Write A Question

Grade 5 G/T Mathematics
Closure - Write A Question

Standards for Mathematical Practices:  1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8

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In this closure activity, the teacher asks students to write a question for other students to answer.  According to Jo Boaler in her book, Mathematical Mindsets, "The act of writing a good question will help students focus on what is important and allow them to be creative in their thinking, which is itself important."  After students write their question, the teacher can choose one good question for the whole class to answer, or choose a few good questions and let students select which question they want to answer.  Students enjoy having their questions selected and used and this often improves the quality of questions that students write over time as it motivates them to write better questions so that their question will be selected.

Questions you could ask:

  1. What is your estimate/prediction?
  2. Have we ever solved a problem like this before?
  3. How does this question relate to what we learned in class today or are learning in class now?
  4. How are ____'s question and ____'s question similar?  different?
  5. What tools will help you solve this? 

 

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