Using Essential Questions and Enduring Understandings is a big part of the planning and instruction culture at my school. My principal is known for peeking into classrooms and asking students what essential questions they have been focusing on. I kind love it though because it keeps me on track. Here is a picture of how I hang the questions we are working on:
Below is a picture of a year round bulletin board that is SOO simple! In the center of the bulletin board is the Essential Question. Each student has their photo and a speech bubble with their “reflection” (not answer) to the question. You can change the speech bubbles so easily. Perhaps you have a speech bubble at the beginning of the unit and then one at the end of the unit. That would be a great pre and post assessment that could also look good in a portfolio. I do not change the student photos every time we change the speech bubble. And I make the kids cut out their own head. Hence, the heads with no body 🙂
Yikes! I am so embarrassed by how blurry these photos are! My school camera is NOT the best.
One more place I always refer to the Essential Questions is in my written communication to the parents. I am always sure to write the questions out in my newsletter and report card blurbs.
These are some ideas of how Essential Questions can be shared but there are way more creative people out there than me! How do YOU share essential questions with your students and parents?