You will learn
- Write open questions.
- Distinguish open and closed.
- Refine questions.
- Link to evidence.
Version 0.2 · expanded edition · built from cited public sources Content is based on the official frameworks and sources listed under Sources and standards. No official endorsement is claimed. Written in the style of common primary school assessments. No exam result is promised.
Student lesson
- Good questions are open, clear and focused.
- Open questions start with how, why or what.
- Closed questions get yes/no answers.
- Questions tell us what evidence we need.
Words to know
a question that guides a search for answers
a question with many possible answers
a question with one short answer such as yes or no
about one clear topic
1. Discover: Better questions
The class studies litter. Abu asks, “Is there litter?” Ms Smith says, “That is a closed question. Can you make it open?” Mei suggests, “Where does litter gather and why?” “That is better,” says Ms Smith. “Now we know we need to observe places and ask people why.”
Think: Can you improve “Is our school clean?”
2. Understand: Enquiry questions
Idea 1: Question types
An enquiry question guides a search for answers. An open question has many possible answers (How? Why? What?). A closed question has one short answer, like yes or no. Open questions help us explore.
Idea 2: Good questions
A good question is clear, focused on one issue, answerable with available evidence and safe to investigate. Avoid vague or huge questions. Break a big question into smaller ones.
Idea 3: Evidence
Each question tells us what evidence to collect: observations, counts, photographs, interviews or documents. Write the evidence next to each question to plan your work.
3. Worked examples
Example 1 (I show you): Sort
Open or closed?
- Read.
- Sort.
- Say.
Answer: Is it clean? Closed.
Example 2 (We do it together): Improve
Make it open.
- Think.
- Write.
- Check.
Answer: Why does litter gather?
Example 3 (You try): Link
Evidence?
Show the steps and answer
- Think.
- Say.
- Check.
Answer: Counts and photographs.
Did you know?
Scientists often spend as much time refining questions as they do answering them.
Why this matters
The quality of our questions decides the quality of our findings.
4. Explore: Question workshop
In groups, write five questions about your chosen issue. Sort them open or closed, improve three and list evidence needed for each.
- Write.
- Sort.
- Improve.
- Plan.
Think about it: what did you notice?
What did you notice? Better questions led to better plans.
5. Practise
Say it in a sentence
Use these starters when you talk about the lesson. Say them out loud.
- An enquiry question is ___.
- An open question is ___.
- A closed question is ___.
- Focused means ___.
Guided practice
Question 1. What is an enquiry question?
Guides a search.
Question 2. What is open?
Many answers.
Question 3. What is closed?
Short answer.
Independent practice
Level 1: Start
- What is an enquiry question?
- What is open?
- What is closed?
- What is focused?
- Name a question word.
Level 2: Grow
- Why open?
- Why focus?
- Why link evidence?
Level 3: Stretch
- Write questions.
- Improve.
- List evidence.
Answers are in the answer key below. Try first, then check.
6. Apply: Social Studies in everyday life
Turn “Is there litter?” into an open question.
Show a sample answer
Where does litter gather and why?
Another one. Ask a family member an open question.
Show a sample answer
Share.
7. Common mistakes
Fix: Good questions are clear and focused.
Fix: Open questions help exploring.
8. Lesson summary and revision card
- I can write open questions.
- I can distinguish open and closed.
- I can refine questions.
- I can link to evidence.
9. Check and master
Answer all 14 questions. You will see feedback after each one.
Your result appears here after you answer every question.
10. Key takeaways
- Good questions are open, clear and focused.
- Open questions start with how, why or what.
- Closed questions get yes/no answers.
- Questions tell us what evidence we need.
11. Next lesson
Next lesson: Gathering information. Keep going with the next idea in this course.
Exam practice
These questions are written in the style of common school and international primary assessments. Try them on your own, without looking back. Then check your answers in the marking guide. The marks are shown in brackets.
- Tell the difference between an open and a closed question. [3 marks]
- Write two open questions about an issue. [3 marks]
- Say what makes a good question. [2 marks]
- List the evidence needed for one question. [2 marks]
Total: 10 marks.
Marking guide and model answers
- Open [1]; closed [1]; example [1]
- Two [3]
- Clear [1]; focused [1]
- Two items [2]
Score guide: 9 to 10 = secure. 6 to 8 = nearly there, revise the parts you missed. Under 6 = work through the lesson again with a grown-up.
Printable worksheet
- What is an enquiry question?
- What is open?
- What is closed?
- What is focused?
- Name a question word.
- Why open?
- Why focus?
- Why link evidence?
- Write questions.
- Improve.
Homework
Write three enquiry questions about your issue.
