Which question is likely to encourage divergent thinking in students?

Encouraging divergent thinking involves prompting students to generate a wide variety of ideas or solutions rather than converging on a single correct answer. The question that effectively fosters this type of thinking seeks to explore possibilities and stimulate creativity.

The selected question about making predictions about the upcoming winter on the East Coast of the United States is open-ended and allows students to think beyond established facts. It invites them to consider various scenarios, factors that could influence winter weather, and their potential outcomes. This kind of inquiry encourages students to engage in brainstorming, imagination, and speculation, which are hallmarks of divergent thinking.

On the other hand, questions focused on gathering specific information, such as the duration of hurricane season or the amount of rainfall last summer, tend to yield straightforward, factual responses that do not promote creative thought. These questions lead students toward converging on a single, correct answer rather than exploring multiple possibilities. Thus, the question about predictions stands out as a strong prompt for divergent thinking.