CATAPULTING TOWARD ANALYSIS
& WRITTEN RESPONSE
WITH QUESTIONS
Ramonda L. Fields
Teaching Fellow
NSTWP 2005 Institute
rfields@ftworthisd.tenet.edu
THOUGHT TO PONDER
The classic concept of learning is
that it occurs when the teacher
asks the questions and the learner
can answer them, but reality is that
learning does not occur until the
learner needs to know and can
formulate the question for himself
(Morgan and Saxton, 75)
Motivation
 My
students had not been exposed
to constant, interactive methods to
go beyond the knowledge and
comprehension levels of thought
(ELL/LEP, Gifted and Pre-AP/AP).
Philosophy of Many Educators
questions and students’
responses are the main interactions in
the traditional classroom, and as such
they are essential to teaching and
learning” (Dillon).
 “Teachers’
Composing the Question
LEVEL 1
“Right There” Question
Who is
Where is
What is
When is
How many
When did
What kind of
What happened
Composing the Question
LEVEL 2
“Think and Search” Question
Explain
Find examples of
What caused
Summarize
Compare/Contrast
How did
Why did
Theme/Life Lesson
Composing the Question
LEVEL 3
“Author and Me” or “On My Own” Question
Predict/Infer
What might have happened if
Propose an alternative
How might you prove
State a rule
Which is more moral
Justify the actions of
Level 1 Questions Match Bloom’s
Taxonomy Knowledge & Comprehension
Levels
Level 2 Questions Match Bloom’s Application
& Analysis Levels
Level 3 Questions Match Bloom’s
Synthesis & Evaluation Levels
Taking Action
 “Questions
are powerful tools for
facilitating thinking about significant
knowledge. They should also convey
to students the potential of
questioning for their learning”
(Sattes and Walsh, 36)
Level 1 Questions -- Student Samples
Who were the Kobras? -- “Priscilla & the Wimps”
What kind of expectations did Sandra Cisneros’
father have for her opposed to the expectations
he had for his sons? -- “Only Daughter”
What is the “black table”? -- “The Black Table is Still
There”
What is the purpose of Staples using the word
“victim” in the first sentence? – “Just Walk On By”
Level 2 Questions -- Student Samples
Explain what caused Priscilla to take such action
against Monk. - - “Priscilla and the Wimps”
Summarize the attitude of the teacher toward
Richard’s situation. - - “Shame”
Explain and compare how the all black table is
parallel to self segregation in society. - - “The Black Table
is Still There”
Summarize the events that forced Staples to change
the way he walked in public. - - “Just Walk On By”
Level 3 Questions -- Student Samples
Predict what kind of person Monk Klutter turned
out to be after the incident with Priscilla. – “Priscilla and the
Wimps”
Justify Graham’s reaction toward integration. What
would you have done if you were placed in the
author’s situation? -- “The Black Table is Still There”
Justify Staples’ use of onomatopoeia in paragraph
three. – “Just Walk On By”
What can you infer about Richard’s lifestyle after
he was humiliated by the teacher? – “Shame”
Benefits of Inquiry-Driven Classroom
The Youth Learn Initiative observes,
“Many kids who have trouble in school
because they do not respond well to
lectures and memorization will blossom
in an inquiry-based learning setting,
awakening their confidence, interest,
and self-esteem.” (2001)
Responsive Strategy
A nswer the Question
P rovide “Textual Evidence”
E xplain With Independent
Thought
A nswer the Question
-- Clear, specific response; be sure to
actually answer
-- Should be evident what question is
-- Include names, places or important
terms from question
P rovide “Textual Evidence”
-- Should support or highlight
response as credible
-- Should easily connect to response
with relevance
E xplain With Independent Thought
-- Should illustrate an individual
connection to question/text
-- Should convey some individual
analysis
-- Should express what you learned or
how you reacted to question/text
BEGINNING RESPONSE
Why would the ending of the story be
categorized as ironic?
