The Importance of Asking Questions

Nice job by Max M., Edward and Abby, who correctly identified this animal as a weasel (also known as an ermine)

On the first day of History class, we focused on the importance of asking questions. We talked about the way that asking questions helps people grow as readers, writers, and thinkers.

In fact, asking a clever or inspiring question can be more important than answering the question! This is particularly true since many of the questions we will ask and discuss this year do not have a single “correct” answer.

The students responded to our discussion by asking some terrific questions about Leonardo da Vinci's famous painting, Lady with an Ermine. Here are a few examples:

Lyra and Ben: Who is this woman? Does she have a connection to Leonardo da Vinci?

Max T., Isabella, Alex and Will: Why is the woman holding an animal? Does the animal symbolize something? What kind of animal is it, and why did Leonardo include the animal in his painting?

Charlie, Sophia and Kelly: What are the lady and the animal looking at? Why are they looking away from the painter?

Chaolin and Mia: What is the lady thinking about? What emotions is she feeling -- is she happy? is she bored?

Students had many different answers to Chaolin and Mia's question. Some students think that the lady looks like she is happily daydreaming, while others think she feels uncomfortable because she has been posing for so long.

Other students thought she has a glimmer of a mischievous smile ... perhaps she's getting ready to play a prank on Leonardo da Vinci?!!

After we talked about the importance of asking questions, several students set ambitious goals for the number of questions they hope to ask during 6th grade history:

Sophie would like to ask 1,014 questions this year, while Mason is aiming for 1,050. And Polina is really ready to do some asking: she will try for 30 questions per day!!

What about you? How deep will you go with your questions?

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