Classroom Set of 21 Literary Text Question Rings

Literary Text Question Rings provide questions that enable students to engage in all genres of fiction at deeper levels. Aligned carefully to standards of the National Council of Teachers of English, the questions and thought processes inspired by the Question Rings are typical of those found on state assessments. Each ring is divided into four fluorescent color categories: pink for setting, yellow for author’s craft, green for story structure, and orange for characterization. Each card on a Question Ring is laminated and positioned on a 2 inch book ring. Students of all ages love the bright colors and the presentation of one question at a time.

Students can answer multiple questions in a single color, for example looking deeply at story structure, or answer one question of each color, sampling all elements of a story. Questions encourage self-to-text, text-to-text, and world-to-text connections, and other higher order thinking typical of expectations on state tests.

Question Rings are used in independent reading, guided reading groups, literature circles, and during whole-group instruction. Question Rings can help with teacher planning in grades K-12 and work best in students' hands beginning in Grade 2. They provide a powerful parent engagement tool, helping parents to ask the kinds of questions that really help students to learn. A single ring can benefit a teacher in planning, but a classroom set ensures that all students are actively engaged in the kinds of thinking essential to comprehension.