“Oh, this is going to be easy!” I told myself when is was time to choose my main inquiry question. Boy, was I wrong! After sitting and thinking, and sitting and thinking, and sitting and thinking, I came up with an idea. I don’t remember it exactly, but let me tell you, not one of my best moments. I asked my friends what they thought, and because they hadn’t come up with a good inquiry question yet either, of course they liked it. When Mrs. Edwards asked if anyone had come up a thought for their main inquiry question, I told everyone my idea. That was when I got my first dose of setback. So we all went off on our own-or with a partner-to come up with our own inquiry question. I thought, I thought, and I thought some more. What do I really want to know about the Soviet Union? I asked myself. I brought my second question to Mrs. Edwards, and she told me that it was two questions in one. So I was back at the drawing board. Finally after an exhausting 1 minute, I had tweaked it. I thought it was pretty good. But I guess not. I should really claim that drawing board, because I sure spent a lot of time at it! I met with Mrs. Edwards, having a better question. She helped me revise it. So, my question was “How did the political climate of the Soviet Union during the Cold War affect the culture and economics of their citizens?” I liked it. Mrs. Sorensen and Mrs. Edwards did too! I thought I had my question! Until I went home…
When I showed it to my mom, she thought it was to broad and complicated for a 11 year old. The next day, I showed it to Mrs. Hicks, and she agreed my mom. Like Mrs. Boyer, she said that there could college study on my question. Again, back to the same old drawing board. Mrs. Edwards and I sat down and discussed my question. I now have a question that everybody likes and thinks is appropriate for my age! It is,“What was it like to be a Soviet Union citizen after WWII and before the fall dissolution of the Soviet Union?” I’m very proud of my question.
Then, it was time to think of my sub questions. “Oh, no.” I thought. “Here we go again!!!” But it was much easier than I had expected. I tweaked my sub questions according to how I tweaked my main inquiry question.
My sub questions:
- What world events were influencing daily life at this time?
- Which countries made up the Soviet Union?
- What was the political climate in the Soviet Union during this time as compared to now?
- How did American and Russian perspectives on communism differ during the post war period?***
- What were the economics like during this time?
- How did the view of Soviet citizens about the Soviet Union change after WWII?
I’m very happy with my main inquiry and sub questions, and think my capstone is off to a great start!
***Sub question #4 was changed. It was a question that I couldn’t find out online, I would have to interview a bunch of people. And, it didn’t help me answer my main inquiry question. I changed it to, “How did the lives of American and Russian citizens differ?” I feel this will help me answer my main inquiry question more than the other one would have.
I have to admit that helping you come up with a main inquiry question has been very challenging. When I helped you come up with your first main inquiry question, I went home with some serious doubts. I thought, “This question is too hard!” Then, I woke up in the middle of the night thinking, “Her question is too hard!” and vowed to meet with you again. We revised your question and when I went home, I thought, “Didn’t she first talk about why people were emigrating from the Soviet Union during the sixties? Have I, in the process of meeting to discuss what she wants to study somehow steered her away from her initial research goals?” I wrote home and asked your mom, who is from the Soviet Union, to provide me with insight. Had you talked to her about what you wanted to research. Were you being true to yourself with the current question? She didn’t know much more than I did! So I encouraged you to consult others and you and I met. And you met with others. And we both met with others. And we met again. And again until… you were satisfied with your main inquiry question! Hooray!