Recently, kindergarteners have been learning how to ask questions about stories. This skill helps them better understand what they are reading and distinguish between statements and questions. By asking questions, they can discover more about the characters, events, and settings in the story. We use our hands and fingers to represent each question word. Some of the question words that kindergarteners have been using include:

What: What happened in the story? What did the characters do? Asking “What” helps us know the main events

Who: Who are the characters? Who did something exciting in the story? “Who” helps us learn about the people or animals in the story

Where: Where did the story take place? Where are the characters going? “Where” helps us discover the setting of the story

When: When did the story happen? Is it morning, afternoon, or night? “When” tells us the time of the story

Why: Why did the character do that? Why did something happen? “Why” helps us understand the reasons behind emotions or actions

How: How did the character solve a problem? How did the story end? “How” helps us understand the steps or actions that happened

Asking questions makes reading stories more exciting and enhances students’ learning! The next time you read a story with your child, consider asking these types of questions or beginning with the following phrases to discover even more together!