May Question of the Day Ideas for 1st to 3rd Grade
By May, spring fever has arrived. The weather is warm, the end of the year is close, and attention spans feel shorter every day.
A May question of the day gives students something to wonder about that still keeps them reading and writing. Some of this month's questions can even be tested in the classroom. Here are my favorites, plus a 5-day plan.
New to question of the day? Try four quesitons free, with booklet pages for recording answers. Get the free sample.
What Are Good Inquiry Questions for May?
Good May questions connect to spring animals, growing plants, and simple science students can try. Questions that start a debate work well when energy is high.
Here are some questions from my May set.
Animals
Are zebras black with white stripes or white with black stripes?
Why do octopuses have 8 arms?
Are frogs and toads the same?
Why are some animals nocturnal?
Science you can test
Why do ice cubes float?
How do mirrors work?
What causes the wind to blow?
How do plants eat?
Surprising questions
What was the first food eaten in space?
What is a fear of peanut butter called?
How old is the oldest clam?
Why do roosters crow?
How Can You Connect These Questions to May?
Use the frog question during a life cycle unit, the plant question while your class garden grows, and the wind question on a breezy day.
If your class is watching tadpoles grow, ask "Are frogs and toads the same?"
Ask "How do plants eat?" while students care for classroom plants.
On a windy day, ask "What causes the wind to blow?" and then step outside to feel it.
Use the zebra question as a class debate. Students pick a side and find a fact to support it.
A 5-Day Plan for May
Mix animal questions with one question students can test. Start as a class, then let students work with partners and on their own.
Monday: Are zebras black with white stripes or white with black stripes? Research it together as a class.
Tuesday: Are frogs and toads the same? Students work with a partner.
Wednesday: How do plants eat? Students work with a partner again.
Thursday: Why do ice cubes float? Students research on their own, then drop an ice cube in a cup of water to see it for themselves.
Friday: What was the first food eaten in space? Students research on their own, then share with the class.
Teacher Tip for May
When a question can be tested, let students research first and test second. They make a prediction from what they read, then check it. This connects reading to real science and keeps busy spring minds focused.
For the full routine, read How to Use a Question of the Day to Build Research Skills.
Where Can You Get All 25 May Question of the Day Questions?
My May set has 25 inquiry questions, one for each school day of the month. It comes in four formats: question cards, questions on rings, cut and paste, and no prep booklets. Booklet covers come in color and black and white, with regular lines and primary lines.
Not sure which format fits your class? Read Which Question of the Day Format Is Right for Your Class?
Planning ahead? Here are my June inquiry questions.
Try four questions free. Get a free question of the day sample in all four formats, ready to print.
