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Built on the belief that music has the power to break down boundaries and overcome the differences that divide us, Playing For Change inspires and unites people through song. Over the past 20 years, Playing For Change has discovered unique talent, breathtaking performances, and amazing stories from all parts of the world.
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Playing For Change | Playing For Change | Official Website

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Playing For Change entire library of Songs Around The World, Live Outside, PFC Band, Mark's Park videos. Featuring artists like Slash, Carlos Santana, John Paul Jones, Keith Richards, Sara Bareilles, Jack Johnson, Susan Tedeschi, Derek Trucks, Keb' Mo', Taj Mahal

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Editor's note: This is an updated version of our original article on essential questions examples featuring new links to useful EQ tools and more.
So many essential questions examples, so little time. Grant Wiggins once said, "The big-idea questions signal that education is not just about learning the answer, but about learning how to learn. Both he and his colleague Jay McTighe did so much to bring an awareness of how to create meaningful essential questions in education. They knew, as we do now, that the questions we ask our students matter.

In our Essential Questions Guide, we define an essential question as one that leads us to explore the problem and choose from plans and strategies to generate an applicable solution. It's much more than that, though. A good essential question:

inspires a quest for knowledge and discovery

encourages and develops critical thinking processes

leads students to engineer real-world solutions for real-world problems

is all about possibilities

100+ Essential Questions Examples

What we have below is a list of over 100 essential questions examples that we've created and collected over time. They are the kinds of questions which can drive us, haunt us, and move us to search for answers.

All the essential questions are broken down into different categories. So off you go! Explore, ponder, and never stop asking questions.

Social Studies

1. How can one individual's experience reflect the struggles of an entire nation?

2. How does our understanding about the culture of a people help us communicate with them most effectively?

3. How do we overcome prejudice and social bias?

4. Why do we study and examine our past, present, and future?

5. How do you define the term "perfection" in contrast to how it is portrayed in our pop culture media?

6. In a culture full of ideas and images of what we should be, how do we form an identity that remains true and authentic for the individual?

7. Why do we sometimes oppress each other when we gain power?

8. Is there a price to obtaining freedom from oppression? If so, what is it?

9. How do we determine the ideals that should be honoured in a model society and explain why they are the most important?

10. How can we help people struggling in underpriveledged regions of the world lead better lives?

11. How does conflict lead to change across varying levels of society?

12. What are the benefits and consequences of questioning/challenging authority?

13. How does the study of history help us realize that ideas and actions of individuals and groups have consequences and shape events?

14. How can we be sure of what really happened in our past?

English Language Arts

1. What strategies can you use to make writing come alive for a reader?

2. What are the reasons that cultures and individuals create narratives of their experiences?

3. What makes a story effective for its purpose?

4. What moves us to communicate through digital and non-digital media?

5. What makes writing worth reading, and why should we do it?

6. How does what you read influence how you should read it?

7. How does an author create meaning in a text, and what makes that meaning valid?

8. What ways can we express ourselves when we don't know another's language?

9. How can we use story writing and storytelling to help solve everyday problems?

10. How can we use knowledge of the structure of language to write more persuasively?

11. How can you make a convincing case about a problem that inspires people to take action?

12. What are some strategies for building effective oral communication skills?

The Arts

1. How does a song, piece of art, or a dance communicate with us?

2. What is "art" and why do individual cultures place so much value on its continuing evolution?

3. What inner and outer factors influence how we express ourselves artistically?

4. What kinds of responsibilities does an artist have to an audience or a consumer?

5. Do audiences and consumers have any responsibility towards artists? If so, what are they?

6. What are the fundamental differences between a "thoughtful" and a "thoughtless" critique?

7. What do we mean when we refer to music as the universal language?

8. How can we use the arts to inspire positive action?

9. What would the world be like if we weren't able to artistically express ourselves?

10. What can the art forms of other cultures teach us about ourselves and about life?

Mathematics

1. What ways do we use math in everyday life?

2. How can I best represent a pattern using mathematical principles?

3. How could we use mathematics to create a better world?

4. How do pictures, graphs, tables, and data "paint a thousand words?"

5. What ways can mathematical problems conceal as much as they reveal?

6. How do we identify patterns and use them to predict what will happen next?

7. How can we compare the sizes of objects when we can't place them next to each other?

8. When and how has mathematics played pivotal roles throughout our world's history?

9. How do I determine the best strategy to use for tackling a specific mathematical problem?

10. When solving multi-step problems using charts, tables, and graphs, how can you tell if the information you provide is sufficient?

