How can I write a powerfulquestion?

In class, your teachers often ask you powerful questions that make you think about what you’re learning. Really, though, the most powerful questions are the ones YOU create yourself.

Use the Three Story Thinking diagram to createpowerful questions for the topic your class is learning.

Name: ______Question Topic Focus: ______

EXAMPLE Powerful Question
Question Level
Key Word / Powerful Question:
Question Level:
Attic
Key Word:
Defend / Which of these three characters undergoes the most significant changes and why?
(name 3 important characters from a text)
YOUR PowerfulQuestions
Question Level
Key Word / Powerful Question:
Question Level:
Key Word:
Question Level:
Key Word:

Three Story Thinking:How can I write powerful questions?

Adapted from Costa’s 3 Levels of Questioning


Key Words:

IMAGINE
JUDGE
DECIDE
OPINION
PREDICT
IF/THEN
DEFEND
CHANGE
EVALUATE
CREATE
DESIGN / Question Starters:
What is a better solution to …?
How can you defend your opinion about …?
What changes to __ would you recommend?
How would you feel if …?
What would happen if …?
What do you think about …?
How many ways can you …?
How would you design a new …?
What would you predict from …? / APPLYING INFORMATION
Key Words:
COMPARE
CONTRAST
CLASSIFY
SORT
EXPLAIN WHY
SEQUENCE
ANALYZE
SYNTHESIZE
INFER / Question Starters:
How was ___ similar to ___?
Why did ___ changes happen?
How does ___ compare to ___?
What is the problem with …?
What were the motives behind …?
What is the most important/best …?
Classify ___ according to ___.
What evidence can you list for …?
What can you infer about ___ from ___? / PROCESSING INFORMATION
Key Words:
COUNT
DEFINE
DESCRIBE
IDENTIFY
LIST
MATCH
RECITE
SELECT
RETELL
NAME
RECALL
EXAMPLE / Question Starters:
What is the definition for …?
List 10 ….
Match ___ with its ___.
What is an example of …?
What is the name of …?
How can you describe …?
What happened after …?
How many …?
Can you name the …?
Which is true or false …?
Write ___ in your own words.
What are the differences between…?
Identify different types of ___. / GATHERING INFORMATION