The vocabulary and terminology specific to a discipline or community; language used by insiders; understanding how language can exclude people. Preparing to think and talk like an expert in the field.

Terminology, Tools, Jargon, Icons and Symbols, Acronyms, Slang, Power Phrases, Buzzwords, Abbreviations, Code, Inside Jokes, Key Words, Lexicon, Nomenclature, Figures of Speech

Questions for exploring Language of the Discipline:

• What/who is this and why does it matter?

• Describe the difference between ____ and _____.

• What are synonyms for ____, and why are they more or less accurate than ____?

• How important is understanding the term _____ to being able to _____?

• How would you explain ____ to someone who didn’t understand the concept?

The defining features and characteristics of a thing; the differences that set it apart and “make a difference.” What do you do with the details once you identify them?

Questions for exploring Details:

• What details do you notice?

• What is the impact and/or significance of this detail?

• What do the details suggest/reveal about ______?

• Which words and phrases stand out to you? Why?

• Why do you think the author chose to use that word?

• Compare the attributes of ____ with _______. 

• Which details best support the big idea?

Elements that reoccur; order; structure; sequence of events. Identify, analyze and evaluate patterns. 

Repetition, Cycles, Randomness, Motif, Archetype, Trope, Recurring Elements

Questions for exploring Patterns:

• What recurring words, phrases, ideas or elements do you notice? 

• How would you describe this pattern or structure?

• In what ways is _____ pattern similar to _____ pattern? How is it different? How important are those differences?

• What things does the pattern ask us to assume?

• How are these things/elements/ideas/characters connected to each other?

• Why are these elements/ideas/events repeated time and time again?

• What would happen if we changed the order in which ____ occurred?

• Why would someone want to break this pattern?

Information that is missing, unclear, or unavailable; claims that lack evidence or have not been proven; facts that may have been purposely obscured. What do you want to learn more about? Predictions and research should be guided by at least one unanswered question.

Ambiguity, Discrepancies, Missing Pieces, Unresolved Issues, Dilemmas, Puzzles, Conundrums, Incomplete Ideas, Mysteries

Questions for exploring Unanswered Questions:

• What questions does this literary work explore?

• What do you still want to learn?

• What do you not know the answer to because that answer is unavailable?

• What do you not know the answer to, but you can find it with currently available knowledge and resources?

• What question do you have an answer to but others may disagree with you?

• Who else had this question? How did they answer it?

• How might _____ affect ____?

Structures which underlie a subject; guidelines or regulation; systems of power, restriction and hierarchy both implicit and explicit.

Systems, Standards, Directions, Methods, Organization, Behavior, Reasons, Organizational Elements, Classification, Standards, Law, Customs, Boundaries

Questions for exploring Rules:

• Why do these rules, systems, organizational structure matter? 

• Why is this rule or structure significant? 

• What impact do these rules/system have on the way this topic is approached and understood?

• What restrictions would you add or take away from the rule?

• Is this rule necessary? Why?/Why not?

• Which steps are most important to follow in this process?

• What does this rule ask you to believe?

• Who/what is most likely to break this rule? Why?

• In what ways is this rule misunderstood? Who is most likely to misunderstand it?

• Can you defend the position of the person/thing that disrupted the system/event/process?

• What happens if this organizational structure breaks down?

• Create a better rule.

Social, economic, political, religious, geographic (etc.) factors that cause events to occur. Cause & effect: What are the forces that are causing a change or shift?

Influences, Forces, Direction, Course of Action, Tendencies, Current Styles, Movement, Fashion, Group Dynamics, Winds of Change, (Pop) Culture Shift

Questions for exploring Trends:

• What are the most important factors that caused _______?

• Can you explain the causes of this trend in a way that would make sense to someone who knew nothing about it?

• How could the same factors have resulted in a different effect?

• What is the significance and/or impact of this trend?

• In what ways is this trend misunderstood?

• If you could trace this outcome to a single event, what would it be? Is it possible or desirable to do so?

• Predict what would happen if _______ were removed from the equation/situation.

The moral principles or implications involved or invoked in a subject; areas of controversy or argument; conceptions of right and wrong; evaluating pros and cons.

Values, Morals, Bias, Discrimination, Prejudice, Wisdom, Harm, Judgement, Gray Areas, Justice, Ideology

Questions for exploring Ethics:

• What are the options in this situation? 

• What are the implications of choosing one option over another?

• What are the considerations important for understanding this situation?

• What should happen when someone violates the rules of ______?

• Should a character have chosen a different path?

The unifying theory or generalization that best fits a subject; the main idea or theme; what a subject has to say about topics both abstract and concrete. Developed from many facts and details. Related to universal or global themes. NOT just the “topic.”

Drawing Conclusions, Summarize, Theorize, Principle, Argument, Takeaway

Questions for exploring Big Idea:

• What universal idea does this literary work explore?

• How does the big idea ____ compare to ____?

• If this big idea is true for ____ what else might it be true for?

• Using at least 3 depth and complexity elements, justify the big idea that ____.

• What information would change your mind about this big idea?

• Who or what is most likely to object to or agree with this big idea?

• How important is this big idea? To whom would it be most important?

How the subject relates to, complicates, or influences other subjects; how the subject understands and is understood by different disciplines or ideologies. How are things (concepts, skills, etc.) connected with each other?

Connect, Associate, Integrate, Cross-pollinate, Compare, Contrast, Interdisciplinary, Subdisciplines

Questions for exploring Across Disciplines:

• What connections can we make? What are the alternative connections we could make?

• Apply the ideas of __[field, discipline, experience, topic, etc.]___ to this problem/topic.

• How is this related to ____?

• In what ways does this connection deepen our understanding of _____?

• How would an __[different person/expert]__ interpret this evidence?

• How could you explain this idea to a __[different person/expert]__?

• Create a chain of 3-7 ideas that connect these two ideas.

The relationship of elements in past, present, and future; causes of change; constants. Evaluating change over a period of time. Positive or negative? Necessary or unnecessary? Pros and cons? What is the significance of the change?

Past/Present/Future, Historical Lens, Timelines, Evolution, Progress, Regression, Revanchism, Nostalgia, Genealogy

Questions for exploring Over Time:

• How are these ideas related within or during a particular period of time?

• How would _____ be different during a different time period? How have times changed?

• Who or what was most impacted by the change?

• What forces do you think are acting on ____ to influence/force change?

• What prompted the need for this change?

• Will ____ continue to change at the same rate of speed?

• Do you think that this will become more or less important to you over time?

• Make the argument that this change was/wasn’t inevitable or predictable.

• In what ways could the change be undone?

• Explain the processes that lead to the creation of _____.

The ways in which different interested parties see and approach a situation; the advantages and challenges of diversity of thought; the practice of assigning weight and standing to varying opinions; understanding who is harmed by and who benefits from a subject. Consider something from a different perspective. Great for developing empathy.

Empathy, Sympathy, Stakeholders, Opposition, Common Cause, Interests, Intentions, Point of View

Questions for exploring Multiple Perspectives:

• What are the possible perspectives that were not discussed/considered?

• What biases are at work here?

• Describe how we can hold two opposing views on this subject simultaneously.

• Compare the way ___ sees ___ versus the way ____ sees _____.

• How are the motivations of ____ and ____ different from each other?

• How is the way you see this changed?

• Defend the perspective that is least like your own.

• How would the story have been different if it had been told from the point of view of _____?

• Would ____ think it was fair to say ____? Would _____?