Essential quiestions

 An essential question is any question requiring one of the following thought processes: • a question which requires the student to develop a plan or course of action. • a question that requires the student to make a decision. The essential question directs the course of student research. As such, essential questions are powerful, directive and commit students to the process of critical thinking through inquiry. Ultimately, the answer to the essential question will require that students craft a response that involves knowledge construction. This new knowledge building occurs through the integration of discrete pieces of information obtained during the research process. Answers to essential questions are a direct measure of student understanding.