Knowledge/Skill Building
🔎 Strong Interview Questions Lab
Content Expertise
Effective Communication
Critical Thinking & Problem Solving
Collaboration
CCSS.ELA-Literacy.W.4.7
CCSS.ELA-Literacy.W.5.7
Reflection
Essential Question
Submission Required
Students learn the difference between open- and closed-ended questions and co-create criteria for strong empathy-based questions. In pairs, they draft 5–7 interview questions to use with future community partners, focusing on causes, effects, and daily experiences related to hunger.
Plan day
Day 2
Duration
—
Grouping
Pair
Steps
5 steps
Lesson plan
5 steps| # | What teachers do |
|---|---|
| 1 | Introduction to Interview Questions: Discuss the difference between open-ended and closed-ended questions and their impact on gathering information. (10 min) |
| 2 | Modeling Empathy-based Questions: Demonstrate how to transform general questions into empathy-based questions, focusing on understanding personal experiences related to hunger. (10 min) |
| 3 | Pair Work: In pairs, co-design 5-7 interview questions that are open-ended and centered around the causes and effects of hunger, and daily experiences. Use a graphic organizer to record your questions. (15 min) |
| 4 | Review and Revise: Exchange questions with another pair for peer feedback and make improvements based on the feedback. (5 min) |
| 5 | Reflection: Reflect on how empathy influences question design and how your questions will help you understand the hunger issues faced by community members. Write personal reflections in your journal. (5 min) |
Preparation (1 item)
- Prepare a brief presentation explaining open-ended vs. closed-ended questions, with examples related to the hunger context.
Student-facing instructions
You will work in pairs to learn about the types of interview questions and co-create a set of empathy-centered questions aimed at understanding hunger issues in your community. Bring your journal and a pencil. Your goal is to design strong questions that help you gather comprehensive information from your community partners.