1. Essential Questions
PSRC Administrative Retreat
December 1, 2012

3. Essential Question
How can essential questions be
used to enhance instruction?

5. Choose one of the questions
below to discuss with your
partner after viewing.
Video Connection
1. What do the boxes
represent in this video?
2. What is significant about the
questions posed in this video?
3. What is the central message
of this video in 2-3 sentences?
4. Based on this video, what
do you think is the definition of
Essential Question?

6. As you view the Big Ideas
Overview Video, work with
the idea of LEADERSHIP to
determine what the "big
ideas" are in your work.
Record those ideas to post
after the discussion
Determining the BIG Ideas….Activity 2

7. Answer Garden Activity

9. Activity 3
How Big Ideas Lead to Essential
Questions
Read this article by Grant Wiggins.
With a partner/small group, share one
big idea that emerged from the reading.

11. Activity 4-Essential Questions and
the 21st Century Framework
 Take a few moments to review these examples of Essential Questions.
 Think-Pair-Share: How do these questions align with the gold and red sections of
the 21st Century Framework?
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Learning and Innovation Skills - 4Cs
Creativity and Innovation
Critical Thinking and Problem Solving
Communication and Collaboration
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Life and Career Skills
Flexibility and Adaptability
Initiative and Self-Direction
Social and Cross-Cultural Skills
Productivity and Accountability
Leadership and Responsibility

13. Why Essential Questions?
The deliberate exploration of high-quality,
overarching essential questions provides
students with multiple enriching learning
opportunities.
In terms of the North Carolina Educator
Evaluation Rubric, using essential
questions to guide instruction supports both
Standard 3b and Standard 4e (see next 2
slides).