The task of answering “How” questions is often difficult for students. Students who have language delays, autism, or are second languages learners often have trouble answering with the correct information. The answers are often not as predictable as other question forms.
“How” questions are especially important in upper elementary grade levels and beyond. Many programs are science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) oriented. Students are required to integrate their knowledge and figure out how it all works together. It requires a higher level of thinking and language skills to figure out what information is being asked for to answer a question. Students often need the ability to problem solve or take on another perspective to answer a question correctly.
In case you haven’t recently thought about the variety of “How” questions we use in our daily lives, following is a refresher list of examples and the types of expected answers.
- How questions that ask for amount: How much is it? It is one dollar
- How questions that ask for a quality: How does it taste? It tastes sour.
- How questions that ask about a condition: How cold is it? Very cold
- How questions that require a procedural answer. How do you get toothpaste from a tube? You take the cover off and squeeze the tube.
I created a set of task cards to work specifically on comprehending and answering “How” questions. They were created to help students become aware of the different varieties of “How” questions they may encounter and what information they need to answer them. I am providing a free preview that you may print out and make two sided task cards to try with your students. If they work for you, I have the full set of 22 cards on Teachers Pay Teachers which you can purchase.
How #1 
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The TPT set is available for printing out or can be used with TPT Easel. With the TPT tool you can place text boxes over the answers. Students can use a variety of writing tools to complete an assigned assignment before submitting it back to a teacher. This creates a digital assignment. Good luck to all as we return to in school classrooms.