He thinks that he is white even though he is
black. “Desiree’s Baby” – representative of most
responses
BEGINNING RESPONSE
How do the passengers’ reactions differ
according to their gender?
The reactions between the males and females had
differences because of the ways they had acted on
the situation dealing with Samuel. The males had
stated “these kids do seem to be acting sort of
stupid” but they thought of some of the brave
things they had done when boys and women
became very angry when they saw the four boys.
“Samuel”
EVENTUAL RESPONSE
Why did the author use rhetorical questions to
emphasize his attitude throughout the passage?
Lawrence Graham used rhetorical questions like,
“Why did the black kids separate themselves?”
to show his agitation toward the situation. He
reacted to those students putting a thin wall
between themselves and all other kids in the
school. He was frustrated with the selfseparation that had occurred for years.
“The Black Table Is Still There”
EVENTUAL RESPONSE
Contrast how Monk Clutter is presented at the
beginning and end of “Priscilla and the Wimps”.
At the beginning of “Priscilla and the Wimps”, Monk is
presented as a very big and powerful “ruler”. However,
toward the end, Priscilla changes that because of her view
of him, and transforms him into the victim. When
Priscilla meets face to face with Monk, Monk says, “Who
is it around here that doesn’t know Monk Klutter?” and
Priscilla responds, “Never heard of him.” She had no fear
of him whatsoever, becoming the “ruler” of a new
“wimp”.
“Priscilla and the Wimps”
EVENTUAL RESPONSE
How does the subway car depicted in this story act
as a microcosm of society?
Society is represented in two angles with the people on
the subway car. The passivists and activists are
primarily represented by two main characters. The
woman who gains the courage to speak up fails to
follow through with action. The man who enforces her
words “. . . where he pulled the emergency cord”
reacts too late, and in his actions ultimately causes
Samuel’s death. Responsibility is being refused,
causing a deterioration of society. “Samuel”
Connections

All grade levels benefit from Level Questions.
EX:
“What might have happened if Little Red Riding
Hood arrived at Grandma’s before the wolf?”
“Explain why it is moral/right for Robin Hood to
rob the rich and give to the poor.”
“What might have happened if Matilda had been
honest about the necklace?”
 Dealing with question types for SAT, AP, formal
assessments
TEKS Alignment
(1) Writing Purposes
(c) organize ideas to ensure coherence, logical progression and
support for ideas
(7) Reading/Comprehension
(b) draw upon his/her own background to provide connection
to texts
(c) draw inferences: conclusions, generalizations, predictions
and support with text evidence and experience
(10) Reading/Literary Response
(b) use elements of text to defend his/her own responses and
interpretations
(12) Reading/Comprehension
(c) reads critically to evaluate writer’s motives and purpose
TAKS Alignment
Short Answer Items/OEQ
The short answer items on each test assess two skills.
 Students must
be able to generate clear,
reasonable, thoughtful ideas or analyses about
some aspect of the published literary and
expository selections.
 Students must be able to support the analyses
with relevant, strongly connected textual
evidence.
Final Thought
By using higher order thinking or reasoning
skills students do not remember only factual
knowledge. Instead, they use their
knowledge to problem solve, to analyze, and
to evaluate. (Brualdi)
Bibliography
Blanchette, Judith (2001). “Questions in the Online Learning Environment”.
Journal of Distance Education.
Brualdi, Amy C (1998). “Classroom Questions”. Practical Assessment,
Research and Evaluation. pp.1-3
Morgan, Norah and Juliana Saxton (1994). Asking Better Questions.
Markham, Ontario: Pembroke.
Raphael, T.E. (1986). “Teaching Question Answer Relationships”. The
Reading Teacher. p.512.
Sattes, Beth D. and Jackie Walsh (2003). Questioning and Understanding to
Improve Learning and Thinking. Charleston, WV: AEL Publishing.
Youth Learn Initiative (2001) “Introduction to Inquiry Based Learning”.
Morino Institute.