Universal Themes and Essential Questions for the Gifted

Teachers are often accused of delivering curriculum that is not relevant to today’s students; however, if we teach (or have discussions at home) using universal themes, the material is relevant. Umbrellas are provided under which details become easier to remember. Students are given frameworks of understanding that they can carry with them the rest of their lives.

A universal theme is a timeless, broad, abstract idea that can be used to tie together literary works or to understand broad concepts in history. It is an approach to which all people can relate. It transcends race, gender, and creed.

We learn best when we are able to relate new information to previous experiences and to ideas that are familiar. By teaching universal themes/concepts, we help students better understand their past experiences and form “big ideas” that are transferred to future experiences. Themes give a common reason for students to read many different books, including books on different ability levels, which is excellent for differentiation. Universal themes can be used with any subject, but they are especially suited for literature and social studies.

When working with universal themes, it is important to ask essential questions. Essential questions are open ended (i.e. they do not have a single answer). Instead, the question requires a longer, more involved response and causes the respondent to think and reflect. This approach causes students to think critically instead of simply looking up answers. Essential questions

• provoke deep thought
• may not have an answer
• encourage critical thinking, not just memorization of facts
• require students to draw upon content knowledge and personal experience

Example
Universal Theme: Identity--This theme might be used with a literature unit or while studying ethnic differences in social studies.

Identity might be defined as uniqueness, distinctiveness, individuality, or personality. The identity of a person or group is rarely static, but instead is constantly being changed by internal and external forces.

Essential Questions

• How do we form our identities?
• How is your self-concept affected by the impressions of those around you?
• How is identity shaped by relationships and experiences?
• What can you learn about yourself by studying the lives of others?
• When should one take a stand in opposition to another individual or larger group?

Universal Themes and Generalizations, from DukeTip, is a PDF file that lists ten different themes along with sample sub-categories for each of those themes.

Exercising Minds through Questioning

Bright students often come to class thinking they must know all the right answers. What they (and many adults) may not realize is that thinking is not driven by answers, but by questions. It is the sense of wonder and curiosity that drives understanding. As the old saying goes…The more you know, the more you realize you don’t know. The more you learn about a subject, the more you realize there is to know. Perhaps having students list thoughtful questions at the conclusion of a unit would be a better determiner of knowledge gained than taking a test.

Young people learn to develop inquiring minds when they hear their parents and teachers ask thoughtful questions of themselves and others. One way to do this is to use Socratic Questioning. Socratic questions help to

• Clarify issues
• Question assumptions
• Justify statements
• Understand the ideas of others
• Imagine consequences
• Relate different issues 

Divergent questions are also useful. They usually begin with words or phrases such as

• Imagine…
• Suppose…
• Predict…
• If…, then…
• How might…
• Can you create…
• What are some possible consequences…

Here is one example of questioning for young children in kindergarten or first grade after reading and discussing Jack and the Beanstalk.

Q. What did Jack do when he got to the giant's castle?"

A. Jack hid from the giant, found the goose that lays the golden eggs, was discovered by the giant, fled, reached the bottom of the vine, and then chopped it down. The giant, of course, tumbles down, breaks his neck, and Jack lives happily ever after with his mother and his newly found wealth.

Q. Did Jack trespass illegally? (In kindergarten terms, "Did Jack go into someone's house where he did not belong?")

A. Yes!

Q. Did Jack steal the goose that lays golden eggs?"

A. Yes!

Q. Did Jack, then, refuse to give back what did not belong to him?

A. Yes!

Q. Then did Jack escape down the bean vine and cause the giant to be killed?"

A. Yes!

Q. If Jack trespassed, stole, and murdered the giant, why is the giant the villain of this story?

Inquiry-based Learning

There is an old saying: Tell me and I forget. Show me and I remember. Involve me and I understand. Inquiry-based learning enables students to become involved in their learning for better understanding. When using inquiry-based learning, the teacher acts as a facilitator rather that a purveyor of information. This type of learning is more engaging and exciting for students than traditional methods. Bright kids really enjoy it because they are asked to question, to investigate, and to experiment, all while using critical thinking skills.

There are quite a few websites that explain how inquiry-based learning works and offer sample lesson plans for students K-12.

• Intro to Inquiry Learning has two particularly helpful sections: “Advantages of Inquiry-Based Learning” and “The Art of the Question.” This second section explains how to ask good questions, which may be more complicated and sophisticated than many parents and teachers realize.
• Workshop: Inquiry-Based Learning offers all the basics of inquiry-based learning, provides classroom demonstrations through video clips, explains how to get started, and shows how to create a facilitation plan. (Be sure to click through the tabs at the top of the page.)
• Inquiry Page lets you looks at actual units using inquiry-based learning. 

Consider using inquiry-based learning both at school and at home. Students will be actively engaged while improving their critical and creative thinking skills.