Teaching Strategies

Developing High Level Questions

Model this activity with the class first. Put the students into small groups. You will need to make 2 cubes for each group of students. Either use a template to construct cubes from card or use wooden blocks.

On one cube write a question starter on each side. For example: How? Where? What? Why? When? Who? On the other cube write modal verbs such as: might, would, should, could, can, may, will.

Using some of the brainstormed topics, students within each group take turns to roll the first dice and use the starters to form factual questions (How...? Where...? What...? Why...?). Students then roll the two dice and use the modal verbs to lift the level of the questions (Why would...?).