This is an excellent exercise to use for critical thinking and review.
In groups of 3, 4, or 5 (you choose), with books open or not (you choose), students write four questions. You will need to give examples for each type!! I sometimes hand out questions I have in mind and pass them out, one to a group-- just as a catalyst.
1 and 2. Two questions of fact to which they know the answers (points from the reading that just shows that people have understood and remembered what they read).
3. A provocative question on which everybody in the group agrees on the answer and can tell WHY based on the reading.
4. A second provocative question that is a case where they either don’t know the answer or they truly disagree.
Then, with books closed, the students from different groups have the chance to ask any question they choose, but must tell whether it is a question of fact, the provocative question to which they know the answer or the provocative question which they cannot definitively answer. People around the room raise their hands to answer the questions. On the opinion questions, people from more than one group can respond – both to the question and to the answers given by other students. Be sure to ask students to give reasons (support) for their opinions.
If you do it with points:
• Students get 1 point each time anybody in the group ASKS a question.
• Students get 1 point each time anybody in the group ANSWERS a question.
• Instead of focusing on points, I just pass out a scoresheet to each group. They choose a scorekeeper who keeps track of the group's points.
• I often substitute this for a 10-point quiz. To make it fair, everybody gets 5 points as a base. To make this even more challenging, I usually allow students to exceed 10 points, so this helps them to make up lost quiz points. However, I normally stop when one group hits 16.
Provocative Questions Worksheet (1 per group) - This is a sample which you can adapt for almost any class or situation.