Generating questions - Lotus diagram
Learning intention
Using an exisiting series of questions, students extend questioning and thinking about a particular topic (eg. Use questions generated by the See Think Wonder activity)
Students will:
- Identify and select different kinds of questions about the past to inform historical inquiry
- Evaluate and enhance these questions
Pathway
This activity is part of the Define the task stage of the research process.
Resources
- Lotus Diagram template [Word 37KB]
- For student information, go to the Generating questions page in the Define the task section of this site.
Activity
As a class, ask students to prioritise the 8 most significant ideas/topics or questions they have about a topic. Divide students into 8 groups and assign each group one of these big ideas/questions. Ask them to write this idea in the centre of a Lotus Diagram grid.
While students are working, write the 8 key ideas around the central topic box on one of the grids and stick this on the board or wall.
Ask students to compose different types of questions in each of the boxes around their central idea. See More to explore below for strategies to support question generation.
When students have completed their grids, place them around the corresponding ideas in the central grid to form the complete lotus diagram. This will highlight the number and range of questions that have been generated from the one image.
Students can use single grids (9 x squares) or a full lotus diagram for their own research, using an image, topic or question.
More to explore
Question Matrix template from VCAA
Jamie Mackenzie’s Questioning toolkit
The art of asking questions from The Global Digital Citizen Foundation
Five basic question types from Leslie Owen Wilson
Thinking Tools Lotus Diagram video from Don Collins on Vimeo.
