Global Essential Questions
Global Essential Questions
g lo b a l co n n ect i o n s
I
v i f r e s o u rc e s
Global Essential Questions
PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT & CURRICULUM
Global Essential Questions
Global Essential Questions Whether you are part of VIF’s Secondary Global Gateway program or not, this set of Global Essential Questions is a wonderful resource for any teacher interested in global teaching and learning. Essential questions point to the big ideas within a global lesson or unit of study. They are meant to engage students in ways that promote inquiry-based learning. Students use critical thinking and problemsolving skills to research, discuss, synthesize, evaluate and, finally, create a product that answers each question. Essential questions also play an important role in the assessment of student’s understanding of the main concepts of a lesson or unit. In order to promote inquiry-based learning, essential questions should: • • • •
be open-ended and thought-provoking: they should not be answerable with “yes” or “no”, and should not start with “who” or “when”, as such questions yield narrow answers. prompt answers that build on prior knowledge. open up the possibility of many interdisciplinary connections. lead to more questions.
In the context of global learning, essential questions should invite students to explore the complex relationship between world’s cultures, environments, educational structures, and eco-political systems.
Global Society Unit 1- My Culture, My Family 1. 2. 3. 4.
What are our ideas about what defines culture? What are the elements of culture and how does culture influence people? What cultures do I belong to and how do they influence me? How are my family’s traditions similar to and different than those of a family in another town, state or country? 5. How does culture influence my family and our traditions? Unit 2- The U.S. American Way 1. 2. 3. 4. 5.
What is the definition of and who is a U.S. American? How accurate are our perceptions of another culture? What are the origins of U.S. culture? What does our language tell us about our culture? How are U.S. Americans perceived globally?
Unit 3- Social Entrepreneurship: Global Society 1. 2. 3. 4. 5.
What is microfinance? What are the different needs microfinance can address? How do I get involved in microfinance? How can microfinance impact my community? How can microfinance impact a country?
Global Essential Questions
Global Geography Unit 4- Regions of the World 1. 2. 3. 4. 5.
What is geography and why is it important? What are the geographical features of a country? What are the connections between geography and culture? What are the seven continents of the world? How has the world’s geography changed over time?
Unit 5- Landforms 1. 2. 3. 4. 5.
What are different types of landforms? How do landforms impact a geographical region? What are the positive and negative results of different landforms? How does access to fresh and saltwater impact a culture? How does a country’s geographical location impact the amounts of water and food available to its population?
Unit 6- Social Entrepreneurship: Global Geography 1. What are some key characteristics of the geography of your entrepreneurship region of study? 2. How have landforms impacted the culture of your entrepreneurship region of study? 3. What are the locations and landforms of significant cultural and geographic importance in your entrepreneurship region of study? 4. What are the significant geographical features represented on a map of your entrepreneurship region of study? 5. How does your microfinance project enhance the cultural geography of your entrepreneurship region of study?
Global Environment Unit 7- Population 1. How has the world’s population increased over time? 2. As the world’s population continues to increase, how will it affect our world? How will it affect our culture? 3. How does a country’s geographic location and population impact the amount of food available to people in that country? 4. How will continued population growth in urban areas impact people living in those areas? 5. How does the rapidly aging population impact the population today? How will it impact the population of the future? Unit 8- Health 1. How is our world’s global health? 2. What major components contribute to the health of a region? 3. What are the effects of epidemics and pandemics that have occurred in the world?
Global Essential Questions
4. What are major health concerns around the world? Unit 9- Social Entrepreneurship: Global Environment 1. 2. 3. 4. 5.
What are some key characteristics of the environment of your entrepreneurship region of study? How has the population of your entrepreneurship region of study changed over time? What are the significant health issues in your entrepreneurship region of study? How has the population and health of your entrepreneurship region of study influenced its culture? How does your social entrepreneurship project enhance the health of your region of study?
Global Education Unit 10- Literacy 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6.
How are schools around the world similar and different? How do countries other than the United States view education? What are the educational opportunities for males and females in different parts of the world? How does literacy impact a person and a country? How can students prepare to become global citizens? What are some possible implications of educational institutions in the United States not emphasizing science, technology, engineering and mathematics at the same levels as other countries?
Unit 11- Access/Equity 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6.
How are access to and equity of education different in regions around the world? How has education in the United States changed over time with regard to access and equity? How do countries other than the United States view the importance of education for everyone? What are educational opportunities for males and females in different parts of the world? How can schools in the United States help provide access to education for all around the world? What are possible implications of global education not providing equal access and equity within education?
Unit 12- Social Entrepreneurship: Global Education 1. 2. 3. 4. 5.