Science

1. What tools can an individual use to judge the difference between illusion and reality?

2. How do we determine what is truly "real" and what is not?

3. How can we predict what life will be like 30 years from now?

4. When can we be sure that estimation is more appropriate than finding an exact answer?

5. How can I represent a large object accurately on paper or in a small model?

6. How can I make larger representations of small objects?

7. When and how do scientific theories change?

8. How can we be sure that the universe beyond our world is truly "infinite"?

9. How do we make predictions for the future and ensure that they have validity?

10. How do we create, test, and validate a scientific model?

11. Why is it important that we recognize universal patterns existing within our world?

Ethics and Morality

1. What is morality and what are the factors that have an impact on its development?

2. Why do we choose to use labels in society, and when can they be harmful?

3. What is the difference between truth and fact?

4. How is our perception of good and evil shaped by our films, books, and video games?

5. If you could choose one rule for the entire world to adhere to, what would it be and why?

6. Is civilization and order necessary to survival? Why or why not?

7. Why is having values and beliefs important and how can we form them independently?

8. Is humanity inherently "good" or inherently "evil?" Why do you feel this way?

9. How do different cultures shape our definitions of good and evil?

10. Why is it crucial to consider the effects of our words and actions on other people?

11. What are the attributes of heroism and how could they change?

Health and Wellness

1. What does it mean to be truly healthy?

2. Why is it necessary for long-term health and wellness to achieve balance in our lives, and how can we achieve it?

3. What would be the short- and long-term effects of all living humans striving to understand each other?

4. How do we define "happiness" for ourselves and how important it is in our lives?

5. Why (and how) does choosing activities we enjoy contribute to our whole-being health?

6. What causes some to thrive while others fail in the face of a challenge?

7. What personal qualities do you have that help you deal with conflict, challenge, and adversity?

8. In what ways does where you live influence how you live?

9. What is the difference between "surviving" and "living"?

10. How does what we eat impact our health in both the short and long term?

11. How does being healthy affect our relationships with others?

12. What is special about how you deal with personal conflicts and change, and how could this help someone else?

13. Why is it so important for us to ensure that our lives have "meaning"?

14. How can we support people who feel alone and are uncertain about themselves due to social and psychological factors?

The Global Community

1. What does the term "global community" mean to you and why is sustaining it important?

2. Are there universal characteristics of belief systems that are common across all cultures? What are they and how can they bring us together?

3. How could we ensure and sustain enough food, water, and clothing for every living person on Earth?

4. How has technology transformed how we see ourselves and others? Is this good or bad?

5. How can small actions eventually change the world?

6. What is your vision of a "perfect society" and how would you describe it?

7. How do we decide if the world as it is today is better or worse than it was in the past?

8. How does what we know about the world affect how we view ourselves?

9. Why does it often seem to take a global disaster or crisis to inspire us to help each other?

10. What personal contributions and changes can we make to help reduce the effects of global warming?

11. How can we ensure our world is preserved for future generations?

Personal Development/Responsibility

1. If you were to leave behind your own legacy for future generations, what would it would be and why?

2. How can we ensure that conflicts lead to constructive change and a positive outcome for everyone involved?

3. What qualities and characteristics make a person "mature" and "responsible"?

4. Why is it important to be grateful?

5. What role(s) do I play in defining my own future?

6. How do we form and shape a personal identity for ourselves?

7. How do our relationships with others change us?

8. How is useful failure beneficial to our personal development?

9. What is the difference between management and leadership, and which is more important?

10. In a culture where we are bombarded with other people trying to define us, how do we make decisions for ourselves?

11. What are the elements of true friendship and how might these change or grow over time?

Additional Reading

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A List of Over 100 Awesome Essential Questions Examples by Subject

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Editor's note: This is an updated version of our original article on essential questions examples featuring new links to useful EQ tools and more. So many essential questions examples, so little time. Grant Wiggins once said, "The big-idea questions signal that education is not just about learning the answer, but about learning how to learn.

