Passion to Purpose Lesson Plan
Finding the Problem in Your Passion
Lesson Plan • 6th Grade Inquiry
30 Minutes
Objective
Students will be able to identify a problem related to their chosen interest and formulate an open-ended research question to guide their inquiry.
Why This Matters
"This lesson helps students see the relevance of their passions to real-world issues, empowering them to become active problem-solvers and critical thinkers. It's the first step in a meaningful research journey!"
Preparation
- Review slides & worksheet
- Set up projector/whiteboard
- Print Question Formulation Worksheets (1/student)
- Print Exit Tickets (1/student)
Materials
- • Crafting Questions Slide Deck
- • Question Formulation Worksheet
- • Research Question Exit Ticket
Instructional Steps
05 min
Review & Connect
- Ask students to share one thing they are passionate about (e.g., gaming, animals, art, sports).
- Display Slide 1: What Are You Passionate About?
- Explain that passions aren't just for fun; they are starting points for discovery.
- Goal: Turn passions into powerful questions.
10 min
Model & Define
- Display Slide 2: Passion to Problem. Model animal passion → animal homelessness problem.
- Display Slides 3-4. Define characteristics of a good research question (Clear, Focused, Researchable, Open-Ended).
- Differentiate between closed (Yes/No) and open (Exploration) questions.
- Display Slide 5. Walk through crafting the animal homelessness question.
10 min
Draft & Revise
- Distribute the Question Formulation Worksheet.
- Students identify one passion and brainstorm related real-world problems.
- Guide students in drafting their own open-ended research question.
- Teacher Action: Circulate and give feedback on the "open-endedness" of questions.
05 min
Peer Feedback & Finalize
- Brief peer share: "Is it open-ended? Is it clear? Is it related to a problem?"
- Students finalize their question and transfer it to the Exit Ticket.
- Collect Exit Tickets as a formative assessment of understanding.
Grade 6 • Inquiry & Research © 2026 Passion to Purpose Lesson Series
Crafting Questions Slide Deck
What Are You Passionate About?
Think about something you love, something that makes you curious, or something you enjoy doing.
Share one passion with your partner!
Hobbies
Gaming, coding, art
Interests
Space, history, tech
Nature
Animals, oceans
Skills
Cooking, sports
From Passion Problem
Your passion can lead to discovering important problems in the world!
🐾
Passion
Animals
!
Problem
Animal Homelessness
How can we use our love for animals to help solve this problem?
The "Search" Map
A good research question is like a map for your investigation. It helps you explore a topic deeply.
Key Goal
Move past "I think..." to "I discovered that..."
01
Clear Easy to understand.
02
Focused Not too broad or narrow.
03
Researchable You can find info about it.
04
Open-Ended Beyond "Yes" or "No".
Good vs. Weak Questions
Weak
CLOSED-ENDED
"Do dogs make good pets?"
(Answered with a simple Yes/No)
TOO BROAD
"Why is the ocean important?"
(Like researching everything at once!)
Strong
OPEN-ENDED
"What factors contribute to the bond between humans and pet dogs?"
(Requires exploration and details!)
FOCUSED & SPECIFIC
"How does plastic pollution in the Pacific affect local bird populations?"
The Question Journey
How to build a powerful research question step-by-step.
PASSION
Animals
PROBLEM
Many animals in our community don't have homes.
Question
TOO SIMPLE
"Is animal homelessness bad?"
Open-Ended
Strong Final Version:
"What are the most effective strategies for reducing animal homelessness in our community?"
Question Formulation Worksheet
Question Formulation Worksheet
Turn Your Passion into a Powerful Purpose
Student Name
Date
1
My Passion
What is one thing you are passionate about, curious about, or love to do? (e.g., gaming, cooking, art, sports)
2
The Real-World Problem
Think about your passion. Are there any challenges or issues connected to it in the real world? Describe it below.
Example: My passion is animals. A problem is that many animals don't have homes and are in shelters.
3
Brainstorming Questions
Write down three open-ended questions you could ask about the problem you identified.
Question 1
Question 2
Question 3
My Strongest Research Question
Choose your best question from above or combine ideas into one powerful inquiry.
Self-Check: Is it Ready?
Is my question clear?
YES NO
Is it focused (not too broad)?
YES NO
Can I find info to answer it?
YES NO
Is it open-ended (not Yes/No)?
YES NO
