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Essential Questions
“Know and understand are not
synonyms.”
Wiggins and McTighe,
Understanding by Design
“Understanding is always fluid,
transformable into a new theory.”
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What we want students to be able to do is to
take information and skills and apply them in
new situations rather than “spewing back the
particular fact, concepts, or problem sets that
were taught.”
Wiggins and McTighe
Understanding by Desigh
“How does one go about determining what is worth
understanding amid a range of content standards and
topics?”
Wiggins and McTighe, 1989 p.10
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BEFORE you do your lesson plans, ask
yourself, “What do I really want these student
to know? What is the core nugget of knowledge
that, when they are 32 years old and have
forgotten most of what they have learned, will
allow them to function in real life situations?”
An essential question:
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is a provocative question designed to engage
student interest and guide inquiry into the important
ideas in a field of study.
does not have one “right” answer
is intended to stimulate discussion and rethinking
over time
raises other important questions
When using more than one, essential questions can
be differentiated to meet student needs.
An essential question
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“is an intellectual linchpin. A linchpin is the
pin that keeps the wheel in place on an axle.
Thus, a linchpin idea is one that is essential
for understanding – without it a student
cannot go anywhere” (71).
Example:
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Topic – Martin Luther King
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What events and people influenced MLK to
become a leader in Civil Rights?
How did MLK change the world today?
What techniques did MLK use to persuade the
world that his ideas were important?
How did MLK’s leadership and philosophies
influence the US position?
Two Types of essential questions:
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Topical – can be answered by uncovering a unit’s
content. They stay within the bounds of the topic.
They can be answered as a result of in-depth inquiry.
Ex: After reading Merchant of Venice, answer the
question: Is Shakespeare prejudice?
Over-Arching – Point beyond a unit to a larger,
transferable idea. May link a topic to other topics and
subjects. Ex: What in Shakespeare’s plays make
them “classic” literature?
What makes a human/country
civilized?
Unit – Middle Ages
Unit – Renaissance
Unit – Holocaust
Truth vs Fantasy:
the feudalism,
knights, castles,
religion. What was
the Middle Ages
really like?
How did the music
and art of the time
influence the
politics?
What factors
contributed to
this society that
still exist today?
Three types of knowledge
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Good to know; knowledge worth being
familiar with; covered in class
Essential, important to know; uncovered in
class
Enduring knowledge; has understanding
beyond the classroom; student come to the
realization
Grade 4
Unit:
Electricity;
Reports
Lightning
facts
A circuit is a continuous
loop of energy and
motion.
Parts
of a
circuit
3 types
of
circuits:
simple;
series;
parallel
Enduring
knowledge:
These
have value
beyond the
classroom.
Student
come to
the
realization.
Knowledge worth being
familiar with; facts
covered in class
Vocabulary: protons,
electrons, friction, volts, etc.
How has electricity
changed the world?
How is electricity an
energy source in
my world?
Static
electricity
is caused
by
friction/
transfer of
electrons
How is electricity helpful
and harmful
Make up
of a
molecule
Schematics
There are different energy sources
and they all produce electricity
Knowledge and
skills important to
know. These are
uncovered in class.
Grade 8
Unit: Role of
Government
Reports/
Persuasive
Enduring
knowledge:
These have
value
beyond the
classroom.
Student
come to the
realization.
Knowledge
worth being
familiar with;
facts
covered in
class
Vocabulary: self-interest,
government, democracy, law, etc.
Why national parks were created
Names
and
locations
of
national
parks
Federal/
state/
local
Whose job is it
to solve America’s
problems?
Choose a national
park – Whose
job is it to preserve
this park?
How a
law
Is
made
What is the difference between
government and committed group?
Knowledge
and skills
important to
know. These
are uncovered
in class.
length of
terms of
office
Background – growth of
industrialism
The
enduring
knowledge
question
may
embed the
facts
learned in
the other
parts of the
circle.
High School
Unit: Holocaust:
Reports/Persuasive/
Project
Knowledge and
skills important to
know. These are
uncovered in class.
Nazi philosophy; fascism; totalitarian
government; racism; anti-Semitism
Leaders
Enduring
knowledge:
These have
value
beyond the
classroom.
Student
come to the
realization.
Progression
of laws
Courage to Care: Warsaw Ghetto;
Denmark; Avenue of the Just
Difference
How do individuals, between bias,
prejudice,
groups, towns,
and countries make a discrimination
difference? How can
we make a difference?
Preparing for obedience: propaganda, role
of education, indoctrination of people
Knowledge
and skills
important to
know. These
are uncovered
in class.
Events
The
enduring
knowledge
question
may
embed the
facts
learned in
the other
parts of the
circle.
Only a person who has questions can
have knowledge.” Gadamker, 1994