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Stories from people of all backgrounds and beliefs

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Let's face it, there are a lot of cooperative learning strategies out there to choose from. The most popular and most-utilized of the cooperative learning strategies is probably the Think-Pair-Share technique. This is where students think about a topic or question, then pair up with a classmate and share their thoughts about it. Educators use these types of cooperative learning strategies in their classrooms because first, they get the students to work together in a team, and second because they are an effective way for students to learn. However, it's always a good idea to try out a new strategy or two to change things up a bit. Here are five cooperative learning strategies you probably haven't tried yet.

If you're looking for a new brainstorming strategy then you're going to love this one. The focused listing strategy is designed for students to generate words to define or describe something. For example, you would give the students a main topic, then ask them to create a list of words or phrases that describe that topic. From there, you can put students into small groups to discuss their lists or you can first put them into groups to generate the lists. Once the lists are completed, you can use the list to help facilitate a small group or whole-group discussion. If you are using the focused listing as a gateway to your lesson, then you can choose one list that all students agree upon and use that.

2. One-Minute Papers

This strategy can be used to gather feedback from you students after a lesson is taught. First, write the following questions on the front board and have students answer them by themselves.

What was the most important thing you learned from the lesson?

What is still unclear about the lesson? What questions do you still have?

What is one thing about the topic that you want to know more about?

Next, put students together into groups to facilitate a discussion. Have students do a Round Robin (take turns talking) and discuss each of their answers to the questions listed on the board. Once students have all answered the questions, then have students figure out which answers they have in common. They can then take this information and come up with the most popular answer to each question, which they then can discuss with the class as a whole.

3. Uncommon Commonalities

If you are looking for a strategy that will help your students become more cohesive, then this is a great one to try. Group students into teams of four and have them come up with a team name. Give each team member a piece of paper and have them fold it the long way in fours and label each section, 1, 2, 3, and 4 at the top. Next, write a question on the front board, such as "How many siblings do you have?" The teams' goal is to discuss the question with their group and figure out what they all have in common. If all four team members have one brother, then they will write that in column four, if all three of them have one brother then they will write that in column three and so on. The activity continues with each new question that is put on the board.

4. Forced Debate

This strategy requires students to use their communication skills to work within a group. Here's how it works: The teacher writes a proposition on the front board, such as "Should there be a vending machine in the school cafeteria?" then the students who agree move to one side of the classroom and the students who disagree move to other side. Once students are on one side of the classroom, that is now their group. The teacher then forces them to debate the opposing side that they have chosen. This strategy really utilizes students' critical thinking skills and forces them to really think about the question as a whole in order to argue for the opposing side rather than what they really feel about the question.

5. Cooperative Graffiti

Another great brainstorming technique to try is cooperative graffiti. This strategy requires students to think about a topic and write down as many ideas as possible using different-colored pens. To start, divide students into small groups and give each group a large, butcher block piece of paper and a variety of colorful pens. Write down a broad topic on the front board, and on your command "Go!", instruct students to write down as many ideas as they can that correlate with the topic you wrote on the board. Once the time is up (about 5-10 minutes), then have students try and organize their colorful ideas into categories.
Have you tried any of these cooperative learning strategies yet? If so, how do you like them? Please share your thoughts in the comment section below, we would love to hear them.
Janelle Cox is an education writer who uses her experience and knowledge to provide creative and original writing in the field of education. Janelle holds Masters of Science in Education from the State University of New York College at Buffalo. She is a contributing writer to TeachHUB.com, TeachHUB Magazine, and Hey Teach. She was also the Elementary Education Expert for About.com for five years. You can follow her on Twitter @Empoweringk6ed, on Facebook at Empowering K6 Educators, or contact her at Janellecox78@yahoo.com.

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5 Cooperative Learning Strategies To Try Today

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Let's face it, there are a lot of cooperative learning strategies out there to choose from. The most popular and most-utilized of the cooperative learning strategies is probably the Think-Pair-Share technique. This is where students think about a topic or question, then pair up with a classmate and share their thoughts about it.

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Chopped kitchen #3 #newellfonda pic.twitter.com/1uhmdUX7vT
— Beth Olsen (@betholsen06) January 14, 2019

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Art is intrinsically linked to humanity.

