• What do you think is inside?

• “What can you see at the entrance of the cave?”

• “What do you notice about the inside compared to the outside?”

• Why do you think there are trees on the floor?

2- Reasoning and justifying questions - digging deeper (prove it!)

3- Critical thinking and reflection - know and unknown, want to know?

4- Children pose questions to an answer. (Teacher: 'There is something inside the cave')

Impactful Techniques for use with the questioning:

1.Wait and thinking time - improves response rate and depth

2.Talk partners – helps collaborative learning, generates ideas, boosts confidence. 

3.Active learning - Random name picker (lolly stick/spinner)

4.Leaving them hanging and not telling them they are correct.

2- Reasoning and justifying questions - digging deeper (prove it!)

3- Critical thinking and reflection - know and unknown, want to know?

4- Children pose questions to an answer.

Impactful Techniques for use with the questioning:

1.Wait and thinking time - improves response rate and depth

2.Talk partners – helps collaborative learning, generates ideas, boosts confidence. 

3.Active learning - Random name picker (lolly stick/spinner)

4.Leaving them hanging and not telling them they are correct.

2- Reasoning and justifying questions - digging deeper (prove it!)

3- Critical thinking and reflection - know and unknown, want to know?

4- Children pose questions to an answer.

Impactful Techniques for use with the questioning:

1.Wait and thinking time - improves response rate and depth

2.Talk partners – helps collaborative learning, generates ideas, boosts confidence. 

3.Active learning - Random name picker (lolly stick/spinner)

4.Leaving them hanging and not telling them they are correct.

• “What do you notice?”

• “What do you see happening?”

• “What is the same and what is different?”

• “What do you think will happen next?”

• “How could we find out?”

💭 Reasoning & Problem-Solving

• “Why do you think that?”

• “What makes you say that?”

• “How could you solve this?”

• “What else could we try?”

• “What could happen if…?”

🗣 Expressive Language & Emergent Literacy

• “Can you tell me more about that?”

• “How could you describe it?”

• “What story could we tell about this?”

• “What would you say to explain it to a friend?”

• “Can you use another word to describe it?”

🔗 Connecting & Extending

• “Does this remind you of anything?”

• “Where have you seen this before?”

• “How is this like something else you know?”

• “What happens if we change ___?”

• “What could we do next with this idea?”

🌟 Creative & Critical Thinking

• “What could you make with this?”

• “What might happen if the rules were different?”

• “Can you think of another ending?”

• “How else could we use it?”

• “What would it be like if you were in the story/situation?”

👥 Social & Collaborative Thinking

• “What do you think your friend might say?”

• “How could you explain it to someone else?”

• “What would you do together to solve this?”

• “How could we make sure everyone has a turn?”

• “What question could you ask your partner?”

👉 For 2–4 year olds, keep them short, concrete, and linked to the senses (e.g., “What do you see?” “What does it feel like?”).

👉 For 5–7 year olds, expand to reasoning and speculation (e.g., “Why do you think that happened?” “What could happen next if…?”).

Basic Reasoning (“Tell me why…”)

• “Why do you think that?”

• “What makes you say that?”

• “Can you tell me how you worked it out?”

• “What clues did you use?”

• “What did you notice?”

Justifying (“Show me or explain…”)

• “How do you know?”

• “Can you show me another way?”

• “What makes your answer a good one?”

• “Can you explain it to me like a teacher?”

• “How could you convince a friend?”

  
  

Proving & Checking (“Test it…”)

• “How can you check if you’re right?”

• “Can you try it another way to be sure?”

• “What happens if we test it out?”

• “What would you do if someone said that was wrong?”

• “What evidence can you find?”

Comparing & Extending (“Build on it…”)

• “Is there another answer that could work?”

• “How is your idea the same or different from theirs?”

• “What happens if we change something — does your answer still work?”

• “Can you prove it with a picture / action / story?”

• “What could you do to make your answer even stronger?”

For younger children (2–4): focus on observable evidence — “Show me,” “What did you see?” “How do you know?”

For older children (5–7): extend into justification and counter-arguments — “What if someone disagreed?” “Can you give me another way of showing it?”

• “What do you already know about this?”

• “What can you tell me for sure?”

• “What facts do you remember?”

• “What do you see that tells you that?”

• “Can you show me what you know?”

What do you think you know?

• “What do you think is true?”

• “What makes you believe that?”

• “What do you think will happen?”

• “Do you think it’s always like that, or just sometimes?”

• “Is this something you’re sure about, or still guessing?”

  
  

What don’t you know?

• “What is still puzzling you?”

• “What doesn’t make sense yet?”

• “Is there a part that is tricky or confusing?”

• “What do you want to ask someone else?”

• “What do we still need to find out?”

  
  

What do you want to know?

• “What are you curious about?”

• “If you could ask one question about this, what would it be?”

• “What would you like to discover next?”

• “Where could we look to find the answer?”

• “Who could help us learn more?”

For younger children (2–4), simplify to prompts like “What do you know?” “What don’t you know?” “What do you want to find out?” — supported by visuals (e.g., a “Know / Don’t Know” chart).

For older children (5–7), extend into evaluating certainty: “Are you sure, or do you think it might be?”

Text: Kitten’s First Moon

Questions:

1) What is the moon?

2) What shapes could the moon be? Why does it change shape?

3) What is the purpose of the moon (scientific / cultural)?

4) Why is the moon bright when the sky is dark?

5) Why do you think people eat moon cakes?

6) Does everyone in this world see the moon in the same shape and at the same time? (Scientific)

-What do you know about Mid-Autumn Festival?

-How do you and your family celebrate Mid-Autumn Festival?

-Where do you think Mid-Autumn Festival come about?

2. Prove it, reason and justify

-Why do we celebrate Mid-Autumn Festival?

-Can you tell me something about this festival?

-Can you explain to me like a teacher?

3. Proving and testing

- What would you do if you are Chang E?