These are some general questions you can use with kids when you are
discussing what you have read together. If you tend to ask the same kinds
of things find a few new ideas to try! The questions are divided into
fiction and non-fiction types of questions. Ask your child to show you what
is in the written text that tells them that is the answer. That rereading
will be very important when they are working on their own to answer
questions on a test or independent assignment.
Fiction
Before reading (predictions):
Tell me what you think this book will be about.
What has happened in the story so far?
While you read (check understanding):
What does it mean when the author says ____ ?
What do you think _(word)_ means? How do you know?
What is _(character)_’s main problem?
How do you think it will be solved?
How would you describe _(character)_?
Where does this story take place?
Is this a story that could really happen?
How does _(character)_ feel?
What would you do if you were _(character)_?
How is the author helping you get a good picture in your mind?
After you read:
Tell me in one sentence what this story is about.
How was _(character)_’s problem solved?
How did _(character)_ change during this story?
What surprised you in this book?
What can you learn from this story?
What would you change if you had written it?
What do you think will happen next?
Non-fiction
Before reading (predictions and prior knowledge):
What do you think we’ll read about in this book?
What do you already know about _(topic) ?
What do you see in the pictures or maps?
While you read (check for understanding):
What do you think (word) means? How do you know?
What are some examples of (word or topic) ?
What are some effects of (word or topic) ?
What is a cause of (word or topic) ?
How are _(topic) and _(topic) different?
How are _(topic) and _(topic) alike?
How has the author organized this so it’s easy to understand?
After you read:
What were the most important details? Why?
Tell me in one sentence what this was all about.
What is something new you learned?
What else do you want to know about _(topic) ?
What connections can you make between this reading and what you already know?
Why would people in the real world need to know about this topic?
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