Before and After #1
EDUCATION METHOD BROCHURE
BEFORE
Curriculum Framing Questions
We already know that essential questions will help us clarify our
classroom and NCSCOS objectives. Essential questions are also a
required part of our lesson planning here at SMS.
Curriculum Framing Questions include Essential Questions, but helps us
identify our objectives by adding two additional levels of questions
to your planning: Unit Questions and Content Questions.
In using the CFQ method of planning, the Essential Question becomes a
broad spectrum, open ended question that covers a large variety of
Unit and Content Questions. EQ’s are questions of the highest level of
cognition.
Essential Questions
Essential Questions are over-arching. The question is open to
interpretation and could have several correct answers. Essential
Questions are, by their nature, conducive to integrated lesson
planning, project based learning, and thematic units. One Essential
Question has the potential to be used in several subject areas with
Unit and Content Questions being specific to the particular content
area.
Unit Questions
Unit questions are the more general questions whose answers will also
help to answer the Essential Question. These questions are, in the
Revised Bloom’s Taxonomy, the mid and upper range of cognition: apply,
analyze, evaluate, and create.
Content Questions
Content questions, in contrast, are very specific with clear right or
wrong answers and build the foundation for answering the Unit
Questions. These questions are the least cognitively complex questions
of the Revised Bloom’s Taxonomy: remember, understand, and apply.
EDUCATION METHOD BROCHURE
AFTER
applying CFQ to your lesson planning
Curriculum Framing Questions (also called CFQ) is a method of lesson planning that expands on the familiar NCSCOS-requirement of Unit Questioning. The CFQ method adds two additional layers of assessment to your end of class plans: Content Questioning and Essential Questioning. Combining these into your lesson plans will help you coordinate your teaching grade-wide among all our departments here at SMS.
In the CFQ method of planning, the Essential Question becomes a broad spectrum, open ended question that covers a large variety of Unit and Content Questions. It is multi-disciplinary in its scope and as a grade-wide group of teachers we define what this Essential Question is going to be for this school year. At the other end of the spectrum are the UQ's and CQ's. If EQ’s are questions at the highest level of cognition and complexity, then CQ's are at the lowest and UQ's fall somewhere in the middle.
Essential Questions
Essential Questions are over-arching. The question is open to
interpretation and could have several correct answers. Essential
Questions are, by their nature, conducive to integrated lesson
planning, project based learning, and thematic units. One Essential
Question has the potential to be used in several subject areas with
Unit and Content Questions being specific to the particular content
area.
Unit Questions
Unit questions are the more general questions whose answers will also
help to answer the Essential Question. These questions are, in the
Revised Bloom’s Taxonomy, the mid and upper range of cognition: apply,
analyze, evaluate, and create.
Content Questions
Content questions, in contrast, are very specific with clear right or
wrong answers and build the foundation for answering the Unit
Questions. These questions are the least cognitively complex questions
of the Revised Bloom’s Taxonomy: remember, understand, and apply.