We've been making it for about as long as we've been called humans, and few would argue against its value as culturally enriching as well as emotionally and often intellectually rewarding. Making art for art's sake is plenty.

Yet as scientific research has shown, our minds seem built to enjoy and analyze art deeply, and creating it, no matter your skill level, is good for you.

Painting, sculpting, dancing, making music, and all the other artistic pursuits have benefits that go far beyond pure enjoyment or cultural creation - these activities can also strengthen your brain and improve your mood. Here are seven reasons to give yourself time to make art, even if you think you're bad at it.

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7 science-backed reasons you should make art, even if you're bad at it

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Art is intrinsically linked to humanity. We've been making it for about as long as we've been called humans, and few would argue against its value as culturally enriching as well as emotionally and often intellectually rewarding. Making art for art's sake is plenty.

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Tips from Teachers: Improving on the ‘Questioning’ Indicator

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Tips from Teachers: Improving on the ‘Questioning’ Indicator

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Great question starters on pages 11-12 of this document.

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What is thirdhand smoke, and why is it a concern?

Answers from J. Taylor Hays, M.D.

Thirdhand smoke is residual nicotine and other chemicals left on indoor surfaces by tobacco smoke. People are exposed to these chemicals by touching contaminated surfaces or breathing in the off-gassing from these surfaces. This residue is thought to react with common indoor pollutants to create a toxic mix including cancer causing compounds, posing a potential health hazard to nonsmokers - especially children.

Thirdhand smoke clings to clothes, furniture, drapes, walls, bedding, carpets, dust, vehicles and other surfaces long after smoking has stopped. The residue from thirdhand smoke builds up on surfaces over time. To remove the residue, hard surfaces, fabrics and upholstery need to be regularly cleaned or laundered. Thirdhand smoke can't be eliminated by airing out rooms, opening windows, using fans or air conditioners, or confining smoking to only certain areas of a home.

Children and nonsmoking adults might be at risk of tobacco-related health problems when they inhale, swallow or touch substances containing thirdhand smoke. Infants and young children might have increased exposure to thirdhand smoke due to their tendency to mouth objects and touch affected surfaces.

Thirdhand smoke is a relatively new concept, and researchers are still studying its possible dangers. In the meantime, the only way to protect nonsmokers from thirdhand smoke is to create a smoke-free environment.

With

J. Taylor Hays, M.D.

See more Expert Answers

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Answers from J. Taylor Hays, M.D. Thirdhand smoke is residual nicotine and other chemicals left on indoor surfaces by tobacco smoke. People are exposed to these chemicals by touching contaminated surfaces or breathing in the off-gassing from these surfaces.

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DEVELOP THE COMPELLING QUESTION The driving question captures the heart of the project by providing purpose using clear and compelling...

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Teaching long vowels with mean "e" brings phonics to life. Every student with an older brother or sister can relate to being pinched and then having their sibling hide (silently) to avoid getting into trouble.

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As you prepare to teach Pinchy E, focus first on the word LIKE. To prepare, write the letters for LIKE, one letter per notecard.

Tell the children that they are going to help you teach by doing a little skit about someone named Pinchy E. Give a letter each to four children, lining them up in order to spell LIKE. Tell them that E doesn't really say anything at all because he's so busy being sneaky. While the other letters are each saying a sound, he's quietly reaching behind K and pinching i. When he pinches i, i gets startled and says his name "i" (long sound, not short sound).

Guide the children into sounding out the word. The child holding L will say /L/ when you point to her, the child holding i will say long i louder because Sneaky E is pinching him at that moment. K then says /K/. Blend together to say LIKE.

You may repeat this little play with four different children using other words such as MIKE, BIKE, HIKE. Switch vowels and do the same play with AKE words: LAKE, CAKE, TAKE, BAKE, WAKE. Let the children end the lesson by looking though books to find words with the Pinchy E in them.

Sounds & Their Spelling Patterns
Try our book, Sounds & Their Spelling Patterns for more demonstrations like the one above.
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As you prepare to teach Pinchy E, focus first on the word LIKE. To prepare, write the letters for LIKE, one letter per notecard. Tell the children that they are going to help you teach by doing a little skit about someone named Pinchy E.

