Questioning
Educator Definition:
Readers ask questions about the text and the author's intentions and seek information to clarify and extend their thinking before, during and after reading.
Readers ask questions about the text and the author's intentions and seek information to clarify and extend their thinking before, during and after reading.
Student Definition:
Ask questions to understand what I'm reading.
Students travel through a castle as they ask questions about texts during this activity. They may choose Middle Eastern folktales or non-fiction texts about castles. The students'
questions act like keys, opening doors and letting them go deeper into the castle and the story. They also answer their own questions if they are able, and group them into "In the book" or
"In my head" questions.
Common Core State Standards for English Language Arts
This activity meets the following grade 3 Common Core State Standards for English Language Arts:
Print Version (PDF)
Foundational Skills
Phonics and Word Recognition
3.RF.3
Know and apply grade-level phonics and word analysis skills in decoding words.
- Decode multisyllable words.
Fluency
3.RF.4
Read with sufficient accuracy and fluency to support comprehension.
- Read grade-level text with purpose and understanding.
- Use context to confirm or self-correct word recognition and understanding, rereading as necessary.
Literature
Key Ideas and Details
3.RL.1
Ask and answer questions to demonstrate understanding of a text, referring explicitly to the text as the basis for the answers.
Craft and Structure
3.RL.4
Determine the meaning of words and phrases as they are used in a text, distinguishing literal from nonliteral language.
Integration of Knowledge and Ideas
3.RL.7
Explain how specific aspects of a text's illustrations contribute to what is conveyed by the words in a story (e.g., create mood, emphasize aspects of a character or setting).
Range of Reading and Level of Text Complexity
3.RL.10
By the end of the year, read and comprehend informational texts, including history/social studies, science, and technical texts, at the high end of the grades 2-3 text complexity band independently
and proficiently.
Informational Text
Key Ideas and Details
3.RI.1
Ask and answer questions to demonstrate understanding of a text, referring explicitly to the text as the basis for the answers.
Craft and Structure
3.RI.4
Determine the meaning of general academic and domain-specific words and phrases in a text relevant to a grade 3 topic or subject area.
Integration of Knowledge and Ideas
3.RI.7
Use information gained from illustrations (e.g., maps, photographs) and the words in a text to demonstrate understanding of the text (e.g., where, when, why, and how key events occur).
Range of Reading and Level of Text Complexity
3.RI.10
By the end of the year, read and comprehend informational texts, including history/social studies, science, and technical texts, at the high end of the grades 2-3 text complexity band
independently and proficiently.
Writing
Production and Distribution of Writing
3.W.6
With guidance and support from adults, use technology to produce and publish writing (using keyboarding skills) as well as to interact and collaborate with others.
Language
Conventions of Standard English
3.L.2
Demonstrate command of the conventions of standard English capitalization, punctuation, and spelling when writing.
- Use conventional spelling for high-frequency and other studied words and for adding suffixes to base words (e.g., sitting, smiled, cries, happiness).
Vocabulary Acquisition and Use
3.L.4
Determine or clarify the meaning of unknown and multiple-meaning words and phrases based on grade 3 reading and content, choosing flexibly from a range of strategies.
- Use sentence-level context as a clue to the meaning of a word or phrase.
3.L.5
Demonstrate understanding of word relationships and nuances in word meanings.
- Distinguish the literal and nonliteral meanings of words and phrases in context (e.g., take steps).
- Identify real-life connections between words and their use (e.g., describe people who are friendly or helpful).
Download these short, lesson plans to practice the strategy.
Questioning the Text (PDF)
Thick and Thin Questions (PDF)
BDA Questions (PDF)
Beyond Questioning (PDF)
QAR Poster (PDF)
Thick and Thin Questions (PDF)
BDA Questions (PDF)
Beyond Questioning (PDF)
QAR Poster (PDF)
Questioning Booklist
Browne, Anthony. Into the Forest. Candlewick Press, 2004. 28 pages
Davies, Nicola. Big Blue Whale. Illustrated by Nick Maland. Candlewick, 1997. 27 pages
Erdrich, Louise. Grandmother's Pigeon. Illustrated by Jim LaMarche. Hyperion, 1996. 32 pages
Geisert, Arthur. River Town. Houghton Mifflin, 1999. 32 pages
Gillette, J. Lynette. Dinosaur Ghosts: The Mystery of Coelophysis. Illustrated by Douglas Henderson. Dial, 1997. 32 pages
Griffith, Helen V. Grandaddy and Janetta Together: The Three Stories in One Book. Illustrated by James Stevenson. Greenwillow Books / HarperCollins, 2002. 80 pages
Hearne, Betsy. Who's in the Hall? A Mystery in Four Chapters. Illustrated by Christy Hale. Greenwillow, 2000. 32 pages
Lehman, Barbara. The Red Book. Houghton Mifflin, 2004. 32 pages
Macaulay, David. Shortcut. Houghton Mifflin, 1995. 32 pages
Myers, Christopher. Wings. Scholastic Press, 2000. 40 pages
Wiesner, David. The Three Pigs. Clarion, 2001. 40 pages
Woodson, Jacqueline. The Other Side. Illustrated by E.B. Lewis. Putnam, 2001. 32 pages
Reiser, Lynn. Two Mice in Three Fables. Greenwillow, 1995. 32 pages
Into the Book has nine 15-minute educational videos that help teach children how to use eight different reading strategies.
In this episode, Mrs. Pingel uses a National Geographic magazine to model the questioning strategy. During a science lesson, Kamilah's own questions pull her into her Ranger Rick article about otters, where the otters themselves help her answer her questions. She later uses her new questioning skills to help a frantic zookeeper.
Video Clips
Learn about Questioning
Practice Asking Questioning
Apply the Strategy
©Copyright 2018
Wisconsin Educational Communications Board and University of Wisconsin Extension
Wisconsin Educational Communications Board and University of Wisconsin Extension