The Relationship between Unit Essential Questions, Lesson Essential Questions and Assessment Prompts

Bill Blynt
Jul 06, 2009

Is it still difficult to tell the difference between a Lesson Essential Question and an Assessment Prompt? How do the Assessment Prompts help the students answer the Lesson Essential Question? How do Lesson Essential Questions enable students to answer the Unit Essential Question?

Here are examples of each and how they connect:

Social Studies

Unit Essential Question
How and why do we provide checks and balances on government power?

Lesson Essential Question
How can the separation of powers inherent in our government create a deadlock?

Assessment Prompts
How is government power shared in the government of the US?
What are the powers given to each of the branches of government?
Why do we have three branches of government at the federal level in the US?

Math

Unit Essential Question
How can we mathematically predict future events?

Lesson Essential Question
How is expectation different from probability?

Assessment Prompts
What is a combination?
What is a permutation?
How do the formulas differ?


Science

Unit Essential Question
How are past events and environments on Earth inferred?

Lesson Essential Question
What characteristics of rocks enable them to "tell a story"?

Assessment Prompts
What are some structural characteristics of rocks which help us infer past environments and geological events?
What is relative age and how is it used to sequence past events?
What is absolute age and how is it determined?

English

Unit Essential Question
How are cultural and societal issues reflected in works of literature?

Lesson Essential Question
What affects did the Great Depression have on culture and society?

Assessment Prompts
What is the stereotype of an Okie?
Why were people 'mobile' during the Great Depression?

When students can correctly respond to the Assessment Prompts, they can answer the Lesson Essential Question. If they can answer the Lesson Essential Questions, they can answer the Unit Essential Question. The connection between the Assessment Prompts, Lesson Essential Questions and Unit Essential Question allows for more effective formative assessment that leads to more effective summative assessment and more learning.

To learn more see Connecting Exemplary Practices in Acquisition Lessons.