Thick and Thin Questions

Using the 'Q' Chart, practice making Thick and Thin Questions.  Remember Thin questions are questions that require little thought to answer and Thick questions require thought to answer.  Aim for synthesis and application type questions.

E.g. How is the weather today? (thin); How might you dress on a day like today? (thick)

The above chart is called a Q Chart.  The purpose of the Q Chart is to encourage questioning before, during and after reading. Although it is applicable to any other aspect of learning such as math, science and social studies, this organizer is a way for students to pose question that further their comprehension of texts and media they experience. Some questions have answers that are embedded in the text and can be answered with careful reading to acquire facts, and others that require more in-depth reflections based on the text's information, message, story line etc.  


How To Use It! 
You will notice that there are question pronouns along the left side ( the 5 W's and How) and along the top are verbs that develop the question further. The verbs along the top such as "is" are conjugated according to the subject ("What are the characters doing about the problem?") or the tense (What was the problem for the Titanic?) 

You will also notice that there are quadrants to the Q Chart. Each quadrant identifies certain types of questions that can be posed before, during and after reading. 

Blue (Knowledge/Factual)
For the most part, questions that are posed from this quadrant can be answered by reading the text further, or by referring to another source for an answer. i.e. "What does "biodiversity" mean?" A question that may be answered from reading further into the text. "What is this section about?" A question that may be answered using text features or perhaps can be answered by reading/rereading a section to gather facts.    

2 Navy Blue and Green Quadrants (Analytical and Prediction)
Questions in these quadrants are more analytical and require students to use what they have read to pose  more in depth questions. "How did the advertisement use persuasion to sell its product?" (analytical) "Why willthe main character feel bad about his actions?" (prediction) To answer the questions, the reader must use more of the information that they have acquired to find answers that may not be obvious and/or require them to draw on background knowledge.
 
Red Quadrant (Synthesis and Application)
This quadrant involved application and syhthesis of the text. "Why should I be concerned about biodiversity?" (Synthesis) or "How will I help support my local environment?" (application). 

As students move through the quadrants from Blue to Red, they will be required to think more critically about the texts and/or media they encounter. The goal of a Q Chart is to have students using all of the quadrants before, during and after reading. In addition, they should be posing more in-depth questions that can be found in the Navy Blue, Green and Red quadrants. 

Tip!
Challenge your reader to come up with 2 to 3 questions based upon their reading selection each night. Discuss what information/thoughts they have acquired to answer their questions. If you read with your student, model some questions you may have about a text that are from the Navy Blue, Green or Red quadrants!