Model adapted from the work of Dr. Bob Bain, University of Michigan, [email protected], and
developed in collaboration with Deborah Sachs and Toby McQuerrey, Parkway School District
Questioning the Evidence
First Me, Then We
This strategy provides a structured opportunity for individual analysis, collaborative conversation, and then
synthesis around a central question or piece of text. Students are divided into groups of 3 to 4 and are provided
with a large piece of chart paper. The paper is divided as shown below. Students then individually respond to the
prompt or question in the evidence in their quadrant. Once each student has had a chance to individually analyze
the evidence or respond to the question, each person shares their findings/response with the whole group. The
center of the chart paper is used to synthesize the group’s thinking. Each group then shares their synthesis with
the entire class and a whole-class synthesis is created: This is what our whole class found or what our whole class
is thinking!
Student A
Student B
What do I think about
this? What do I see in
the evidence?
What do I think about
this? What do I see in
the evidence?
Group Synthesis – What do we all have in
common? What does our group see in the
evidence?
Student C
Student D
What do I think about
this? What do I see in
the evidence?
What do I think about
this? What do I see in
the evidence?
Questioning the Evidence
The SIGHT method for analyzing pictures/paintings, etc
Scan for details
Identify the conflict taking place
Guess the purpose of the author,
artist, photographer, etc.
Hear the voices of the subjects
Talk about your observations
4 Purposes for Reading Social Studies Texts (Primary and Secondary)
Support: How does
the reading
support/maintain your
existing ideas/beliefs
about the topic
Extend: How does the
reading increase (add to)
the knowledge you have
about the topic
Challenge: How does the
reading dispute or oppose
your beliefs about the
topic
Questions: What
questions does this
reading raise for you
about the topic
1.
1.
1.
1.
2.
2.
2.
2.
3.
3.
3.
3.
Created by Dr. Bob Bain, University of Michigan, [email protected]
Questioning the Evidence
Here’s What I’m Thinking
What do you think about that?
Directions:
For the next few minutes you will put your thinking on paper about the topic we have just
read about, taken notes on/discussed. To do this, please select two questions from the “So Many
Questions” page to respond to. Write your question next to each number below and then write what
comes to your mind as it relates to the questions and the topic that you have just been learning about.
You will have 6 minutes to write your thinking for both questions. At the end of the 6 minutes, you will
share your thinking with a classmate who will have an opportunity to respond to your thoughts.
Question #1: _________________________________________________________________________
Here’s what I’m thinking (You):
Here’s what I think about that (A Classmate): Please use one or more of the dialogue starters below to begin your
response to what your classmate was thinking.
I agree with…
I disagree with….
To extend on what you said,
Question #2: _________________________________________________________________________
Here’s what I’m thinking (You):
Here’s what I think about that (A Classmate): Please use one or more of the dialogue starters below to begin your
response to what your classmate was thinking.
I agree with…
I disagree with….
To extend on what you said,
SO MANY QUESTIONS!
Questioning the Evidence
“HEAR MY VOICE!” – [Lesson Topic goes here]
The date is -
What I said – “QUOTE”
My name is -
The place is -
What I believe – SUMMARIZE your
viewpoint in one sentence.
All about me – List FACTS that describe you. –
“QUOTE”
Why I believe – PARAPHRASE your
key arguments.
ON THE ISSUE OF [INSERT TOPIC]
I AM -
PRO
Mark with an “X”
UNDECIDED
CON
Suggested Procedure for Using “Hear my Voice” Graphic Organizer
Adapted from Kim Barbieri, education specialist, National Archives and Records Administration
1. Provide each student with the graphic organizer and a primary source document – letter,
telegram, diary entry, speech, etc. Ideally, the documents represent viewpoints prevalent in
public thinking on the issue at the time. Allow approximately 30 to 50 minutes to read and
analyze the documents and to complete the graphic organizer.
2. Direct students to examine their document. They will be prompted by the organizer to make
note of the date and place – if the document contains this – and to assemble some background
information about the author, either from the document itself or through some quick online
research.
3. Emphasize to students that they are to elect an appropriate quotation from their document,
summarize the author’s viewpoint in one concisely written sentence, and paraphrase the
author’s key supporting rationale. At the conclusion of the document analysis, students will use
the graphic organizer to help them make a final assessment of the author’s perspective on the
issue. They should be able to answer the following questions: What is the author’s viewpoint?
Is he or she in support of, opposed to, or undecided about the issue?
