Inquiring in and out of the classroom.

Reading the inquiry process that Harris took the class was more than just 'reading' about what inquiry is. The students used all and every available resources they had available to them, eve... See More

Reading the inquiry process that Harris took the class was more than just 'reading' about what inquiry is. The students used all and every available resources they had available to them, even their basic senses. Harris shows that inquiry can take place anywhere they go and demonstrates this with his class by having them follow ta scientific approach to infer their inquiries. Students question their findings and then create an explanation of their findings for future use (in the article's case a project). The students then post their data on a graphic organizer and then share the information with the rest of the class, justifying their findings to their peers. Overall, the method used in the article is a positive way to have students interact in the classroom.

Developing Features of Inquiry Made Easier

I found the complete details of lesson plans so helpful. This is a lengthy classroom activity, but if done correctly, it can be very beneficial to your students. The article begins by explai... See More

I found the complete details of lesson plans so helpful. This is a lengthy classroom activity, but if done correctly, it can be very beneficial to your students. The article begins by explaining how versatile the lesson can be. If you do not live near a beach; it will not be a problem implementing this wonderful experiment. I also liked how the article gives an example of an experiment that serves the community. The article also explains how to practice with the students beforehand. It also clearly explains how to complete each step of inquiry. It was also nice that the worksheet and quiz examples were given. The figures were also helpful in providing the types of questions to ask your students. The value of group work was present in the article. The article also offers the idea to ask for parent volunteers and gives advice on the procedures for taking students on a field assignment. The author also provides more than one option for some of the activities. This article will be extremely insightful for teachers who have never completed a science experiment with a class.

Inquiry in the Classroom

The article highlights the process in which students conduct inquiries and investigation. The process is well organized in various focuses to enable any teacher/instructor to use the lessons... See More

The article highlights the process in which students conduct inquiries and investigation. The process is well organized in various focuses to enable any teacher/instructor to use the lessons in their classroom. The article also does a great explanation of students involvement both in the classroom and outdoors while utilizing the the scientific approach to inquiry through observations and evaluation of data. Lastly, throughout the focuses, student involvement is key.

How to Inquire About Anything

Through the years, the authors have used a variety of environments to anchor their inquiry activities (greenhouse setting, forest or marsh ecosystem, the school yard, etc.). No matter where... See More

Through the years, the authors have used a variety of environments to anchor their inquiry activities (greenhouse setting, forest or marsh ecosystem, the school yard, etc.). No matter where students conduct their fieldwork, the basic inquiry process remains the same. First students are given time to observe and wonder. They write in their journals using observation prompts like I see, I hear, I smell, etc. Next students reread their observations and write them into questions. One group’s example had to do with an interest in identifying the kinds of birds they noticed at the beach. After the investigative questions have been determined, students conduct research. Using the bird example, students discovered that the Audubon Society keeps records of bird sightings of their area, and the group was able to use that data to identify 10 birds that were permanent shore birds at their beach. The next step is to design an experiment that will answer an inquiry question and that includes a testable hypothesis. The bird group went back to the beach to count the actual numbers and types of birds. They wondered if their observations would mirror the Audubon Society’s data. After collecting their evidence, they returned to the classroom to formulate explanations from their evidence. A “Making Sense of Evidence” graphic organizer is provided; students connect their explanations to scientific knowledge, and the graphic organizers are handed in for grading. The final activity involves student groups communicating and justifying their results/explanations. The article provides clear instructions to simplify the inquiry process and a poster where students can check their levels of engagement by the types of learner behaviors they are exhibiting. Students can then transfer the process to other inquiry lessons during the school year. This was a helpful article to show how to introduce middle school students to inquiry investigations.

A nice process

The article outlines a process for students to engage in while working on an outdoor project. The process is detailed and with many scaffolds to insure all students are engaged and successful.

Appropriate for a Long Tern Investigation

The learning progression described in this article would take place over a long period of time in a classroom. Although the article states that it could take as long or short as the teacher... See More

The learning progression described in this article would take place over a long period of time in a classroom. Although the article states that it could take as long or short as the teacher needed it to, I see the concepts being described in this article as needing lots of processing time for students and lots of repetition with key ideas.