What Would Happen If...?

Purpose

"What Would Happen If...?" is a hypothetical thinking strategy that encourages students to explore cause-and-effect relationships, make predictions, and consider consequences. By posing speculative questions, students engage in creative and critical thinking as they imagine alternative scenarios and outcomes. This strategy develops reasoning skills, deepens understanding of concepts, and helps students apply knowledge to novel situations. It's particularly effective for science, social studies, literature, and math, where exploring possibilities strengthens conceptual understanding.

Materials

  • Carefully crafted "What would happen if...?" questions related to your content area

  • Anchor chart or whiteboard for recording predictions and reasoning

  • Optional: Graphic organizer for cause-and-effect chains

  • Optional: Sentence stems for supporting predictions with reasoning

  • Optional: Related texts, videos, or resources for students to test their hypotheses

Instructions

  1. Present the scenario: Pose a "What would happen if...?" question that changes one variable or condition from what students have been learning. Make it thought-provoking but connected to content.

  2. Individual think time: Give students quiet time to consider the question independently. They should think through the immediate and long-term consequences.

  3. Record predictions: Have students write or draw their predictions, including their reasoning for why they think this outcome would occur.

  4. Partner or small group sharing: Students share their predictions with peers, explaining their reasoning and listening to alternative possibilities.

  5. Whole class discussion: Facilitate a discussion where students share various predictions. Record different possibilities and the reasoning behind them.

  6. Explore evidence: Guide students to support their predictions with evidence from what they've learned, connecting the hypothetical to real concepts.

  7. Test when possible: If the scenario can be tested (especially in science or math), conduct an experiment or investigation to see what actually happens.

  8. Reflect and revise: Have students reflect on how accurate their predictions were and what they learned about the concept through this exploration.

Classroom Management

Choose hypothetical scenarios that are engaging but not so far-fetched that students can't apply their learning. Establish that all reasonable predictions are valid as long as students can explain their thinking—this isn't about one right answer but about reasoning through possibilities. If students struggle to generate ideas, provide sentence stems like "If [change] happened, then [consequence] because..." or "This would affect [element] by causing..." Model the thinking process with a simple example before tackling more complex scenarios. Keep discussions focused by reminding students to ground their predictions in what they know about the topic. For younger students, use concrete scenarios they can visualize; for older students, introduce more abstract or complex variables. Time individual thinking before group sharing to ensure all students develop their own ideas first.

Differentiation

  • For struggling students: Provide simpler scenarios with fewer variables, offer partially completed cause-and-effect chains to complete, use visual supports or concrete examples, or allow drawing their predictions before writing.

  • For English language learners: Pre-teach conditional language ("if...then"), provide sentence frames, allow use of home language to develop ideas, use visual representations of scenarios, or pair with supportive peers.

  • For advanced students: Present scenarios with multiple variables changing simultaneously, ask them to consider second and third-order effects, have them generate their own "What if" questions, or challenge them to identify which predictions could be tested and how.

  • For students who struggle with abstract thinking: Start with concrete, observable scenarios before moving to abstract ones, use manipulatives or models to represent the situation, or connect to personal experiences.

  • For students with limited background knowledge: Provide a brief review of key concepts before presenting the hypothetical, or start with scenarios that require less prior knowledge.

Extension

  • Chain of consequences: Have students map out a sequence of effects, exploring how one change creates multiple ripple effects over time.

  • Compare scenarios: Present multiple "What if" questions and have students compare which would have the greatest impact and why.

  • Historical speculation: In social studies, explore alternative history scenarios—"What if this event had turned out differently?"

  • Scientific testing: When possible, design experiments to test predictions, then compare results to hypotheses.

  • Literary application: In reading, ask "What if this character had made a different choice?" to explore character motivation and plot development.

  • Mathematical modeling: Use "What if" questions to explore how changing variables affects outcomes in math problems or real-world situations.

  • Creative writing: Have students write stories or scenarios based on their "What if" explorations.

  • Debate format: Have students defend different predicted outcomes, arguing for which is most likely and why.

  • Student-generated questions: Challenge students to create their own "What would happen if...?" questions for peers to explore, building their ability to identify key variables in content.

  • Real-world connections: Connect hypothetical scenarios to current events or real-world issues, helping students see the relevance of their learning.