Questioning + Google Classroom = One Good Idea

Questioning + Google Classroom = One Good Idea
“Class, who was the main character in this story?” “Class, can you identify the character’s problem?” “Class, why does Gary like recess?”...  Does asking questions like these from our TEs sound like you?  Are the teachers doing all the asking and our students doing all the answering?   Well keep on reading and learn how to mix it up and turn the “asking AND answering” over to our students.
Want to provide an engaging way to get students to ask and answer questions? Google Classroom is the way to do it! Students can ask and answer questions from their peers with instant real-time replies.
	Asking and answering questions can be dry, difficult to do, and not always engaging.  As we know comprehension is very important for student understanding and growth.  We consistently need to provide opportunities for students to improve their thinking and responding skills.
“The marvelous thing about a good question is that it shapes our identity as much by the asking as it does by the answering.” – David Whyte
Create an ‘asking and answering’ assignment using Google Classroom.
	After you and your class read your text, tell students to think of a question they can ask in order to “test” their classmates.  They have to know the answer to that question so that they can go back and correct their peer’s response.  Have students type their question into the “Google Classroom assignment” (video tutorial here). Once all students have typed in their question, assign students to a partner so they know whose question they should respond to.   Just like that you have turned an asking and answering comprehension strategy from McGraw-Hill Wonders into an online assignment that can now be shared and commented on through the use of Google Classroom.     How can you differentiate?… Provide students with question stems.  Require different levels of questions.  Require some students to type more than one question.  Partner up like-students when responding.  Not 1 to 1 with computers?  Do this assignment in shifts; while half the students are entering their questions the other half can work on other assignments, and then switch.  Complete this activity in small groups.  Provide this assignment for your ‘challenge’ group.   Here is a link to see an example of two third grade students’ asking and answering.….Now, happy questioning! :)                             Tech-ing with a purpose,   Tiffani Bossieux