by Paige Jaeger, November 2015

It's a process of instruction where:

A student:

• Is asked an over-arching Big Question, which when he can answer, demonstrates knowledge and deep understanding
• Has the responsibility to learn
• Is UNCOVERING AND DISCOVERING -- rather than teacher "coverage"
• Wonders -asks questions and digs for answers
• Uses the vocabulary of the discipline, knowingly
• Creates a knowledge product as a demonstration of their learning - thus making "performance based assessment" a reality

A teacher:

• May have to hook the learner into the topic.
• May have to connect to prior learning.
• Will frame the context for learning
• Will have to develop the BIG QUESTION
• Will have to be ready with "guiding questions" or "supporting questions" to lead students
• Will supply graphic organizers to help students succeed
• Allows students to go down differing "paths" exploring a thread that connects to their real world (relevance)
• Encourages "civic action" - Do something about your conclusion... where appropriate

From Rx for the Common Core and Think Tank Library  - Jaeger, Ratzer, Libraries Unlimited 2014