Designing and Using Essential Questions (Quick Reference Guide)

Essential questions (EQs) are an important part of effective curriculum design and are used to encourage higher-order thinking, engage learners in deepening their understanding of big ideas, and enable students to transfer concepts learned to new situations. With this guide as a starting point, you will learn how EQs create a culture of inquiry that will benefit all students. Jay McTighe, one of the coauthors of Understanding by Design, provides practical guidance on how to

• develop EQs from standards and targeted understandings,
• implement EQs in the classroom, and
• troubleshoot challenges faced when working with EQs.

Packed with tips and examples of content and process questions to use in the classroom, this guide is an essential resource for any teacher.

8.5" x 11" 3-panel foldout guide (6 pages), laminated for extra durability and 3-hole-punched for binder storage.

Jay McTighe is an accomplished author, having co-authored 14 books, including the award-winning and best-selling Understanding by Design series with Grant Wiggins. His books have been translated into fourteen languages. Jay has also written more than 35 articles and book chapters, and been published in leading journals, including Educational Leadership and Education Week. Jay has an extensive background in professional development and is a regular speaker at national, state, and district conferences and workshops. He has made presentations in 47 states within the United States, in 7 Canadian provinces, and internationally in 36 countries on six continents.