ASKING QUESTIONS OF OF MICE AND MEN

Developing Enquiring Minds

Starter challenge

Can you work out the point of this activity? What’s our learning intention?

If this is the answer...

...what’s the question?

Eleven

Skilled questions will be … 1.Accurate but boringExcellent questions will be… 1.Exciting / Original /

thoughtful

What makes a good question?

Cover the table

Write each question on a card and put on your table

Tell your partner so we avoid repeating questions

If this is the answer...

...what’s the question?

Green.

If this is the answer...

...what’s the question?

Because he loved her.

If this is the answer...

...what’s the question?

Candy’s Dog.

Title: Writing Great QuestionsWALT - develop imaginative responses to the

stories we read

Types of Question

Knowledge Questions – the answers are in the book

Speculation Questions – use your imagination

Deeper thinking Questions – thinking outside the book

Topic

Curley’s Wife

Knowledge Questions – answers are in the book

Where does she live? Does she have a job? Is she married?

Speculation Questions – use your imagination

How does she feel about Curley? Why did she marry Curley? What are her ambitions for the future? Is she happy?

Deep Thought Questions – think outside the book

Does getting married really make people happy?

Is it possible to love someone you don’t like?

Why do unhappy people stay together? Is life harder for women than men?

Your Topic...

Writing Great Questions

Lennie and George’s Dream

Task - Fill the sheet with Knowledge /

Speculation / Deeper Thinking Questions about the Dream

Lennie and

George’sDream

Knowledge Questions

Speculation Questions

Deep Thought Questions

What...?Where?When?How many?

Why might...?What if...?What would change if...?What might...?

What’s the importance of...?Is...?Does...?

Knowledge Questions

Speculation Questions

Deep Thought Questions

What...?Where?When?How many?

Why might...?What if...?What would change if...?What might...?

What’s the importance of...?Is...?Does...?

Task

Choose your best ‘SPECULATION’ question

Put on a post-it note on the board

Class-vote on the best question Rally-Coach – write a paragraph to

answer it

Writing Better Explanations

WALT - write better explanations to answer

questions

Does George really believe in the dream?

Task

Continue with your answer to the speculation question ‘Does George really believe in the dream?’

Use the models and success criteria to help you

Ideas

P15 – George talks about the dream for the first time

P60 – George, Lennie and Candy talk about the dream

Does George really believe in the dream?

I think that George really does believe in the dream because he keeps going on to Lennie about it and talking about it all the time. He never shuts up about it.

Poor model

Does George really believe in the dream?

I think that George really does believe in the dream. He seems to know all the details, showing that he has thought it through. For example, he says ‘we can have rabbits, and grow our own crops’. This shows that he has spent a lot of time thinking about it, suggesting that he is taking it seriously. However, it could be that he is only saying this to keep Lennie happy, because....Better model

Skilled answers will …

1. Make clear points2. Provide some evidence from the text3. Explain your points

Excellent answers will be…

1. More original and interesting2. Explore alternative possibilities3. Explain in greater detail, by

linking to other ideas in the text

What makes a good answer?

I make clear pointsI use quotationsI explain my thinking

I make more original pointsI explain in more detail

I develop explanation fully by considering alternative points of view and making links

We are learning to...- write better explanations to answer questions

I make clear pointsI use quotationsI explain my thinking

I make more original pointsI explain in more detail

I develop explanation fully by considering alternative points of view and making links

We are learning to...- write better explanations to answer questions

I make clear pointsI use quotationsI explain my thinking

I make more original pointsI explain in more detail

I develop explanation fully by considering alternative points of view and making links

We are learning to...- write better explanations to answer questions

I make clear pointsI use quotationsI explain my thinking

I make more original pointsI explain in more detail

I develop explanation fully by considering alternative points of view and making links

We are learning to...- write better explanations to answer questions

I make clear pointsI use quotationsI explain my thinking

I make more original pointsI explain in more detail

I develop explanation fully by considering alternative points of view and making links

We are learning to...- write better explanations to answer questions

I make clear pointsI use quotationsI explain my thinking

I make more original pointsI explain in more detail

I develop explanation fully by considering alternative points of view and making links

We are learning to...- write better explanations to answer questions

Task

Continue with your answer to the speculation question ‘Does George really believe in the dream?’

Use the models and success criteria to help you

Ideas

P15 – George talks about the dream for the first time

P60 – George, Lennie and Candy talk about the dream

Homework

Choose a new speculation question Write at least 400 words to answer it Monday