Strategy Lesson #2: Questioning

Grade: 9th
Unit: Enriques Journey- Immigration & Globalization
Lesson: How different communities in Latin America view immigrants
Time Allotted: 50 minutes
Content Area: English
Type of Lesson: Developmental
Number of Students: 28
Reading Strategy: Questioning- Using Thick and Thin Questions
Introduction:
Strategy lesson two is a group assignment for EDTP 639- Reading and Multiple Literacies as a
part of UMUCs MAT program. In this lesson, we will be introducing the questioning strategy of
Using Thick and Thin Questions. For this lesson, the teacher will model the Thick and Thin
strategy with the content from the novel Enriques Journey, a biographical story about a 15 year
old boy who is illegally traveling from Honduras to the United States, so that he can be reunited
with his mother. Enriques mother made the difficult decision to leave her children so that she
could find opportunities to financially provide for them by working illegally in the U.S. Pained
by his mothers 10 year absence, Enrique chooses to cross into the U.S illegally to escape
poverty, drugs, and crime that plague his community.
Context for Learning:
This lesson is 50 minutes long and is designed for a 9th grade English class during the 4th period
of the school day. The class consists of 28 students of mixed gender and ability levels. It includes
two gifted students, three ELL students, one student with a physical disability, and one student
with Down syndrome. There will be a paraprofessional in class to assist the disabled student and
a special education teacher to assist the student with Down syndrome. This lesson will be the 6th
lesson in a unit about the novel Enrique's Journey and will focus on teaching the Thick and
Thin Questions strategy for content literacy.
The unit for this lesson will be about the social-impact of globalization, specifically focusing on
the topic of illegal immigration. At this point in the unit, students will have read chapter five of
Enriques Journey in preparation for this lesson. Previous lessons have been used to establish the
necessary background for students to be able to link global connections to the context of the
story. Students will already be familiar with using sticky notes to annotate when reading, but this
lesson will take the strategy a step further by having students ask Thick and Thin Questions
with sticky notes.

This lesson will implement the gradual release of responsibility when teaching the Thick and
Thin Questions strategy. The teacher will first model the strategy by utilizing a Newsela article
in order to provide background knowledge before moving on to practice this strategy as a class.
Students will then continue their practice in small groups by completing a collaborative learning
activity. And finally, students will be given the opportunity to practice independently by
completing the extension assignment given as homework.
The arrangement of the classroom will be organized to maximize the teacher's ability to
effectively manage the classroom by allowing the educator to move fluidly between students
grouping to provide support as needed. The smart board will be centered at the front of the class
and it will be the main focal point of the classroom. On the left-hand-side of the smart board
there will be a list of the student expectations for group activities. The daily class schedule will
be posted to the right-hand-side of the smart board and it will include the student based
objectives for the days lesson. The students desks will be arranged in groups of four in order to
support student grouping and collaborative learning activities.
Curriculum Standards Addressed
This lesson supports the following Common Core standards:
RL 2 CCR Anchor Standard: Determine central ideas or themes of a text and analyze their
development, summarize the key supporting details and ideas.
RL 3 CCR Anchor Standard: Analyze how and why individuals, events, and ideas develop and
interact over the course of a text.
Objective(s)
Students will be able to apply the thick and thin questioning strategy to assist their
comprehension of the text.
Students will be able to analyze different attitudes towards immigrants using examples from the
narrative text Enrique's Journey.
Materials
Teacher will need:
-Copy of Enriques Journey (Adapted for Young People version) and copy of Enriques Journey,
adult version
- Inch Sticky Notes for thin questions (use for model of strategy and give to students for guided
practice)
-3x3 Sticky Notes for thick questions (use for model of strategy and give to students for guided
practice)

-Paper copy of Newsela article (1030 Lexile level)