4. As a wrap-up activity, require each student to reveal their author’s voice to classmates, by using
the information that now is written in the graphic organizer. Tell students to stand and, using
the graphic organizer as an outline, assume the personae of their document’s author.
Encourage classmates to listen to each other attentively, and invite them to rate one another,
using a suggested scale of 1-5 for thoroughness, quality of content, dramatic believability, and
personal persuasiveness in presenting this unique historical perspective.
Questioning the Evidence
Reading a Text from Multiple Perspectives
One of the characteristics of curious learners is that they are open to different points of view. The
strategy below and the Perspectives/Culture Wheel on the next page both provide frameworks for this.
From the Center for Critical Thinking, this strategy requires students to read the same text multiple
times, but from a different perspective each time. The text that you select could be a primary source
document, a textbook passage or another secondary source. The “text” could also be an image or a
photograph. Each time students read have them complete a graphic organizer like the one below in
order to capture their reactions to the text from the perspective of that person. This helps to develop a
sense of curiosity as students practice seeing things from multiple perspectives.
TOPIC
Perspective #1
Perspective #2
Perspective #3
Questioning the Evidence
SEADS Strategy
One of the characteristics of curious learners is that they question authority. The SEADS Strategy is a
framework to guide them as they question claims made by texts or other sources of information.
S
E
What is the source?
Who said it? In what
setting or context? Is it
believable?
What evidence is
presented to support
the claim? Is it
objective, accurate,
reliable, and
representative?
A
What assumptions are
being made or implied?
Are they realistic and
valid?
D
What definitions of key
terms are being used?
Is the language clear
and specific?
S
What is the slant, bias or
special interest reflected
in the information?
What might be the
motivation of the
people who made the
statement?
Questioning the Evidence
Thinking Journals
One of the characteristics of a learning environment where curiosity is nurtured is that question asking
is planned for. One way of doing this is by having students regularly write in a Thinking Journal. The
Thinking Journal not only provides a place where students can be alone with their thoughts and their
own curiosities about what we are teaching them, it also provides us with a tool for seeing their
thinking. As John Barell points out, it is often helpful to provide writing stems for students to get their
curiosity engine running. Some of these are provided for you below:
 I wonder …
 What fascinates me here is…
 This is important because…
 This reminds me of… I can relate this experience/topic/person to…
 What is the meaning of…
 I do not see the relationship between _________ and ___________
 I do not understand ________________
 Why did/does…
 I feel…
 The big idea here is…
 My prediction is…
 The themes that are emerging are…
 The underlying assumptions/biases/interests here seem to be…
 What puzzles me is…
 I am changing my mind about…
 What I am learning here about myself, my understandings, my feelings is…
Questioning the Evidence
Written Document Analysis Worksheet
1.
TYPE OF DOCUMENT (Check one):
___
___
___
___
2.
Newspaper
Letter
Patent
Memorandum
___
___
___
___
Map
Telegram
Press release
Report
___
___
___
___
Advertisement
Congressional record
Census report
Other
DATE(S) OF DOCUMENT:
___________________________________________________________________________
3.
AUTHOR (OR CREATOR) OF THE DOCUMENT:
___________________________________________________________________________
POSITION (TITLE):
___________________________________________________________________________
4.
FOR WHAT AUDIENCE WAS THE DOCUMENT WRITTEN?
___________________________________________________________________________
5.
DOCUMENT INFORMATION (There are many possible ways to answer A-E.)
A. List three things the author said that you think are important:
___________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________
B. Why do you think this document was written?
___________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________
C. What evidence in the document helps you know why it was written? Quote from the document.
___________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________
D. Write a question to the author that is left unanswered by the document:
___________________________________________________________________________
Questioning the Evidence
Photo/Artwork Analysis Worksheet
Step 1. Observation
A.
Study the photograph/artwork for 2 minutes. Form an overall impression and then examine
individual items. Next, divide the photo/artwork into quadrants and study each section to see what
new details become visible.
___________________________________________________________________________
B.
Use the chart below to list people, objects, and activities in the photograph/artwork.
People
Objects/Words
Activities
Step 2. Inference
Based on what you have observed above, list three things you might infer from this
photograph/artwork
___________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________
Step 3. Evidence
What evidence from Step 1 did you use to make your inferences in Step 2?
__________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________
Step 4. Hear the Voices
What are the subjects in the photograph or piece of artwork thinking and feeling?
__________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________
Step 5. Questions
A.
What questions does this photograph raise in your mind?
