Inquiry using Project Based Learning

This article outlines an innovative program designed by curriculum consultants and teachers to engage students in meaningful inquiry about environmental issues in their community. It is vert... See More

This article outlines an innovative program designed by curriculum consultants and teachers to engage students in meaningful inquiry about environmental issues in their community. It is vertically aligned and progresses during 6-8th grades. It is an amazing program and its description, while focused on the environments the teachers have access to, is adaptable for other teachers and their local environments with some research and work. However, as the authors mention, to coordinate the efforts involved required a team consisting of the teachers, curriculum consultants, and well developed connections with both the school and local community. I love these units, but I worry that not every school district can locate or afford the assistance of outside educational developers. Still, the units described combine instructional methods to enable students to identify issues that interest them and to use research and imagination to suggest solutions and that process allows students to work