-Exit ticket to pass out to students
-Smart Board cued to More Children and Teens Crossing into U.S. Unaccompanied
-Copies of 5 Newsela articles for students without home internet access
Students will need:
-Copy of Newsela article, More Children and Teens Crossing into U.S. Unaccompanied
(packet students pick up at the door)
-Anticipation guide, (packet students pick up at the door)
-Thick and Thin Question handout (packet students pick up at the door)
-Copy of Enriques Journey (Adapted for Young People version) or copy of Enriques Journey,
adult version
-Group activity handout (excerpts from Enriques Journey)
-Pen/pencil
-Class notebook
-Exit ticket (received from teacher)
Proactive Behavior Management:
Class norms, expectations, and repercussions for off task behavior will have been established the
first week of class by the teacher and the students. Students were required to sign a contract
stating that they are aware of the expectations of the classroom and that they accept the proposed
disciplinary actions for violating these expectations. The rules of the classroom will be posted in
a clearly visible area. These expectations will also be verbally reestablished before students
break into group activities.
Distractions will be minimized by pre-establishing groups and distributing handouts at the
beginning of class. Students will be grouped based on their compatibility as team members, with
the intention of students challenging each other without creating conflicts. Students who are
frequently disruptive will be separated into different groups to minimize their capacity to distract
other students. Students who require additional attention in order to stay on task will be placed
near the front of the class.
Provisions for Student Grouping:
Groups will be established by the teacher prior to class and will be listed on the packets that
students pick up as they walk into the classroom. There will be seven groups of four students.
The males and females will be equally divided among groups. Heterogeneous groups were kept
small so that students will have ample opportunity to learn from each other. Gifted students have
been paired with an ELL learner and the third ELL student has been grouped with the Down
syndrome student and his assistant.

Procedures:
Pre-Bell Procedures:
As the teacher greets students at the door, students will be given their group assignment and the
packet of handouts that will be used into todays lesson. The packet will include a copy of the
Newsela article, anticipation guide, and a handout explaining Thick and Thin Questions. The
packet will also include the names of their group members and students will be directed to sit in
their assigned grouping.
Warm-up/Opening: (5 minutes)
During the first few minutes of class, the students will be asked fill out an anticipation guide.
Students will be asked to agree or disagree with the following statements about immigration:
-Its easy to immigrate to the U.S.A.
-People should stay in the country that they were born in.
-Parents should stay with their children no matter what happens.
-I would always help someone that is in need.
-I would help an illegal immigrant.
-Illegal immigrants should be viewed with suspicion.
After the warmup is complete, the teacher will present the daily goal and objectives to the class.
Goal: To monitor questioning while using the Thick and Thin Questions strategy while reading
Enriques Journey.
Procedural Activities: (15 minutes)
Direct Instruction
Once the class has finished with the warm up, the teacher will inform the students, that as a class,
we will be taking an in-depth look at a news article about immigration using the Thick and
Thin questioning strategy. Students will be instructed to pull out their Thick and Thin
Questions handout, both types of sticky notes and the Newsela article As the teacher is
preparing to read aloud the Newsela article, More Children and Teens Crossing into U.S
Unaccompanied, the teacher will inform the students that asking questions about the text is an
important step in better understanding the content. Questioning a text allows students to clarify
any confusion they may have about the material. The teacher will define the differences between
the two types of questions. Thick questions are questions that address large, universal concepts.
Thick questions typically begin with Why, How Come, I wonder The answers to thick
questions are long and require more discussion and research. While reading this article, thick
questions will be marked with 3x3 sticky notes. On the front of the sticky notes, the teacher will
write Thick and on the back of the sticky note, the teacher will write what they think the

