Teacher Resource

DO Show and Tell Prompt Templates

Ready-to-Use by Subject

For teachers: These templates give you ready-to-use oral assessment prompts organized by subject and Bloom's level. Customize them for your specific content. Each prompt includes the artifact students should upload and sample follow-up questions.
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English Language Arts (ELA)

Reading Response
Grades 3-5 Levels 2-3
Artifact Required
Written or drawn response to a reading passage
Oral Prompt
"Explain the main idea of the story you read. What's the most important thing the author wanted you to understand?"
Follow-up Questions
  • "What details from the text support this main idea?"
  • "Why do you think the author wrote this story?"
  • "How would the story be different if _____ had happened instead?"
Character Analysis
Grades 4-8 Level 4
Artifact Required
Character trait graphic organizer or written notes
Oral Prompt
"Choose one character from the book. Describe two of their key traits and explain how these traits affect their actions in the story."
Follow-up Questions
  • "Can you point to a specific scene where this trait is shown?"
  • "How might the story have changed if this character had the opposite trait?"
  • "Which character in the book changed the most? Why?"
Argumentative Writing Defense
Grades 6-8 Levels 5-6
Artifact Required
Completed argumentative essay or outline
Oral Prompt
"Summarize your main argument. What is your claim, and what's your strongest piece of evidence?"
Follow-up Questions
  • "What's the best counterargument? How would you respond?"
  • "Why did you choose this evidence over other options?"
  • "If you had to convince someone who disagreed, what would you say first?"
🔢

Mathematics

Problem-Solving Strategy
Grades 3-5 Levels 2-3
Artifact Required
Handwritten math work showing problem and solution
Oral Prompt
"Look at your work. Explain step-by-step how you solved this problem."
Follow-up Questions
  • "Why did you start with that first step?"
  • "Is there another way you could have solved this?"
  • "Where did you use math facts you already knew?"
Error Analysis
Grades 4-8 Level 4
Artifact Required
Worked problem with an intentional error (provided by teacher) and student correction
Oral Prompt
"Look at the mistake in this problem. Explain what went wrong and how you fixed it."
Follow-up Questions
  • "How did you know something was wrong?"
  • "Why might someone make this mistake?"
  • "What would you tell a classmate to help them avoid this error?"
Multi-Step Problem Defense
Grades 5-8 Levels 5-6
Artifact Required
Complex word problem with full work shown
Oral Prompt
"Walk me through your solution. Focus on WHY you chose each step, not just what you did."
Follow-up Questions
  • "What would happen if this number changed to _____?"
  • "Which step was the trickiest? Why?"
  • "How did you check that your answer makes sense?"
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Science

Lab Observation
Grades 3-5 Levels 2-3
Artifact Required
Lab worksheet or observation notes/drawings
Oral Prompt
"Describe what you observed during the experiment. What happened and why do you think it happened?"
Follow-up Questions
  • "What did you notice that surprised you?"
  • "What would happen if we changed _____?"
  • "How does this connect to what we learned in class?"
Data Analysis
Grades 5-8 Level 4
Artifact Required
Data table, graph, or chart from lab work
Oral Prompt
"Look at your data. What patterns do you notice? Explain what the data tells us about our question."
Follow-up Questions
  • "Is there any data that doesn't fit the pattern? Why might that be?"
  • "What's the most important piece of evidence in your data?"
  • "What would you predict if we ran the experiment again with _____?"
Phenomenon Explanation
Grades 5-8 Levels 5-6
Artifact Required
Diagram or model explaining a scientific phenomenon
Oral Prompt
"Explain how [phenomenon] works using your model. Describe what's happening at each stage."
Follow-up Questions
  • "What would happen if _____ was removed from this system?"
  • "How is this similar to another phenomenon we've studied?"
  • "What's the most important part of this process? Why?"
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Social Studies

Primary Source Analysis
Grades 4-8 Levels 3-4
Artifact Required
Annotated primary source document or SOAP analysis
Oral Prompt
"Look at the primary source you analyzed. Who created this, why, and what does it tell us about this time period?"
Follow-up Questions
  • "What perspective is missing from this source?"
  • "How might someone from a different background interpret this differently?"
  • "Is this source reliable? Why or why not?"
Compare & Contrast
Grades 4-8 Level 4
Artifact Required
Venn diagram or comparison chart
Oral Prompt
"Compare [Topic A] and [Topic B]. What's the most important similarity? What's the most important difference?"
Follow-up Questions
  • "Why do you think this difference existed?"
  • "How did this similarity/difference affect what happened next?"
  • "Which one would you rather experience? Why?"
Historical Argument
Grades 6-8 Levels 5-6
Artifact Required
Thesis statement with supporting evidence notes
Oral Prompt
"State your historical claim and defend it with at least two pieces of evidence."
Follow-up Questions
  • "A historian disagrees and says _____. How would you respond?"
  • "Which piece of evidence is strongest? Why?"
  • "What additional evidence would make your argument better?"

📝 Template for Creating Your Own Prompts

Element Your Prompt
Subject/Topic
Grade Level
Bloom's Level
Artifact Required
Oral Prompt
Follow-up Question 1
Follow-up Question 2
Follow-up Question 3

💡 Prompt Design Tips

  1. Keep prompts focused. One clear question, not multi-part.
  2. Require artifact reference. Students should look at and mention their work.
  3. Use open-ended language. "Explain how..." not "What is the answer to..."
  4. Plan 2-3 follow-ups. These reveal depth.
  5. Match Bloom's level. Don't ask Level 5 questions in Week 1.

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