___________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________
B.
Where could you find answers to them?
___________________________________________________________________________
Questioning the Evidence/Argue/Explain
Decision Tree
When making a decision it’s important to consider all the alternatives and the positives and cons negatives for
each possible solution.
1.
2.
3.
4.
Identify the problem trying to be solved and write it at the top of the tree.
Brainstorm three possible solutions to the problem and write them on the trunk of the tree.
List the positives (+) of each solution on the left-hand branches of the tree and the negatives (-) of each
solution on the right-hand branches of the tree.
Choose a solution and summarize why you chose it at the base of the tree.
The problem is…
+
Solution #1
_
+
Solution #1
_
+
Solution #1
_
I would choose solution #____ because…
Adapted from Teaching 21st Century Skills | Classroom Tools (ASCD)
Questioning the Evidence
Questioning the Text: What are you curious about? (Question)
This one I adapted from the book: Developing More Curious Minds by John Barell (2003). In the book, Barell
describes the Three-Story Intellect by Art Costa – an “information processing model for how the mind works.”
Because my experience as a teacher tells me that students often need help in learning how to ask questions of
varying degrees of difficulty I adapted the model to include some sample question starters and to reflect the
th
principles of Understanding by Design. The question starters, along with an example of how this might look in a 9
Grade U.S. History course, are included below. Remember that the phrase “Text” could apply to the textbook,
other printed materials, visual materials, or even you as the teacher. This could easily be adapted to any type of
text.
Sample Learning Experience
Unlike most assignments with the textbook, your goal with this is not to answer questions, but rather to ask
questions. As you read through the following pages write three questions from each of the Questioning Categories
below. Question starters for each category have been provided for you. The topics that you will write your
questions about are: Muckrakers, Child Labor, and Workplace Safety.
Acquiring Questions
When did…?
Where is…?
Who did/was…?
What is…?
How did…?
Making Meaning Questions
Why did…?
How were…?
Why have…?
If….then….?
How do we know…?
How can we explain why…?
How is this related to…? (what you
have learned before)
How is this different from…?
How would_____feel about this?
How would I respond if…?
Is there a relationship between…?
Transfer Questions
What would be different today
if…?
What might happen today if…?
What might happen in the future
if…?
What if everyone…?
What if no one…?
How does_____apply to ____
today?
How could I use______ to solve
the problem of _______ today?
What are some examples
of_______ today?
Students would then use a graphic organizer to document their questions (a sample is below). Once they have
completed this portion, they could select one of the topics that they are most interested in and conduct research
to find the answers to their questions.
I am curious about…
Acquiring
Muckrakers
Child Labor
Workplace
Safety
Meaning Making
Transfer
Questioning the Evidence
Evidence that Refutes
Statement
1.
A
D
2.
A
D
A
D
A
D
A
D
3.
4.
5.
Evidence that Supports
Opinion/Interpretation/Argument/Explanation
Talk like Historians
Introducing your Position
Introducing and using
evidence
In my opinion…
It is my belief that…
From my own point of view…
Some people think…but I think…
For example…
For instance…
In support of this…
Explaining and justifying
Furthermore…
As you can see…
Obviously…
Showing cause and effect
As a result…
Because of…
(Person/evidence) was responsible for…
Counterargument
Concluding phrases
On the other hand…
(Source) believes…however…
Even though…
For the reasons above…
In conclusion…
In other words…
Created by Dr. Bob Bain, University of Michigan, [email protected]
Opinion/Interpretation/Argument/Explanation
Historical
Talking Tools
Disagreeing
I don’t agree with_____ because…
I disagree with_____because…
I see it a different way
than_____because…
Predicting
Based on _____, I infer that…
I hypothesize that…
Since_____, I infer that…
Paraphrasing
So_____ is saying that…
In other words, _____ believes that…
What_____ is arguing is…
Individual Reporting
I discovered from _____that…
I found out from_____that…
According to _____ …
As_____ stated…
Expressing an Opinion
I think/believe that…
It seems to me that…
In my opinion…
Affirming
That’s an interesting argument…
I hadn’t thought of …
I see what_____means…
Offering a Suggestion
Maybe_____could…
What if…
Here’s something_____might try…
Perhaps_____could…
Agreeing with Arguments
My argument is similar to_____’s…
I agree with_____ that…
My argument built upon_____’s argument…
Responding to a Counterargument
I understand that _____, however…
_____states that…but…
Although _____ may say that…it is clear that…
I hear what_____believes, on the other hand…
Group Reporting
We decided/agreed that…
We concluded that…
Our group sees it differently…
We had a different approach. We…
According to_____ in my group…
Created by Dr. Bob Bain, University of Michigan, [email protected]
Opinion/Interpretation/Argument/Explanation
Beginning and Endings with Muscle
Strong introductions and conclusions make a piece of writing, a presentation, or a speech more
memorable and persuasive. They also help to demonstrate the creativity of the author.
