Key Concept Question Scaffolds

Question Key:

(f) = factual - Gathering and remembering facts and ideas

(c) = potentially conceptual - Analyzing the big ideas
(d) = potentially debatable - Evaluating perspectives and developing theories
Surface Questions will encourage learners to gather information Deeper, Conceptual Questions will encourage learners to analyse the concepts and make connections between them. Debatable
and facts about the topic or concept. questions will help learners to consider different and new perspectives as well as develop theories.

One / Many Ideas (Uni- and Multi- Structural) Connecting Ideas (Relational) Going Further (Extended Abstract)
I have one / many ideas about the topic/concept I have ideas about the topic/concept and I can make connections I have connected ideas and can look at them or think about them in
between them a new way. I can innovate and create. I can use my knowledge to
take action

Verbs to support Define, identify, name, draw, find, label, match, recall, describe, outline, list, Sequence, classify, compare and contrast, explain causes or effects, Generalise, predict, reflect, evaluate, hypothesise, create, prove, plan,
learning outcomes follow a procedure to... analyse, make an analogy, organise, distinguish, interview, question, apply, justify, suggest, argue, compose, prioritise, design, construct, perform,
at each SOLO level. dissect, test, establish invent, conclude, criticise, debate, explain, give reasons, grade, judge,
recommend, support, test, validate

❏ What is…? (f) ❏ What are the components of….? (f) ❏ What is/are the best kind of ….? (c) (d)
❏ What does …. look/sound/feel like? (f) ❏ What are different kinds of …. ? (f) ❏ What makes a good …. ? (c) (d)
Form ❏ What are the main ….? (f) ❏ How is/are ….. alike and different? (f) (c) ❏ What are some good/bad examples of …. ? (c) (d)
What is is like? ❏ What is …. made up of? (f) ❏ What are the connections between …. and ….? (f) ❏ What are the most/least important …. ? (c) (d)
(c) ❏ How can …. be improved? (c) (d)
❏ What will …. be like in the future? (c) (d)

❏ What are the basic rules of ….? (f) ❏ How does …. work in a system? (f) (c) ❏ What are the possible problems with …. ? (c) (d)
❏ How does …. work? (f) ❏ How does …. work in a local, national, global ❏ How can …. be improved? (c) (d)
Function
❏ What is the purpose of …. ? (f) (c) setting? (f) (c) ❏ What would happen if …… was removed from the
How does it
❏ What can … be used for? (f) ❏ What are some similar uses of … ? (f) (c) system? (c) (d)
work?
❏ How do the component parts of …. work? (f) (c) ❏ What would happen if …. Was added to the
❏ How can people show …. ? (f) (c) system? (c) (d)
❏ What information does …. give us? (f) (c)

Michael Hughes @HughesT0KY0, Seisen International School, Tokyo. Updated March 2019.
 ❏ How has …. changed over time? (f) ❏ How are the causes of …. and …. ❏ What was/were the deciding factor(s) in …. ? (c)
Causation / ❏ What/who caused/causes …. ? (f) (c) similar/different? (f) (c) (d) (d)
Change ❏ What is/are the motivating factors for …. ? (f) ❏ What caused …. to change from …. to …. ? (f) (c) ❏ What was/were the main causes of …. ? (c) (d)
What causes (d) ❏ What was the most severe consequence of …. ?
something to ❏ How can the changes of … be categorized? (f) (c) (c) (d)
happen/change? ❏ What are/were the phases/stages of change? (f) ❏ What was the biggest effect of ….? (c) (d)
(c) ❏ When was/is the best/perfect time for ….? (c) (d)

❏ What is your perspective on …. ? (f) (c) ❏ What has shaped your perspective on …. ? (f) (c) ❏ Why has …. influenced your perspective on …. ?
❏ What is one/many point(s) of view? (f) (c) ❏ How are the points of view similar or different? (f) (c)
❏ What is an opposing point of view to …. ? (f) (c) (c) ❏ What has caused your perspective on …. to
❏ What are the local, national, global perspectives? ❏ How has ………….’s perspective changed over change? (c)
(f) time? (f) (c) ❏ How is this perspective helpful/harmful? (c) (d)
❏ How are local, national and/or global perspectives ❏ Who is right/wrong? (c) (d)
Perspective
What are the
alike and/or different? (f) (c) ❏ How do the values/beliefs of …. influence their
points of view? ❏ What are the pros and cons of this point of view? perspective? (c) (d)
(f) (c) (d) ❏ Who should decide whether …. ? (c) (d)
❏ Why do(es) ……. think this? (f) (c) ❏ How can we test/validate this perspective? (c)
❏ What has caused somebody to think this way? (f)
(c)
❏ What are the implications of …. for different
people? (f) (c) (d)

❏ What are one/many similarities/differences …. ? ❏ What are the reasons for the ❏ What generalizations can we make? (f)(c)(d)
(f) similarities/differences …. ? (f)(c) ❏ What is the significance of the connections?(f)(c)
❏ What are some other things with the same ❏ Why/how are the things/issues alike? (f)(c) (d)
Connection
What are the
properties? (f) (c) ❏ How does (an issue/problem) affect (a ❏ What action could you or others take to …. ? (c)
connections? ❏ Where is this an issue/problem? (f) (c) person/people/a place) - locally, nationally, (d)
❏ What are some other issues with the same globally? (f)(c)(d)
problems? (f) (c)

❏ What are our responsibilities …. ? (f) ❏ What do you need to consider when making a ❏ Who should decide/influence …. ? (c)(d)
Responsibility ❏ What are the local, national, global decision about …. ? Why?(f) (c) (d) ❏ What action could you or others take to …. ? (c)
What is our responsibilities? (f) (c) ❏ How are local, national, global responsibilities (d)
responsibility? ❏ What can people do to help …. ? (f) (c) different? Why are they different?(f) (c) ❏ Who has the most responsibility toward …. ? (c)
❏ What can people do to prevent …. ? (f) (c) ❏ Who has similar/different responsibilities? Why? (d)
(f) (c)

Michael Hughes @HughesT0KY0, Seisen International School, Tokyo. Updated March 2019.
Michael Hughes @HughesT0KY0, Seisen International School, Tokyo. Updated March 2019.