Asking Good Questions

Asking Good Questions

• To use language expressively
• To practice asking questions
• To build vocabulary

Materials
Fire fighter's hat or other fire fighter props

Literature Suggestion
Read A Trip to the Firehouse by Wendy Cheyette Lewison, or any nonfiction book about fire fighters.

• Read the book you have chosen.
• Invite children to talk about this real firehouse.
• Help them notice that the pictures in the book are photographs of real people.

Procedure

• Put on a fire fighter's hat and any other fire fighter props you have.
• Explain that you are pretending to be a fire fighter.
• Invite children to ask you questions about what it is like to be a fire fighter.
• Model questions such as: Fire fighter, why do you go down the pole to get to the fire truck? or Why do you use a ladder? To prompt questions, show children the book illustrations again and mention fire fighters' gear, trucks, or life at the firehouse.
• If children ask questions you cannot answer, tell them you don't know the answers and have the children make guesses. (You may also want to write to a fire company to pose the questions. If so, read your letter aloud to the children before sending it. If you can visit a local firehouse, the children can ask the questions themselves.)

Enrichment
Invite the children to pretend to be fire fighters and work together in small groups to put out a fire. Take this opportunity to talk about the difference between real facts and make-believe.

Observation Assessment

• Proficient - Child asks appropriate questions about fire fighters and firehouses.
• In Process - Child has difficulty thinking of appropriate questions and asking them in a way that can be understood easily.
• Not Yet Ready - Child listens to the book, but does not yet participate in a discussion, does not yet attempt to ask a question, or speaks inaudibly.