Types of Questions and Inquiry

The following typology of questions is intended to help teachers (and children) determine which types of questions lead to particular types of activities. The types of questions listed focus on the kinds of questions that children may ask, so that teachers can determine how to respond. There are certainly other types of questions, but such questions are usually associated with those that teachers can ask in order to stimulate various kinds of thinking and activities. However, you should note that the questions below also can be asked by the teacher.

Questions that can Lead to Experiments

• Do earthworms like (prefer) light or dark?


• What factors affect the period (time) of a pendulum swing (or how can I make a pendulum that swings for a long time)?


• Does the size of a paper airplane’s wing make a difference in its flight time and distance (or how can I make a paper airplane that flies the furthest and stays aloft the longest)?

These types of questions can be used to start designing experiments that can provide the data necessary to answer the questions. These questions point to the possibility of manipulating a variety of factors (variables). These factors can be varied, measured, or controlled. As a teacher, your task is to help children design such experiments.

Questions that can Lead to Observational Studies

• How do crickets chirp?


• How long is the life cycle of a roach?


• In which direction does the moon move around the Earth?

In contrast to experimental-type questions, these types of questions point to investigations that can be answered by collecting data through observations. In some cases, variables or factors can be manipulated (to see what happens, such as, "let's see what happens if we add salt to a glass of Coca Cola"), but in a strict sense they are not controlled experiments. Your challenge is to help students design observational studies that will yield good (valid and reliable) data.

Questions that can Lead to Large Multi-Approach Studies and Projects

• What can we do to prevent flooding in our community?


• How can we build a rocket that will go a mile high?


• What can we do to clean up the pond and create a natural area?

These types of questions lead to larger scale investigations that will probably include all of the question types provided here. Such questions are very powerful, in terms of the potential for complex, relevant, and meaningful learning with some knowledge production outcomes that students can make public. The challenge here is to help students break up the big task into smaller tasks and how to organize the whole project.

Questions that Ask for Explanation Building

• How do bicycles work?


• How do the phases of the moon occur? [could start with an observational study]


• What causes hurricanes (or typhoons)?

The types of questions can lead to students formulating of numerous possible explanations, which can be investigated or tested. Although some questions can be investigated through external sources, it is generally more engaging to have students develop sets of possible explanations prior to looking at external sources of information.

Questions that can lead to problem-solving or logical thinking.

• When earthworms engage in reproductive acts, they are always found on the surface of the ground facing in opposite directions with about the front quarter of their bodies touching side-to-side. Why are they only found in this position? What does this suggest about their sexes?


• How much water does an oak tree leaf contain?


• How fast does a robin fly?

Although many of these questions can be investigated through external sources, they can be answered by collecting certain kinds of data or by a kind of logical, puzzle solving approach. In other cases, there may be no source for the answers.

Questions that can Lead to Theorizing

• How did plants begin?


• What is sound?


• What are germs?

These type of questions are great initiators of science talks and other types of theorizing.

Questions that can lead to Philosophizing

• Why is there life on Earth?


• Why do we have weeds?


• Why do we have AIDS?

There are no real "right" answers for these questions. So, the discussions can reveal a great deal about how students think and what beliefs and knowledge influence their thinking.

Questions that require technical information (i.e., in order to proceed with an investigation, analysis, explanation, etc.).

• What can we use to measure the speed of this marble?


• What formulas do we need to find the volume and surface area of a sphere?

Although students should be encouraged to think of ways to solve these problems, you may need to provide them with the information or a source for the information, in order to help them proceed with their investigations or other tasks.

Questions that require certain conceptual or factual information in order to proceed.

• How do earthworms move? (This question may require some addition information once students determine that earthworms must have muscles. In this case, they may need to be provided with two bits of information: (a) muscles can only contract with force and (b) muscles need to be in oppositional pairs. Using an example of this with one's biceps and triceps may be helpful.)


• We're trying to figure out how to make two switches control the same light bulb in our model house so that either switch will turn the bulb on and off, but we can't figure it out. How can we do it?

With these types of questions, you may find it helpful to provide certain background concepts in order for students to formulate their own explanations.

Questions that require research from external sources.

• What keeps a heart beating?


• What is the size, distance from the sun, and mass of Mars?


• What does the liver do?

With these kinds of questions, you may need to guide them to external sources of information, such as books, web pages, or emails of scientists, etc.