Investigate the State
What is the Water Like in Our River?
Lesson 3
How Can We Ask Good Questions?

Learning Set 1 - Lesson 3
A Closer Look at Our River
Question of the Day:
How Can We Ask Good Questions?
Students discuss and record the
criteria for good questions and then
develop sub-questions to help
answer the Driving Question.

Learning Objectives and Purpose
• Through the sharing and evaluation of
other classmates’ questions, students will
construct valid questions based on the
criteria of a good question.

Overview of Activities
• A class discussion centered around the
need to ask more questions in order to
answer the big DQ. Artifacts from the
previous days’ work are used as
examples.
• This conversation should include a discussion as to
why questions are an important part of science.
• As students contribute reasons for asking questions,
their ideas are recorded for ongoing reference.

Student Actions
• Students create sub-questions that will
help organize information during the
investigation.
• As a class, students develop a list of
criteria for good questions.
• Working first individually, and/or in small
groups and as a class, questions are
developed, critiqued and refined. They are
then reviewed by the class and added to
the Driving Question Board.

Teacher Considerations
• Continue to link new questions to the
driving question: “What is the Water Like
in Our River?”
• Be prepared to guide students to include
all of the components of a “good
question”.

Lesson 3 Assessment
• Students develop questions that have no
straight forward answer, require multiple
resources to answer, relate to the driving
question, develop understanding of science
concepts and cannot be answered without
data.
• Students refine each of their own questions to
meet the criteria of a good question.

Preparation for Next Lesson:
Exploring Watersheds
• The next lesson involves students building a
model of a watershed.
• If you are not familiar with the set-up of the model,
try it out for yourself first to make sure the
materials work well and you are comfortable with
the process and procedures.
• Watch the video on construction of this
model.
• Review lesson four in the curriculum
materials.
• Copy Student Worksheets:
•What Happens to Water When it Rains?
•What Direction Does the Water Flow?

For More Information
• Review the curriculum guide:
“What is the Water Like in Our River?”
• Visit our web site:
http://www.investigatethestate.org