What's+the+Big+Deal+(Jim+Burke)

What's the Big Idea? (Jim Burke)

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- The message of this presentation was to consider a "big idea" or focus question for a unit or semester study. Instead of focusing on a particular text, students with the teacher as their guide, would utilize many sources and do many activities to think deeply about a particular question. - Burke suggests the questions be written as a class or may be written by the teacher, but class buy in is greater when students are a part of the process. - These types of "big idea" questions help motivate students and work well with both advanced students and those who are struggling. - This process is based in the scientific method.

Big Idea question samples:
 * Am I my brother's keeper?
 * What does it take to be a survivor?
 * What can we learn from our own and others' experiences?