1. Select a Topic:
2. For the topic, write either an introduction or conclusion using each of the ingredients
below.
Ingredient
Introduction or Conclusion
1. Raise a question that gets the attention
of the audience.
2. Share something that the person does
that is out of the ordinary.
3. Get inside the head of one of the people
by sharing their thoughts.
4. Make an exclamatory statement that
expresses a strong emotion.
5. Share a strong opinion or point of view.
6. Use a quote from one of the people.
7. Help the audience create a picture in
their minds with a vivid description.
Adapted from Teaching 21st Century Skills | Classroom Tools (ASCD)
Strategies to Integrate Comparing and Contrasting
 Alike and Different – students work in pairs or small groups and divide a sheet of paper down
the middle and label the left column Alike and the right column Different. Students are then
provided with several pairs of words or phrases (e.g., Martin Luther King, Jr. – Abraham Lincoln
or Statue of Liberty – Liberty Bell or Romans – Greeks) that are illustrative of the key learning
associated with the lesson. Students then use multiple resources in the classroom (the more
varied the resources the better - video, websites, documents, maps, textbook, journals, etc.) to
help them learn about the topics. They then complete their graphic organizer, citing the sources
they used to complete it.
 Cause vs. Effect – students work in pairs or small groups and divide a sheet of paper down the
middle and label the left column Cause and the right column Effect. Students are provided with
several statements that are illustrative of the key causes and effects associated with the lesson
or unit. These statements are written on index cards and placed in two separate piles (one for
cause, one for effect). Students draw two cards from each pile without looking. Students then
make predictions about whether they believe the statements to be causes or effects and justify
their reasoning to the class. Students then use multiple resources in the classroom (the more
varied the resources the better - video, websites, documents, maps, textbook, journals, etc.) to
help them learn about the topics. They then complete their graphic organizer, citing the sources
they used to complete it. Students then present their organizers to the class, justify their
reasoning, and describe how their predictions were correct or incorrect.
 What Does Not Belong? – students divide a sheet of paper into three columns and label the first
column Data Set, the middle column Oddball, and the third column Explanation. Students are
given three ideas, people, objects, or concepts that require an analysis and explanation of the
similarities and differences. After using multiple resources in the classroom, students identify
the “oddball” word in the middle column and then justify why it does not belong in the set in
the third column.
 What Do They Have in Common? – students divide a sheet of paper into three columns and
label the first column Data Set, the middle column in Common, and the third column
Explanation. Students are given three or more ideas, people, objects, or concepts that require
an analysis and explanation of the similarities. After using multiple resources in the classroom,
students identify the in Column relationship in the middle column and then justify the
relationship among the set in the third column.
 Sequencing – to help students arrange their thinking in chronological order they need to
become familiar with words that signal a specific sequence. Some examples of these signal
words are first, next, then, and finally. As they become more familiar with signal words they can
also learn to recognize and sort out the difference between the beginning, middle, and end of a
story or event. To provide students with practice, copy sections of a text and then cut it into
pieces so that students are presented with the text out of order. Ask students to rearrange the
pieces of the text into chronological order and then to justify their reasoning.
Strategies to Integrate Creative Problem Solving
 Question Sets – social studies content is filled with both historical and contemporary problems.
The first step in the process of solving these problems is helping students fully understand and
clearly define the problem. One way of guiding students toward a clear identification of the
problem is through questioning. The following question set could be used to guide students
toward a deeper understanding of the problem:
o What is the problem?
o Why is it happening?
o Where is it happening?
o When is it happening?
o How might the problem be overcome?
o Who would need to be involved?
o When would you know if the problem has been solved?
Ideas for Opinion/Argument/Interpretive Writing:











What you like or don't like
What you want to do next
What you have done
Why you think something happened
Why you think something didn't happen
What something reminds you of
Why a choice was a good choice or not, and what might be a better choice
Whether you think something should be changed
Whether you think something is important
Whether a current practice should be continued
What you agree or disagree with