Good inquiry beginnings

I think worms, in general, make great live inquiry subjects. This article hints at some of the options that might be considered. I would have liked more suggestions concerning how we get our... See More

I think worms, in general, make great live inquiry subjects. This article hints at some of the options that might be considered. I would have liked more suggestions concerning how we get our students to design the experimental process. Perhaps it is because of the abbreviated format, but there seemed to be material that did not seem important, like self-selecting into groups, while some of the more significant issues like design were largely ignored. Otherwise, it is a good start; it really needs more development.

Needs More Structure

This short article outlines a brief inquiry project using students’ own question about earthworms. The students do some background research on worms, develop testable questions, design their... See More

This short article outlines a brief inquiry project using students’ own question about earthworms. The students do some background research on worms, develop testable questions, design their investigations, and write and present their results. While that is a time-test strategy, the article seems to treat it rather cavalierly; it is not as easy as it seems! Inquiry projects take a very long time, and lots of investment by the students. The outline of the idea is terrific, which is why I began to read it to begin with, but the article needs to flesh it out with more details and structure to make this completely useful to teachers. I’m also a little worried by the fact that the worms are expected to either die (naturally?) or be let loose on school grounds, after having been bought from a bait shop. Can worms be transferred from ecosystem to ecosystem anywhere?