I think that the Q-Chart (question matrix chart) is by far the most powerful tool we can use in the classroom. How often do we give students reams of questions to answer which they can generally complete quite easily and without thought? I know many of my former students even bragged about the fact that they were able to answer all of my questions without actually reading a book!
With a q-chart, students create their own questions and thus spur their own curiosity. They need some help getting started of course, but the beauty of a q-chart is that ANY student can use it. Q-Tasks by Carol Koechlin & Sandi Zwaan provides a comprehensive perspective on student questioning.
The q-chart can help students refine their research and set a purpose and path for web searching.
Here is an electronic copy of one.
