Learning Goal

Identifying an Essential Question (EQ) is paramount these days in the classroom. Telling the students straight forward, this is what we will be accomplishing today during this lesson is the new norm.

Setting this up in any classroom can be simple. Electric tape works wonders on white boards. It comes off easily and looks strikingly clean on the board. By marking out boxes for each EQ, it becomes easy and neat to add new learning goals for each day or unit. While the picture does not demonstrate a completed EQ set, each of these boxes would have a statement or question.

For example: If the state standard demonstrated that the student should be able to understand that all matter is composed of parts that are too small to be seen without magnification, The EQ might read: How small is an atom and can we see it with a naked eye? 

The picture shows 5 EQ boxes for Reading, Math, Science, Social Studies, and Writing.

Providing an EQ for the students will guide instruction and give students direction as to what is expected for the days lesson.