Answer key and marking scheme
| Question | Expected response | Marks |
|---|---|---|
| 1. What is an enquiry question? | Guides a search. | 1 |
| 2. What is open? | Many answers. | 1 |
| 3. What is closed? | Short answer. | 1 |
| 4. What is focused? | One clear topic. | 1 |
| 5. Name a question word. | Why. | 1 |
| 6. Why open? | Explore. | 1 |
| 7. Why focus? | Avoid confusion. | 1 |
| 8. Why link evidence? | Plan. | 1 |
| 9. Write questions. | Write. | 1 |
| 10. Improve. | Improve. | 1 |
| Total | 10 |
Independent practice answers. Level 1: 1 Guides a search.; 2 Many answers.; 3 Short answer.; 4 One clear topic.; 5 Why.. Level 2: 1 Explore.; 2 Avoid confusion.; 3 Plan.. Level 3: 1 Write.; 2 Improve.; 3 Evidence..
Quiz answers: 1 B, 2 C, 3 A, 4 B, 5 C, 6 A, 7 B, 8 C, 9 A, 10 B, 11 C, 12 A, Challenge 1 B, Challenge 2 C.
Mastery and remediation
| Objective | Bronze (Developing) | Silver (Proficient) | Gold (Advanced) |
|---|---|---|---|
| O1 Write open questions | Shows this with help from an adult or a picture | Does this independently and explains how they know | Explains it clearly and uses it in a new situation |
| O2 Distinguish open and closed | Shows this with help from an adult or a picture | Does this independently and explains how they know | Explains it clearly and uses it in a new situation |
| O3 Refine questions | Shows this with help from an adult or a picture | Does this independently and explains how they know | Explains it clearly and uses it in a new situation |
| O4 Link to evidence | Shows this with help from an adult or a picture | Does this independently and explains how they know | Explains it clearly and uses it in a new situation |
Courseversity badge thresholds (overall quiz score): Gold = 90–100%; Silver = 80–89.9%; Bronze = 70–79.9%. A badge is never a full record of progress.
If a learner struggles
- Find the misconception: “Any question is fine.” Good questions are clear and focused.
- Explain another way: use real objects, pictures or actions first, then words.
- Show a simpler example: Make a question poster.
- Guided practice: work through one example together and let the learner try the next one.
- Reassess: use the quiz again or the worksheet.
- Move on when the learner shows Silver-level evidence independently.
For parents and guardians
In this lesson your child writes enquiry questions. Please ask open questions at home. You do not need to be an expert to help.
- Ask why and how.
- Value curiosity.
- Support research.
- Ask “how do you know?” after each answer, and listen.
- Praise effort, not only right answers. Mistakes are how we learn.
- Ten to fifteen minutes a day is better than one long session.
Teacher package
1–5. Objectives, prerequisites, materials, preparation, duration
Lesson objectives. Learners will: write open questions; distinguish open and closed; refine questions; link to evidence.
Prerequisite knowledge. Grade 3 ideas: enquiry, evidence, rules and community life.
Materials. Paper, pens. Low-resource options: use chalk or charcoal on a board or wall, drawings in the sand, and objects from the classroom instead of printed materials.
Preparation. Prepare question sheets.
Suggested duration. 45–60 minutes. It can be split into two shorter sessions.
6–9. Teaching procedure, explanation notes, guided and independent activities
Introduction (5 min). Tell the better questions story.
Explanation (10 min). Teach enquiry questions.
Guided activity (10 min). Question workshop.
Independent activity (10 min). Discuss.
Assessment and reflection (5 min). Ask each learner to say one thing they learned and how they know it.
Key questions. How do we write good enquiry questions?
Teacher explanation notes. Start with a picture, story, map or local example. Then talk about what was seen, then draw and write. Always ask “how do you know?” and invite more than one view. Treat every family, culture and community with respect, and never ask learners to share private information.
10–12. Differentiation, formative assessment, common misconceptions
Support. Use pictures, maps, real objects and short sentences, and let learners work with a partner. Let learners point, show, act or draw instead of writing. Extension. Ask learners to find a new example from their own community and explain how they know.
Formative assessment. Listen to learners read and explain, ask “how do you know?”, and check the independent work.
Misconceptions. “Any question is fine.” Good questions are clear and focused.
13–15. Assessment questions, answer keys, marking scheme
Use the quiz, the 10-mark exam practice and the worksheet on this page. All answers and marking guides are in the answer sections above. Re-check every answer before use.
16–19. Remediation, enrichment, homework, teacher reflection
Remediation. Make a question poster. Enrichment. Find one new example near your home or school, draw or write about it and explain it to someone. Homework. See above.
Teacher reflection. After teaching, record: which ideas learners understood; which misconceptions occurred; which activities worked; which learners need more practice; and what to improve next time.
Sources and standards
This lesson is based on the sources below, and no official endorsement is claimed. Reference starting points: NCSS standards and C3 Framework, Cambridge Primary Humanities and the IB Primary Years Programme. Where a standard code is named, it points to the official framework.
Research used to shape this lesson. Courseversity Social Studies curriculum, Grade 3 Unit 10, topic 2; NCSS C3 Framework, taking informed action; Cambridge Primary Humanities, enquiry and action; IB Primary Years Programme, sharing the planet. These sources informed the lesson.