Irving School's Academic Fair
  
Parent and Student Support: 
Develop a Question

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About the Egg-Drop Contest 

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Choose a Topic

Develop a Question

Answer the Question

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Frequently Asked Questions

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How to Develop a Question

If your child has a topic but hasn't yet chosen a question to answer, then the ideas on this page may help.  If your child already has a question they have been wondering about, then this page may help them further develop their inquiry.

To generate questions about a topic, try going through this list of question words with your child:

  • Who?  "Who" questions may lead to investigations about people and the things they did.  Who did it first, or last?  Who did it best, or most often?
      
  • When?  "When" questions may lead to historical (or pre-historical) investigations.  When was this invented or discovered?  When did it live and die?
      
  • Where?  "Where" questions may be about geography, or about how things are put together.  Where are these things made?  Where did it come from?  Where did this part fit within the whole?
      
  • Why?  "Why" questions are often about cause-and-effect.  Why did this happen (or not happen)?  Why is it made this way?
      
  • How?  "How" questions can be about process.  How is it put together?  How does it work?  

If those words don't help, try some other question words:

  • Which?  Which is biggest or best?  Which do people prefer?
      
  • Will?  What will happen in the future?  What will happen if something else happens first?
      
  • How much or how many?  Because some children love numbers....

Remember, questions need to be narrow enough that they can be answered with a week or two of investigation.
  

Go here to find online resources about inquiry and asking questions.

Once your child has chosen a question, go here to get ideas about how to answer it.

 

Questions, comments -- or want to register?  E-mail Eric at AcademicFair@aol.com 

This page was last updated on January 8, 2008.