answer is. Thin questions are used for clarification. Thin questions can be answered with a
number or with a simple yes or no; answers are typically shorter than thick questions. Thin
questions are marked with inch sticky notes. Using the Thick and Thin Questions strategy
can be used at any point in the reading process: pre, during, and after.
The teacher will instruct the students to follow along as the teacher reads More Children and
Teens Crossing into U.S Unaccompanied. The students will be instructed to jot down their own
Thick and Thin Questions as the teacher is reading. Teacher modeling of this questioning
strategy is critical to student success. Therefore, the first set of sticky notes will be used to model
a thick question: Why are more children and teens trying to make the journey into the U.S? On
the back of that sticky note, the teacher will write, children want to have a better life and
become U.S citizens. The thick sticky note will be added to the smartboard. As the teacher
continues reading, she will model a thin question: How many minors arrive in the U.S each
day? On the back of inch sticky note, the teacher will write 120 minors and add the sticky
note to the smartboard.
Once the teacher has read half of the article, the teacher will then call on two students to read
aloud the remaining two sections of the article and as a group, we will continue to practice this
questioning strategy. Student #1 will read the subheading A Birthday in the Desert. His
modeled thin question will ask the text, How many miles will the children travel from their
native countries to the U.S? On the back of his inch sticky note, he will write 2000 miles
and add the sticky note to the smartboard. As he continues to read the article, he will jot down his
thick question on a 3x3 sticky note, Once the minors are caught by immigration officials, why
do these minors spend a significant amount of time in the detention facilities? On the back of
the 3x3 sticky note, he draws a question mark and the words looking for family members.
Once student #1 has finished reading his portion of the article, student #2 will read subsection I
want to be a doctor. Immediately, student #2 pulls out a inch sticky note. Her thin question is
asking for clarification of the term pro bono; she wanted to make sure that pro bono means
services provided for free. Once she has added her sticky note to the smartboard, she will
continue to read aloud. Her 3x3 sticky note will ask, Why do the minors feel safer in the U.S.
and do they feel the journey was worth the risks? On the back of the 3x3 sticky note, she writes
yes, they feel safer due to better living conditions and more opportunities.
Once student #2 has finished reading, the teacher will open the floor for any clarifying questions
about the Thick and Thin Questions strategy before the students are released to their groups.
The teacher will remind the students to be mindful and practice the questioning strategy as the
teacher and their classmates had done in the previous segment.

Collaborative Learning Activity: (20 minutes)

After going over how to use the Thick and Thin Questions strategy, the teacher will inform
students that they will be working in groups to use the strategy and examine subsections of
chapter 5 in Enriques Journey. In their assigned groups, students will apply the Thick and Thin
Questions strategy while reading two small excerpts from chapter 5. The students will be
provided each excerpt in the form of a handout that will be used during the group activity. The
excerpts that the students will be reading are listed below:
Small Bundles pp. 96-99
Suspicion pp.110-113
Each group will feature a designated reader selected by the group. The reader will be responsible
for reading the excerpts to the group while students follow along in their copies of the book.
While the reader is reading, group members are be expected to use the Thick and Thin
Questions strategy to mark the printed handout of the excerpt. If the reader has a thick and thin
question while they are reading, then they can stop and write it down. When the reader is
finished reading the excerpt, the group will reconvene and discuss the questions that they wrote
down and attempt to answer each question. Students will complete this activity for both excerpts
from Enriques Journey. After time has expired for this activity, the teacher will collect the group
handout and store it for next class. Students will be notified that this activity will be the topic of a
class discussion for the next lesson.
Summary/Closing: (10 minutes)
In the last 10 minutes of class, the students will complete an exit ticket. The exit ticket will ask
the students to take a closer at how they used the Thick and Thin Questions strategy while also
re-examining their answers from the anticipation guide. The students will be asked the following
questions:
- When would you find using the Thick and Thin Questions most useful and why?
- How did Thick and Thin questions improve your understanding of the text?
- Did any of your opinions from the anticipation guide change as a result of todays lesson?
After explaining the exit ticket, the teacher will hand out and explain the homework assignment.
Assessment:
There will be two formative assessments for this lesson. The first will be the exit ticket and the
second will be the homework assignment. Both will allow the teacher to gain perspective on the
students ability to use the Thick and Thin Questions strategy. These two assignments will
indicate overall student comprehension and application of the strategy, and any
misunderstandings that need to be addressed about the Thick and Thin Questions strategy.
Adaptations:

The materials used for this lesson are available in different reading levels. The adult version of
Enrique's Journey will be available for the advanced readers. Enriques Journey: Adapted for
Young People version is a lower Lexile version of the novel and lower level readers would be
provided with a selective reading guide that will direct the students to specific parts of the text.
Audio versions of the novel are also available for students.
The articles from Newsela.com are also available in different Lexile levels. This allows the
teacher to have a 700 level (4th grade) version of the article available for the student with Down
syndrome to use with the special educator as well as a Max level (12th grade) to use with the
gifted and talented students. Students will also have the option of listening to an NPR article on
immigration and using the Thick and Thin Questions strategy on the printed version of the
article instead of the Newsela article for homework.
Additionally, lower level students can work in class with their peer tutors and all students will be
given a reference handout with procedural guide for implementing the Thick and Thin
Questions strategy.

