Third Grade Generates Questions for Author Grace Lin

Third grade delved into the task of writing questions that would be meaningful for the author Grace Lin when she visits on May 8th. They have loved reading her book,Where the Mountain Meets the Moon. Students started to think about the kinds of questions that they might ask as we met in a whole group and Felix previewed the activity. He talked about the kinds of questions that would be appropriate to ask and be interesting for Grace Lin to answer. Each student was given a frame with question starters to help them to think of their own questions. 

After dividing into three teacher facilitated groups, the students talked about what kinds of questions might be best. We agreed that questions that would cause her to answer with a yes or a no would be limiting. Students first wrote down their own questions, then shared them with a partner. During this sharing, they agreed on the three questions that they each wrote that were the most interesting. Each student then had an opportunity to write two more questions. Lastly, the three groups joined to share questions. An important part of this task was to know when a question shared by one student was in the same category as one written by another. Our students are certainly prepared to ask questions when Grace Lin visits and we are certain that she will enjoy the effort and thoughtfulness that went into preparing each question.