What are some of the key educational characteristics of your entrepreneurship region of study? How has the literacy rate of your entrepreneurship region of study changed over time? What are some significant aspects of access and equity in your entrepreneurship region of study? How have access and equity in your entrepreneurship region of study influenced its culture? How does your social entrepreneurship project enhance access to education in your region of study?
Global Economy Unit 13- The Euro Zone 1. How are economies around the world similar to and different than the economy in the United States? 2. Why is it important to understand the economies of other countries and how do their economies
Global Essential Questions
affect the United States? 3. What is the euro? 4. What countries are in the euro zone? 5. What are the similarities and differences between the euro zone and other economies across the world? Unit 14- Bartering 1. 2. 3. 4. 5.
What is bartering? Why do people barter? Why is bartering important? What countries use bartering as their main form of currency? What are the similarities and differences between bartering and using a standard currency?
Unit 15- Social Entrepreneurship: Global Economy 1. How does your entrepreneurship region of study use the bartering system? 2. What is the status of the economy in your entrepreneurship region of study? 3. What are the economic similarities and differences between the United States and your entrepreneurship region of study? 4. What are the similarities and differences between the euro and the currency of your entrepreneurship region of study? 5. What are the similarities and differences between the eurozone and your entrepreneurship region of study?
Global Politics Unit 16- Forms of Government 1. What are the different forms of government? 2. What are the benefits of understanding different forms of government? 3. What are the similarities and differences between the United States government and the government of another country? 4. What are the distinguishing features of the United States government? 5. How does a country’s form of government influence the culture of that country? Unit 17- Voting Rights 1. 2. 3. 4. 5.
How have voting rights changed over time in the United States? Why is it important to vote? What are the benefits of having the right to vote? Who in the world is not allowed to vote? What is the impact of voting on a country?
Unit 18- Social Entrepreneurship: Global Politics 1. What is the form of government in your entrepreneurship region of study? 2. How does government influence the culture of your entrepreneurship region of study?
Global Essential Questions
3. What are the voting rights and processes in your entrepreneurship region of study? 4. How have voting rights changed over time in your entrepreneurship region of study? 5. What are the similarities and differences between the U.S. government and the governmental system of your entrepreneurship region of study?
viflearn.com facebook.com/VIFLearn @ viflearn
© 2014 The Center for International Education, Inc.
g lo b a l co n n ect i o n s
I
v i f r e s o u rc e s
Global Essential Questions
PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT & CURRICULUM
Global Essential Questions
Global Essential Questions Whether you are part of VIF’s Secondary Global Gateway program or not, this set of Global Essential Questions is a wonderful resource for any teacher interested in global teaching and learning. Essential questions point to the big ideas within a global lesson or unit of study. They are meant to engage students in ways that promote inquiry-based learning. Students use critical thinking and problemsolving skills to research, discuss, synthesize, evaluate and, finally, create a product that answers each question. Essential questions also play an important role in the assessment of student’s understanding of the main concepts of a lesson or unit. In order to promote inquiry-based learning, essential questions should: • • • •
be open-ended and thought-provoking: they should not be answerable with “yes” or “no”, and should not start with “who” or “when”, as such questions yield narrow answers. prompt answers that build on prior knowledge. open up the possibility of many interdisciplinary connections. lead to more questions.
In the context of global learning, essential questions should invite students to explore the complex relationship between world’s cultures, environments, educational structures, and eco-political systems.
Global Society Unit 1- My Culture, My Family 1. 2. 3. 4.
What are our ideas about what defines culture? What are the elements of culture and how does culture influence people? What cultures do I belong to and how do they influence me? How are my family’s traditions similar to and different than those of a family in another town, state or country? 5. How does culture influence my family and our traditions? Unit 2- The U.S. American Way 1. 2. 3. 4. 5.
What is the definition of and who is a U.S. American? How accurate are our perceptions of another culture? What are the origins of U.S. culture? What does our language tell us about our culture? How are U.S. Americans perceived globally?
Unit 3- Social Entrepreneurship: Global Society 1. 2. 3. 4. 5.
What is microfinance? What are the different needs microfinance can address? How do I get involved in microfinance? How can microfinance impact my community? How can microfinance impact a country?
Global Essential Questions
Global Geography Unit 4- Regions of the World 1. 2. 3. 4. 5.
What is geography and why is it important? What are the geographical features of a country? What are the connections between geography and culture? What are the seven continents of the world? How has the world’s geography changed over time?
Unit 5- Landforms 1. 2. 3. 4. 5.
