From Now On
The Educational Technology Journal
Vol 10|No 5|February|2001
From Trivial Pursuit
to Essential Questions
and Standards-Based
Learning
by Jamie McKenzie
About the Author
Sometimes we ask students to pursue answers to questions that are
not worthy of much effort or attention.
"How many gargoyles are there on the Cathedral of Notre Dame?"
Who really cares?
The eleventh grade student sent me an e-mail message. "Can you
help me?"
The teacher had a set of extra credit questions. Tough questions. But
why would anyone need to know how many gargoyles perch upon
the ramparts of the Cathedral of Notre Dame de Paris?
The question was my teachers idea. he always asks a bunch of
extra credit questions....example, the little holes in your shoes that
your shoe laces go through is what. that was one of our questions
last week. it gives a fun swing to Advance Vocabulary. he gave us
this one bout the gargoyles a month ago and he said that he had
given that one for over 10 years and that no one in any of his
classes has EVER found the answer. i am gonna take him some
of these e-mails and show them to him tomorrow durin class. he
says he will not get on the comp to look b/c he thinks that "the
Computer is the portal to hell' pretty funny. well... maybe we can
find it sooner or later.
(name withheld)
An exhaustive search led to little illumination . . .
Hi and thanks for your informations !
We are still waiting and looking for new elements. We were also
told by Mr. Fonquernie's assistant that the number of gargoyles is
not same than when the Cathedral Notre-Dame was built : some
broke, there were destructions, some gargoyles were added later
...
A certain number of gargoyles are not apparent (we do not yet
know if
they all will appear on the architect's plans) ...
We will be very pleased to be included in your article although we
are sorry we could not help you more !
Your question definitely passioned us ;-)
Thanks and best regards
David
-_____________________________________________________
Office de Tourisme et des Congres de Paris
Paris Convention and Visitors Bureau
127, avenue des Champs Elysees
75008 Paris
Tel : 33 (0) 8 36 68 31 12 (2,23 FFR/min)
Fax : 33 (0) 1 49 52 53 00
E-mail : info@paris-touristoffice.com
Internet : http://www.paris-touristoffice.com
Minitel :
3615 OTPARIS (2,23 FFR/min)
3617 OTPARIS (2,23 FFR/min)
There are so many more important and more intriguing questions we
could explore about gargoyles. When we limit students to trivial
pursuit, we make a mockery of authentic research and deprive them
of a chance to explore the tough issues, choices, dilemmas and
questions that really matter.











Why did people place gargoyles on cathedrals?
What good are gargoyles?
How are gargoyles (gargouilles) and chimeras (chimeres) different
and which are better?
Why do some people place gargoyles in their gardens?
For an excellent list of information about gargoyles on the
Web, visit Gargoyles and Cathedrals: An Internet Hotlist on
Gargoyles
(http://www.kn.pacbell.com/wired/fil/pages/listgargoyles.ht
ml) created by Diane Adams - Marshall Middle School Janesville,WI.
Why does this cat sit with the gargoyle?
Why does the gargoyle sit with the cat?
Why do some people place gargoyles on their desks?
Why do some people place gargoyles on their office buildings?
What kinds of people like gargoyles? Why?
Are some gargoyles better than others?



What are the traits or characteristics of a good gargoyles?
Should they be fierce and threatening? Kind, gentle and
welcoming?
How should modern gargoyles be different from the ancient
ones? Why?
Which of the gargoyles below would make the best one for
your house or garden? Why? Click on an image to see larger
version.
Gargoyle 2
Gargoyle 1






Gargoyle 3 Gargoyle 4 Gargoyle 5
Do we still need gargoyles? Why?
Will we always need gargoyles? Why?
How do other cultures like Bali islanders and Hindus make use
of figures carved in wood or stone?
In what ways are such figures or gargoyles like icons?
How do icons influence the quality of life and our culture? Are
they healthy? Unhealthy?
Why do some celebrities become icons? Are some celebrities
like gargoyles?
Some call such questions essential questions because they call
upon our best thinking and touch upon those matters that define what
it means to be human. They are questions that help us to make
meaning out of the events and circumstances of our lives.
There is a huge difference between knowledge on the one hand and
understanding or insight on the other hand.
Schools often engage students in collecting answers, in accumulating
information. But essential questions require that students spend
time pondering the meaning and importance of information.
Essential questions are questions that resonate within our hearts
and our souls. They are central to our lives. Most important thought
during our lives will center on such essential questions.
If we were to draw a cluster diagram of the Questioning Toolkit (see
FNO, January, 2000), essential questions would be at the center of
all the other types of
questions. All the
other questions and
questioning skills
serve the purpose of
"casting light upon" or
illuminating essential
questions.
Most essential
questions are
interdisciplinary in
nature. They cut across the lines created by schools and scholars to
mark the terrain of departments and disciplines.
Essential questions probe the deepest issues confronting us . . .
complex and baffling matters which elude simple answers: Life Death - Marriage - Identity - Purpose - Betrayal - Honor - Integrity Courage - Temptation - Faith - Leadership - Addiction - Invention Inspiration.
The greatest novels, the greatest plays, the greatest songs and the
greatest paintings all explore essential questions in some manner.
Essential questions are at the heart of a search for Truth.
Many of us believe that schools should devote more time to
essential questions and less time to trivial pursuit.
One major reform effort, the Coalition of Essential Schools, has made
Essential Questions a keystone of its learning strategy. (Visit the
Coalition Web site).
Understanding by Design (Wiggins and McTighe, ASCD, 1998)
makes the exploration of such questions the primary focus of unit
development.
As was outlined fully in this month's companion article, "Skirting the
Education Dot Bomb," schools will see the best returns on investment
when they engage students as infotectives. If schools expect them
to employ the kind of thinking that Sherlock Holmes or Nancy Drew
would employ to solve a mystery, they stand a good chance of
improving performance on state tests. They develop the ability to
interpret, analyze and infer. Students spend their time transforming
information into meaning . . .






Finding meaning
Creating meaning
Extending meaning
Reading between the lines
Working with clues
Building theories
In contrast, when schools engage students in trivial pursuit or
investigations that involve more entertainment than rigor and
substance, they waste their time and risk inspiring the (warranted)
resistance of staff members who already have too little time to
address the demanding curriculum standards of this decade.