Case-Based Questions

Prepared by Mark A. Templin, University of Toledo

CASE 3

Ann K. teaches in a rural district located in a heavily forested county of the Pacific Northwest. She needs to teach a unit entitled, "Levers and Pulleys." After giving the problem some thought, she thinks it might be acceptable to focus the unit on the question "How can I lift furniture into my tree house?" She thinks the question has some merit, but she asks you for a second opinion.

1		Ann is unsure what a driving question is. Identify the features of a driving question and briefly describe each of them. (Chapter Learning Performance 3.2)
2		Which of these features does Ann's question have? (Chapter Learning Performance 3.1)
3		Would you classify Ann's question as more like a driving question or a topic question? Justify your answer in terms of the features of driving and topic questions. (Chapter Learning Performance 3.5)
4		Ann wonders if her question is worthwhile. What would you tell her to convince her of the value of using a driving question? (Chapter Learning Performance 3.6)
5		Create another driving question for Ann so that she has two to choose from. (Chapter Learning Performance 3.3)
6		Analyze the question you developed in Question 5 in terms of how well it fits the features of a driving question. (Chapter Learning Performance 3.5)
7		Ann wants to continue to think about which driving question she will use so that she can identify a number of subquestions to accompany the main question she will eventually select. Suggest sources that Ann can use to develop driving questions. (See page 92-99 in your text.) (Chapter Learning Performance 3.3)
8		How will Ann know if the question she has developed will work for her students? (Chapter Learning Performance 3.3)
9		You suggest to Ann that if she is not sure about which question to use she could help her students generate their own driving questions. Explain to Ann how she can help her students do this.
10		If Ann taught in an urban middle school located in a large city, would the driving question she created in the case still be as good to use? Why or why not? (Chapter Learning Performance 3.2, 3.3)