What are different types of landforms? How do landforms impact a geographical region? What are the positive and negative results of different landforms? How does access to fresh and saltwater impact a culture? How does a country’s geographical location impact the amounts of water and food available to its population?
Unit 6- Social Entrepreneurship: Global Geography 1. What are some key characteristics of the geography of your entrepreneurship region of study? 2. How have landforms impacted the culture of your entrepreneurship region of study? 3. What are the locations and landforms of significant cultural and geographic importance in your entrepreneurship region of study? 4. What are the significant geographical features represented on a map of your entrepreneurship region of study? 5. How does your microfinance project enhance the cultural geography of your entrepreneurship region of study?
Global Environment Unit 7- Population 1. How has the world’s population increased over time? 2. As the world’s population continues to increase, how will it affect our world? How will it affect our culture? 3. How does a country’s geographic location and population impact the amount of food available to people in that country? 4. How will continued population growth in urban areas impact people living in those areas? 5. How does the rapidly aging population impact the population today? How will it impact the population of the future? Unit 8- Health 1. How is our world’s global health? 2. What major components contribute to the health of a region? 3. What are the effects of epidemics and pandemics that have occurred in the world?
Global Essential Questions
4. What are major health concerns around the world? Unit 9- Social Entrepreneurship: Global Environment 1. 2. 3. 4. 5.
What are some key characteristics of the environment of your entrepreneurship region of study? How has the population of your entrepreneurship region of study changed over time? What are the significant health issues in your entrepreneurship region of study? How has the population and health of your entrepreneurship region of study influenced its culture? How does your social entrepreneurship project enhance the health of your region of study?
Global Education Unit 10- Literacy 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6.
How are schools around the world similar and different? How do countries other than the United States view education? What are the educational opportunities for males and females in different parts of the world? How does literacy impact a person and a country? How can students prepare to become global citizens? What are some possible implications of educational institutions in the United States not emphasizing science, technology, engineering and mathematics at the same levels as other countries?
Unit 11- Access/Equity 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6.
How are access to and equity of education different in regions around the world? How has education in the United States changed over time with regard to access and equity? How do countries other than the United States view the importance of education for everyone? What are educational opportunities for males and females in different parts of the world? How can schools in the United States help provide access to education for all around the world? What are possible implications of global education not providing equal access and equity within education?
Unit 12- Social Entrepreneurship: Global Education 1. 2. 3. 4. 5.
What are some of the key educational characteristics of your entrepreneurship region of study? How has the literacy rate of your entrepreneurship region of study changed over time? What are some significant aspects of access and equity in your entrepreneurship region of study? How have access and equity in your entrepreneurship region of study influenced its culture? How does your social entrepreneurship project enhance access to education in your region of study?
Global Economy Unit 13- The Euro Zone 1. How are economies around the world similar to and different than the economy in the United States? 2. Why is it important to understand the economies of other countries and how do their economies
Global Essential Questions
affect the United States? 3. What is the euro? 4. What countries are in the euro zone? 5. What are the similarities and differences between the euro zone and other economies across the world? Unit 14- Bartering 1. 2. 3. 4. 5.
What is bartering? Why do people barter? Why is bartering important? What countries use bartering as their main form of currency? What are the similarities and differences between bartering and using a standard currency?
Unit 15- Social Entrepreneurship: Global Economy 1. How does your entrepreneurship region of study use the bartering system? 2. What is the status of the economy in your entrepreneurship region of study? 3. What are the economic similarities and differences between the United States and your entrepreneurship region of study? 4. What are the similarities and differences between the euro and the currency of your entrepreneurship region of study? 5. What are the similarities and differences between the eurozone and your entrepreneurship region of study?
Global Politics Unit 16- Forms of Government 1. What are the different forms of government? 2. What are the benefits of understanding different forms of government? 3. What are the similarities and differences between the United States government and the government of another country? 4. What are the distinguishing features of the United States government? 5. How does a country’s form of government influence the culture of that country? Unit 17- Voting Rights 1. 2. 3. 4. 5.
How have voting rights changed over time in the United States? Why is it important to vote? What are the benefits of having the right to vote? Who in the world is not allowed to vote? What is the impact of voting on a country?
Unit 18- Social Entrepreneurship: Global Politics 1. What is the form of government in your entrepreneurship region of study? 2. How does government influence the culture of your entrepreneurship region of study?
Global Essential Questions
3. What are the voting rights and processes in your entrepreneurship region of study? 4. How have voting rights changed over time in your entrepreneurship region of study? 5. What are the similarities and differences between the U.S. government and the governmental system of your entrepreneurship region of study?
viflearn.com facebook.com/VIFLearn @ viflearn
© 2014 The Center for International Education, Inc.
