Forums

I am a preservice teacher planning a two week unit on weather. I have the unit just about mapped out completely. Our professor assigned to us a reading on open or full inquiry lessons where you begin with a student's question. How does one plan for that type of lesson? For example, my two week unit consists of the students evaluating and recording the weather using homemade weather instruments to see if the groundhog's prediction about spring is true. I can't plan it, if I don't know what, if any questions, my students may want to research. I understand the importance of students coming up with their own questions to research but am having a hard time seeing how to incorporate the idea for a first grade classroom.

Hi Cynthia!
Tina had lots of great suggestions. I would like to add to her ideas. There are a couple of lesson plans written up in the NSTA science journals that might help you see the differences between open inquiry and more structured lesson plans. Here they are: A Template for Open Inquiry
and
Folding Inquiry Into Cookbook Lab Activities
You can find similar lesson plans on open inquiry by doing an advance search using the keyword 'open inquiry.
I hope this helps, too.
Carolyn

Tina and Carolyn Thank you for the suggestions! I will look into all of them. Appreciate the guidance. Cindy

Open inquiry really works given that administrators who walk in know whats up and that students can think independently as this requires some previous exposure. Otherwise, good luck covering the standards in time for an EOCT.

I would suggest you check out the Buck Institute for some great free resources. Also- if you have access to the WeatherBug network, you can use the Achieve collection to help you :-) Good luck!