Extension Activity:
If students finish with the independent practice activity early, they will be instructed to begin
reading chapter six in Enriques Journey and utilize the Thick and Thin Questions strategy.

Reinforcement (Homework):
For homework, students will be assigned to read an article of their choice about immigration
from the Newsela website. Printed articles will be provided for students, who do not have home
access to the internet. Students who require audible versions will have the option of listening to
the NPR story, When Asylum-Seeking Women and Children Are Welcomed like Criminals and
use a printed handout of the story for their Thick and Thin Questions. Students will be
provided sticky notes (3x3 and thin strips) to write Thick and Thin Questions while reading the
article. This will reinforce the strategy by providing the students with additional practice of using
the Thick and Thin Questions strategy. This assignment will be collected at the beginning of
class the following day.

References:

Harvey, S. & Goudvis, A. (2007). Strategies that Works: Teaching Comprehension for
Understanding and Engagement. Portland, Maine: Stenhouse Publishers.
Interstate Teacher Assessment and Support Consortium. (2011). Common Core Standards:
English Language Arts Standards: Anchor Standards for Reading. Retrieved from
http://www.corestandards.org/ELA-Literacy/CCRA/R/
Nazario,S. (2006). Enriques Journey: The True Story of a Boy Determined to Reunite with His
Mother. New York: Random House.
Newsela Staff. (7 April 2014). More Children and Teens Crossing into U.S Unaccompanied.
Miami Herald. Retrieved from https://newsela.com/articles/migrant-minors/id/3305/.
NPR Staff.( 20 March 2016). When Asylum Seeking Women and Children Immigrants are
Treated Like Criminals. Retrieved from http://www.npr.org/2016/03/20/471148251/whenasylum-seeking-women-and-children-immigrants-are-welcomed-like-criminals.

Handouts:

Handout #1 - Anticipation Guide

Agree

Disagree

Statement

Notes

Its easy to immigrate to the U.S.A.

People should stay in the country that they were born in.
I would always help someone that is in need.
I would help an illegal immigrant
Illegal immigrants should be viewed with suspicion

Handout #2 - Thick and Thin Questions Guide

Thick and Thin Questions

A Thick Question is open ended. It requires evidence to support a point of view and a warrant
to link that evidence to the point being made. These questions are harder to answer and require
more thinking than thin questions. Good readers ask thick questions while reading to better
understand whats going on in the story.
A Thin Question is usually asking for literal information that does not require interpretation,
argumentation, or sustained conversation. A thin question is a question that can be answered with
a number, one word answer, or a simple yes or no answer. These questions are usually short and
are easy to find within the text that you are reading.
THICK QUESTIONS:
use a 3x3 sticky note

Cant be answered with a yes or no.

Usually lead to deeper discussions and debate.
Do not have one right answer.
Warrant your argument.
Acknowledge gradations. Issues are not right or wrong.
Examples:
o I wonder
o Why was that event so important?
o How did the character change from the beginning of the story?
o What do you think is the authors message from the story?

THIN QUESTIONS:
use a inch sticky note

Often follow IRE pattern (Inquiry, Response, Evaluation) and used by teachers to check
to see if a student knows the right answer.
Do not lead students to grapple with complex issues.
Are often yes or no questions accompanied by simple explanations.
Examples:
o What is the main characters name?
o Is the story fiction?
o What is the setting of the story?
o Are there other characters in the book?

Handout #3 - Homework Sheet

Homework

Select an article of your choice from Newsela.com about immigration.

https://newsela.com/articles/

Print out your article and use the Thick and Thin Questions strategy we learned in class
today to read the article.
Use the sticky notes provided to you in class to complete this assignment.
You will be turning in your annotated article.

You need to use a minimum of three Thick and three Think questions.

Handout #4 - Homework Sheet for Low-Ability Readers

Would you rather listen?

http://www.npr.org/2016/03/20/471148251/when-asylum-seekingwomen-and-children-immigrants-are-welcomed-like-criminals