Essential Question

In educational terms, an "essential question" is a question that drives the lesson being taught. When creating a lesson plan, the teacher should base the lesson on essential questions, which are based on concepts that students should understand by the time they complete the unit. Preferably, essential questions should provoke thought, and not be answered "yes" or "no." ("Why is the sky blue?" not "Is the sky blue?")
For example, in a lesson plan about the water cycle, essential questions might be:
- What are the steps in the water cycle?
- What are the causes and effects of evaporation?
- Why is the water cycle important?


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