Once students experience a hook to pique their interest in the project, the project’s Challenge Question is posed as the project’s purpose and unifier. Examples of Challenge Questions are:
How can new students best be welcomed to our class?
How can arts enhance the lives of our community elders?
50+ Challenge Question examples
Math Challenge Question examples
Social Studies Challenge Question examples
Science/Engineering Challenge Question examples
Making the challenge question explicit from the beginning – for example, placing it at the top of the project’s wall/display/website – emphasizes that questions will guide students in solving the challenge. You might suggest the wording of the challenge question, but let students have input and final say in forming it.
Class Know/Need-to Know/Ideas Chart
How can we reduce our school’s energy use?
A class Know/Need-to-Know/Ideas organizes the beginning of students’ inquiry to solve the challenge. At the top of the chart goes the Challenge Question; then columns for Know, Need-to Know, and Ideas.
(Think we) Know. Students reflect on what they already know or think they know about the project’s challenge. Students can reflect individually making notes in their project Reflections Journal. Then they might “turn and talk” to share their thoughts with a classmate. Finally volunteers or each pair shares their “Knows” with the whole class, to be put on the chart.
Need-to-Know. Students list questions they believe need to be answered in order to solve the challenge. These questions or some of them will be inquiry questions when students get into their small groups. To support students in generating questions Question Formulation Technique, and/or Think-Pair-Share are good strategies.
It could be helpful if, In advance, you determine a few Need-to-Knows you think are basic for your students to solve the challenge.
with possible Need-to-Knows/Inquiry Questions teacher Amy Farmer compiled in advance of her students generating questions.
If the class list doesn’t include Need-to-Knows from your list, while maintaining respect for your students’ views and choices, you might suggest questions from your list by asking the class whether answering the additional question or questions would be helpful for solving the challenge.
Ideas. Students generate a list of initial ideas for solving the challenge. For example, resources with which to connect, how an investigation could take place, what might be a solution, or any other ideas. Ideas from this list could be good resources for small group work.
Now that the class as a whole has begun inquiry to solve their project’s challenge, small group inquiry including group members’ individual work takes place.
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