Essential Questions to Stimulate Learning

The use of authentic or essential questions can enhance the teaching and learning of history, as well as provide a valuable indicator of student understanding. Framing units of study around a set of common essential questions will challenge students to ponder the "hows" and "whys" of the world, therefore encouraging students to make those critical connections across time and place.

The following essential questions were drawn from the History-Social Science Standards-based Implementation Models Template as they relate to and support the key knowledge and skills assessed on the History-Social Science California Standards Test.

Essential Questions H-SS Pre-K - 5 - PDF

Essential Questions H-SS 6-8 - PDF

Essential Questions H-SS 10-12 - PDF

Suggestions for using Essential Questions:

• Post in classroom for visual reference throughout unit of study
• Pose before the beginning of a lesson or unit of study to engage student interest and inquiry
• Have students frame questions and research the answers to the questions
• Pose as structured writing prompts
• Use as journal starters throughout a unit of study
• Assign questions to student groups. Have them become 'experts' and share their learning through a jigsaw activity
• Use questions as a pre- or post- assessment to gauge student prior knowledge and learning

Related link:

H-SS Big Ideas K-12