Asking and answering questions is one of the key strategies to teach students when teaching them how to comprehend what they are reading. It's in both the literature and informational text standards for Common Core, so it must be important! Asking questions allows the reader to have an open dialogue with the author which leads them deeper into the text. I look at it as sending students on a quest through the text. Asking questions and searching for answers takes students through the text in an engaging way. I thought it would be so fun to take students on a QUESTION QUEST through different texts with this space themed unit. We will look at some different lessons, activities, and strategies that you can use to teach asking and answering questions. If students are asking questions while reading, they are thinking. Children are really great at asking questions, because they are doing so to figure out the world around them. We just have to teach them to transfer that curiosity to reading. Once they start asking questions, they will keep turning pages to find out what happens next. What more could we want from our students as engaged readers?!! Questioning also helps students consider new perspectives and ideas. In this unit, you can refer to students as QUESTION COMMANDERS. They will be like astronauts going on a mission to space, but instead their mission lies within new texts. Although students are terrific at asking questions about the world around them, it can often be difficult for them to create questions about a text in the beginning. I like to start by showing them pictures. I model with questions I have about the picture first. I write the questions for them to see, so that they can see I began with a question word and ended the sentence with a question mark. I then let them ask questions about the pictures, recording their questions on the charts below. You can practice with a couple of different pictures, such as these that are included in the resource. I actually like to do a study with nonfiction texts first for a whole week. Since we are doing a space theme, you can use any informational texts about space that you have. In first grade, some of our science standards relate to the sun and moon, so I chose those to use here. Start by showing students the cover of the book, having them create questions they have based on solely that. I record their questions on sticky notes and then add them to the anchor chart below. I tell them that as we read, we will go on a quest for answers to our questions. This is a good time to inform them that we don't always find answers to our questions in the text, and that's okay! Asking quality questions while reading to build engagement if far more important than always getting our questions answered. That's part of life and part of reading. You can give these QUESTION COMMANDER name badges to wear so they feel very official. They will fit in a standard name badge holder. These are two of the posters you can hang for reference. It helps for students to have the question words visible. Remind students that they can find answers to the questions by using key details from the words and pictures. With that first text you choose to read, you want to really model for your students and be there to offer support when creating questions together as a class. The following day, you can use a different text about the same topic but give students a copy of a picture from the text. Have them sketch the picture and come up with as many questions from the text as they can. Afterwards, you can read the text having them listen for answers to their questions. They can record the answers, and if a question doesn't get answered, I just have them circle it. (I included a graphic organizer for pictures and illustrations, so use the one that fits your text you choose to use.) You can see some of the graphic organizers I use for recording questions about the text. You many only want to focus on asking questions in the beginning, and then later practicing asking AND answering questions. When you are ready to teach asking and answering questions within literature, you can use the anchor chart above. We will encourage students to take time before, during, and after reading to wonder and ask questions about the story. The Way Back Home is a cute story that leaves the reader wondering at different points, so it's perfect for asking questions. Again, you want to do lots of think alouds and modeling of asking questions. You can do that on the anchor chart, also asking students to help create questions. Continue practicing with different texts. You can use this MISSION QUESTION to get students really engaged in asking questions. You can have it delivered to your classroom along with a book inside, and then assign your questions commanders their mission! This craft can be used for recording questions students have before, during, and after reading one of your texts from your text set. I have included lots of options in the resource for recording questions and answers for whole group, small group, and centers. You can choose to use the ones that most fit your needs. I hope your students love going on a QUESTION QUEST into texts! It's so important to have a classroom environment that encourages questioning and curiosity. Honor their questions and share questions that you have, whether it be about a text or anything. They will always remember how important it is to stay on the question quest in the classroom and in life. If you're ready to take your class on a QUESTION QUEST, you can click HERE to grab the resource or click on any of the photos. Thank you so much for stopping by! You can find more themed comprehension units in the BUNDLE below!