Instructional Strategy

INSTRUCTIONAL STRATEGY

Question Pyramid

Grade:

3-5, 6-8, 9-12, UNIV

Type:

Question & Inquire

/ Develop Language (MLL)

20-30

Minutes

When:

Before reading

Materials:

Question Pyramid graphic organizer, whiteboard or display, writing utensil

Description

The Question Pyramid strategy enhances students’ question-formulation skills using the essential interrogatives: Who, What, When, Where, Why, and How. This strategy enhances critical thinking by guiding students to explore topics from various angles using different types of questions. As they generate questions, students develop their ability to ask diverse and insightful questions, deepening their understanding while encouraging curiosity and analytical thinking.

Procedure

Ask students to choose a topic of interest, or assign them a predetermined topic relevant to your desired learning outcomes.

Distribute the Question Pyramid graphic organizer to each student or pair.

Use a think-aloud technique to demonstrate how to fill out the organizer, focusing on a sample topic. Explain each of the six question words—Who, What, When, Where, Why, and How—and show how to formulate a question for each.

Provide examples of simple questions for each question word, using the sample topic to illustrate how each word helps explore different aspects of the topic.

Sample Topic: Climate Change

Who is affected by climate change?

What is climate change?

When did climate change become a recognized global issue?

Where are the effects of climate change most visible?

Why is climate change happening?

How is climate change measured?

Invite students to work independently or in pairs to fill out their Question Pyramid graphic organizers for their selected topics.

As students work, circulate and confer with students to support them as needed.

Have students share their questions with a partner or present them during a class share-out, identifying which questions are closed-ended and which are open-ended.

Facilitate a discussion on closed-ended and open-ended questions and how these questions differ.

Conclude with a reflective discussion or writing exercise. Ask students:

Which questions were the most challenging to create?

Which question word(s) did they find most useful?

How can these questioning skills be applied to other subjects or real-world issues?

Differentiation

Whole-Class Question Pyramid Modeling: Guide students through constructing a Question Pyramid together using a familiar topic. This collaborative approach allows students to see how different types of questions build on each other, moving from basic facts to deeper analysis. It also provides a structured way to differentiate instruction, as more advanced students can tackle the more complex levels of questioning. This scaffolded approach supports all students in understanding the question formation process while allowing for differentiation by assigning more challenging question levels to advanced students.

Peer Review: Encourage students to refine their questions by distinguishing between open-ended and closed-ended questions. Have students practice turning one type into the other and consider the advantages of each type in different contexts. This process supports learners by encouraging critical evaluation and refinement of questions, promoting higher-order thinking and collaborative skills.

Multilingual Learning Support

Beginning Proficiency: Provide visual support cards that pair each question word with symbols and translations in students’ home language. Provide students with sentence frames that combine question words with common verbs and topic-specific vocabulary in both languages (e.g., “Who is…” / “¿Quién es…” or “What happens to…” / “¿Qué pasa con…” followed by topic vocabulary). Create a bilingual word bank organized by question categories to support students’ question formation.

Intermediate Proficiency: Develop question frames that show both informal and academic phrasing approaches for students. Create opportunities for students to practice questioning in pairs, with one student asking in their home language and the other reformulating in English. Guide students in transforming basic questions into more structured academic inquiries using bilingual vocabulary support. Make concept vocabulary cards with terms in both languages and visual aids that help relate question types to academic tasks.

Advanced Proficiency: Assist advanced multilingual learners in transforming basic text questions into sophisticated analytical forms. For example, starting with “What happens to the main character?” students develop questions like “How does the protagonist’s internal conflict evolve throughout the narrative?” and ultimately craft complex inquiries such as “In what ways do the protagonist’s moral dilemmas reflect broader societal tensions within the text?” Provide literary vocabulary in context while students craft questions in both languages, applying academic terms and analytical frameworks across genres. Encourage proficient students to model sophisticated questioning during discussions, supporting peers in developing advanced literary analysis skills while maintaining academic language growth in both languages.

Variations

Question Swap: Students swap their Question Pyramid organizers with peers to review and add more complex questions, promoting deeper inquiry and diverse perspectives. This minor modification enhances collaborative learning and critical engagement by exposing students to different approaches to the same topic.

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