guiding question to use in my research?
Assessment Plan
Assessment Timeline
Before project work begins
Students work on projects
and complete tasks
After project work is
completed
Analytical
Thinking Rubricto
assess student
support of
evidence.
 Categorize
thick/thin
questions –
think/pair/shar
e
 Identify
characteristics
of higher level
questions –
reflect in
learning log
Students
generate 3
questions for
inquiry project
 Students
evaluate
questions
based on
criteria,
supply
reasoning
 Reasoning
Rubric could be
used as a form
of self reflection
for students on
how they chose
evidence –
needs some
revision
 Students
supply
conclusions in
tool and
learning log
 Evaluation of
Claim Rubric
 Peer feedback
review/commen
t on other’s
responses/ratin
gs
Assessment Summary
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Intel® Teach Program
Thinking with Technology Course
Peer assessments provide immediate feedback during the use of the Evidence tool, through the use of
comments. Learning logs provide a venue for students to be self reflective and to monitor their
progress. Teachers can assess learning logs to monitor student growth. Evaluation of Claim rubric
could help students assess their question quality. Reasoning rubric will be used for students to evaluate
student responses to their placement of evidence.
Visual Ranking Elements (Complete this section if this tool will be used in the unit)
Visual Ranking Project Name (For the Visual Ranking workspace)
For another possible lesson
Questions will be ranked in order of the level of thinking it requires of students – this will be done
before and after the lessons to gauge student understanding
Project Description (For the Visual Ranking workspace)
5 questions and 5 question stems will be ordered in the ranking tool. Student pairs will rank them in
order of value for student comprehension. Pairs will add comments to the top and bottom ranked item,
explaining their rationale. Pairs will compare their rankings with at least 2 other pairs.
Question stem ranking activity will occur again at the end to see how their rankings change.
Prompt (For the Visual Ranking workspace)
Put these questions in order, listing the first question starter as the one that would help you think most
deeply about the text and listing the last question starter as the one that help you think the least deeply
about the text. Provide reasons for your top and bottom ranking.
Put these question starters in order, listing the first question starter as the one that would help you
think most deeply about the text and listing the last question starter as the one that help you think the
least deeply about the text. Provide reasons for your top and bottom ranking.
Rank the following in order of those items that have the most impact on your thinking.
Rank the items you think are most important to your thinking?
Rank these questions in order of importance when trying to learn something. Think about which ones
are most helpful when trying to figure something out. Explain why these questions could help you learn.
Based on your previous experience in generating questions, rank the following questions in
order of their value in helping you think deeply?
Practice Ranking (For your future quick reference)
Teacher ID:
Password:
Practice Team ID 1:
Password:
Practice Team ID 2:
Password:
Showing Evidence Elements (Complete this section if this tool will be used in the unit)
Showing Evidence Project Name (For the Showing Evidence workspace)
Which question will best guide my research?
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Intel® Teach Program
Thinking with Technology Course
Project Description (For the Showing Evidence workspace)
After consideration and reflection of each question, place the evidence for an against your claim and
rate your evidence. Support your evidence placement with responses.
Prompt (For the Showing Evidence workspace)
Practice Case (For your future quick reference)
P
r
a
c
t
i
c
e
Print out one or two thick question stems to use a guide
Create learning log with question prompts already there.
Give student a few prompts for look fors when peer editing
Reword criteria for students who may not understand vocabulary
Consider oral learning logs
T
e
a Password: Team
m 1
I
D
:
T
e
a
m
1
R
e
v
i
e
w
i
n
g
Oral learning logs could be used – a recorder or working with a partner
who writes learning log questions for ELL students.
Question stem prompts could be written both in English and in the
student’s native language
Password:
T
e
a
m
I
D
:
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Intel® Teach Program
Thinking with Technology Course
C
l
a
Password:
i
m
s
Students could learn about Bloom and his levels and students could
assess their own questioning using those levels.
Website resources on higher level thinking could be available for
reference.
Evidence
The teacher will enter evidence the students gathered from their research. The teacher will enter the
student generated evidence. The students will then need to place the evidence to support or negate
their claim.
The teacher will enter evidence the students determined to determine high level questions. The teacher
will enter the student generated evidence. The students will then need to place the evidence to support
or negate their claim.
Printed Materials
Printed question stems
Books to inspire questioning/discussion/inquiry
Higher level question stems posted in classroom
Supplies
Learning logs
Technology Hardware
Technology Software
Internet Resources
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Intel® Teach Program
Thinking with Technology Course
Other Resources
Copyright © 2010 Intel Corporation. All rights reserved. Intel, the Intel logo, Intel Education Initiative,
and the Intel Teach Program are trademarks of Intel Corporation in the U.S. and other countries.
*Other names and brands may be claimed as the property of others.
Copyright © 2008 Intel Corporation. All Rights Reserved.
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