ESSENTIAL QUESTION RUBRIC

Essential questions are universal, sometimes paradoxical; addressable but never fully answerable questions that can be used in inquiry-based
learning experiences to draw students into the material presented.
Dimension 1 2 3 4
Inquiry-based -Trivial and/or closed question requiring -Unimportant and/or open-ended -Significant, open-ended enough to -Compelling, open-ended, providing the
a “yes” or “no” answer. If an requiring only rote answers that can be drive student’s inquiry and clearly central focus on a theme/issue that
question explanation is required, the explanation found in references. linked to the theme, issue, or question, provokes and sustains student
is a rote answer that can be found in with unpredictable student information discussion to drive students’ inquiry by
references. -Are researched. related to the question. raising other important questions.
The extent to which the
Essential Question can sustain -Are copied from a resource as a “right - If stated objectively, the clues in the -Must be investigated and synthesized. -Must be argued/ discovered during
inquiry for the theme/issue on answer” or merely stated as an opinion. question limit thinking by pointing to investigation.
an objective level. answers in resources.
-Whether stated objectively or -If stated subjectively, using pronouns
subjectively the fact that the question is such as “my”/“our”, the question - Is stated objectively avoiding use of -Is stated objectively avoiding use of
“closed” leads to predictable results or implies a request for personal reflection pronouns such as “my” or “our” unless pronouns such as “my” or “our”
personal reflection. not inquiry. meant collectively. This narrows the allowing a search for ideas/facts and
focus and thinking thereby limiting the problem-solving with outside-the-box
results. thinking, resulting in unique,
unpredictable results.

A. Asking Questions Asks questions unrelated to the topic of Asks questions but requires extensive Asks a question that relates to a topic of Asks a question that relates to a topic of
study teacher guidance study with some teacher guidance study without teacher guidance

B. Conducting Makes observations not directly related Makes observations with teacher Makes observations directly related to Makes at least three observations
to the investigation support the investigation using either qualitative directly related to the investigation
Investigations or quantitative observations using both qualitative (descriptions of
observations using five senses) and
quantitative observations (information
gathered from counts of measurements)
E. Sharing Findings Describes things in terms of Describes things in terms of Describes and compares things in terms Describes and compares things in terms
characteristics characteristics; draws pictures that of characteristics, relative order, or of characteristics (e.g. shape, texture,
with Classmates and illustrate some features of the thing motion; draws pictures that correctly color, blocking, costume, lights),
Teacher being described portray some features of the thing being relative order (e.g., before/middle/after,
described top/bottom), and motion (e.g., fast/slow,
straight/curved); draws pictures that
correctly portray most features of the
thing being described