•“What do you think caused the liquid to turn blue?” (Explaining)
•“Arrange in groups the things that a magnet will and will not pick
up.” (Grouping)
•“What other machines can you think of that work in the same way
that this one does?” (Making analogies)
•“What are some characteristics of Van Gogh’s work that make you
think this painting is his?” (Distinguishing)
•“What might you do to test your idea?” (Experimenting)
•“In what ways are pine needles different from redwood needles?”
(Contrasting)
•“In what ways might you arrange the blocks so that they have a
crowded effect?” (Organizing)
•“What data are we going to need to solve this problem?” (Analyzing)
•“Arrange the following elements of a set in ascending order:^13 ⁄ 4 ,^3 ⁄ 2 ,
(^5) ⁄ 6 , (^32) ⁄ 5 .” (Sequencing)
•“How does the formula for finding the volume of a cone compare
with the formula for the volume of a pyramid?” (Comparing)
This level of cognition also is important when students do research
projects. Often students simply copy or paraphrase the text in a resource
book or from the Internet. When students understand that research is, by
definition, inquiry, they learn to raise questions that can be answered only
through true research. The cognitive processes listed at the start of this
section can guide students to raise questions at a more complex level.
Thus an assignment might read, “As you analyzethe development of
machines, what were some of their effectson the people living at that
time?” Or, “How does the main character in this novel comparewith the
main character in that novel?”
If a whole unit is being planned, an essential question at this level
might be this: “How did the invention of the wheel affect our lives today?”
Speculating, Elaborating, and Applying Concepts
Other questions and statements are designed to have students
go beyond the concept or principle and use it in a novel or hypotheti-
cal situation. This application invites students to think creatively and
Using Questions to Challenge Students’ Intellect 141