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Red the hour dog has short legs. Fred the minute dog has long legs. Telling time doesn't have to complicated with Red and Fred.

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Students had the opportunity to strengthen their fraction skills while hitting the lanes!  We discussed what fraction of the pins were knocked down, and what fraction of pins remained.

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I used this quote as a thinking prompt for English 2.  We're reading Flowers for Algernon and are to the point where the protagonist's intelligence is alienating everyone who wants to help him. I showed this prompt in class and posted it to Classroom and just allowed the students to write about it.

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Students must find a problem in their environment, develop a plan for a solution, and create an actual product that meets the needs of the intended audience.  They must then pitch their idea to the sharks, a group of community/business members and parents.

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It's 3 minutes so a little longer than suggested. Students had to relate it to money. Majority could relate it to having self discipline, saving, and instant gratification that spending can have.

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The Marshmallow Test | Igniter Media | Church Video

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When we get to genetics in 6th grade, I use a computer simulation/game called Geniverse. The kids breed Dragons to get the offspring they need. They are a lot more engaged with this than doing Punnett squares!

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When we talk about DNA, we extract DNA from fruit. After we do that, we try to get some from their own cheek cells and saliva.

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How does the use of High Impact instructional strategies connect to the work the VISION team is doing to create a school of the future?

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How does the use of High Impact instructional strategies connect to the work the VISION team is doing to create a school of the future?

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The VISION team can use the High Impact instructional strategies to create exemplars. Also, because the VISION team is working to build connections/relationships which connects to the use of High Impact instructional strategies.

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How do you plan to continue to grow and learn a second high impact instructional strategy?

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How do you plan to continue to grow and learn a second high impact instructional strategy?

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We will add to our use of instructional strategies by talking with other teachers about what is working for them and observing other teachers implementing strategies. We will ask for feedback and assistance to help guide us.

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How did you use this instructional strategy? 

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How did you use this instructional strategy? 

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Our diverse group of teachers used the story telling strategy in their landform unit, immigration unit, state research unit, expectations in the classroom, word work, reviewing the ou sound, teaching causes/effects, and for a PBIS documentary.

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What is the importance of student engagement?

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What is the importance of student engagement?

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Students learn more when they are actively engaged, retain & remember information better, less problem behaviors, makes learning purposeful and fun for students.

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The difference between engagement and compliance 

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The difference between engagement and compliance 

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Engagement is actively doing task and making their own connections. Compliance is doing something because their teacher is making them.

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How did the use of your instructional strategy enhance student engagement?

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How did the use of your instructional strategy enhance student engagement?

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Getting the students excited and interested in what we are going to learn. The strategy helps to bring a connection. It also made them happy and excited about the topic.

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How did the uses of your instructional strategy enhance student engagement?

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How did the uses of your instructional strategy enhance student engagement?

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Stories can help student learn more about their teachers. It gives students something concrete to remember. It gives students conversation points and leads more in depth discussions. It can help relate past to present.

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How will you continue to implement High Impact instructional strategies in the future? 

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How will you continue to implement High Impact instructional strategies in the future? 

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Continue to differentiate strategies and plan to continue to make purposeful selections in stories and activities to encourage engagement.

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1) real world application
2) Compliance is teacher lead and engagement is student lead
3) helps them be mentally present
4) meaningful learning
authentic learning
5) variety of settings
6) collaboration with other professionals
7) visuals can spark engagement
8) allow connections, discussions, and emotions
9) engaged students are self motivated and take control of own learning
10) retains the learning better with experiences
11) Use to spark conversation and get engaged in what they are learning

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Cell Model:  Built a classroom model of the cell, with each group designing their organelles and teaching all of us about the structure and function of each organelle.

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Cell Model:  Built a classroom model of the cell, with each group designing their organelles and teaching all of us about the structure and function of each organelle.

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We create a business portfolio with Cover letter, Thank you, and Resumes.

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All PK-12 students participated in self-defense training.

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HS students had $100 to get through 10 days of meals. The students used grocery ads, coupons, and the internet.

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5th and 6th graders are writing their own songs using a 4 chord, chord progression. They are learning melodies and harmonies, note and rhythm reading. The assignment is leveled for the different learners.

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https://www.globalschoolplayday.com