Elementary Express: What are the 5 W's?

Students will learn and practice asking strong questions using the 5 W’s: Who, What, Where, When, and Why.

This lesson is part of SRL's Elementary Express Toolkit, introducing students Grades 3-6 to key media literacy and journalism concepts. Each lesson is designed to facilitate classroom engagement and discussion that encourage critical thinking, media literacy, and civic connections. You can find more here:

• Elementary Express: Fact vs. Opinion
• Elementary Express: Primary vs. Secondary Sources
• Full Elementary Express Toolkit

• What are ways we can ask questions?
• How do we ask better questions to learn more?

• This lesson will help students understand how to frame their questions with the 5 W’s.

Use this lesson during language and literacy units. This lesson can be paired with an existing curriculum for English.

• During a media literacy, writing, or social studies unit
• Before launching a research project or interview-based activity
• As a warm-up for student journalism or storytelling work

Students learn how to ask questions to gather information for accuracy. Students will practice gathering reliable, accurate information by asking strong, purposeful questions, just like journalists do.

Empowers students to be curious, informed citizens who ask critical questions and seek multiple perspectives.

Open the lesson with a class discussion on the importance of asking questions.

Create a thought bubble chart to write down class ideas. Together, discuss why we ask questions, and what words you use to frame them. If students are stuck, show examples on the board of questions that they use in the classroom.

Ex. “What time is recess today?”

1. Without realizing it, students use the 5 W’s all the time to ask questions. Show students The 5 W’s definition worksheet.
2. As a class, go through each of the 5 W’s, share the definitions and examples in the worksheet. Emphasize the examples, and ask students to point out the parts of the sentences that correlate with one of the W’s.
3. Pass out a red, orange, yellow, green, and blue writing utensil to students or colors 5 distinct colors that are available in the classroom.
4. As a class, complete the first sentence together as an example. Show the process of initially reading out the question then breaking each section down highlighting each question type.
5. Allow students to work together in groups to read through each sentence and highlight which phrase corresponds to which type of question.
6. Optional: Give students time to create their own sentences, on the back of the worksheet, and see if they can include all the 5 W’s. Allow students to use the definition sheet as a guide to complete this activity.

1. Share an interview to show students how the 5 W’s work in action in a real life interview. For example, you can share, Honoring Texan Barbecue Tradition from SRL. Pause when an example of each of the 5 W’s are mentioned. Ask students if they were able to catch any of the 5 W’s in action.
   1. Tip: If students are having trouble catching one of the 5 W’s slow down the video speed to make it easier to catch.
2. Provide each student a copy of the 5 W’s interview questions for this interview activity. Before starting the activity, lead a demonstration to practice interviewing etiquette. Walk through the first two questions on the interview sheet to model how to complete the interview. Model behaviors such as, listening, giving eye contact, and showing respect to one another.
3. Pair students up with one another to set up this activity. The interview questions are geared towards interviewing a student about their favorite story. However, attached is also a blank template.
4. Encourage students to follow the interview model while they interview their peers. Set a timer for 10 minutes, to give each interviewer time to ask their questions and record their responses. Repeat this process for the next interview.
5. Optional: Set out time over the course of the week to allow students to present their findings about their interviewee to the class.

1. This is an optional class activity to include as students continue to develop their understanding of the 5 W’s.
2. After reading a book of choice with the class, introduce the comic strip activity to assess students' understanding of the course reading and the 5 W’s.
3. Instruct students to plan out each section of their comic strip before completing it. Students will pinpoint each of the 5 W’s of the story in their notebook or on a piece of paper.
4. Check over student work before moving forward.
5. Give students 15-20 minutes to draw and write out their comic strip. There are five cells in the comic strip to accommodate for each of the 5 W’s.
6. Optional: Allow students to share their work with their peers and discuss their decision making with one another.

• Question Jar: Keep a jar in the room where students drop “W” questions throughout the week
• Mystery Guest Interview: Invite a staff member or surprise visitor for students to interview using 5 W’s
• Photo Prompt: Show a funny or intriguing photo and have students write one question for each W about it

As a class, reflect on the importance of setting up questions to get your desired information.

Prompt: What do strong questions help us do?

Discuss how curiosity helps us learn, connect, and even spark change.

Using a piece of paper, ask students to write down:

• Three things they learned
• Two questions they still have (bonus points if they use the 5 W’s!)
• One thing they would like to learn more about.

This resource is part of the Elementary Express Toolkit geared toward Grades 3-6.