An Inquiry Approach to Science

An Inquiry Approach to Science

Constructivism• Learning from one's experience and through one's

questions is based on a philosophy called "constructivism," put forth by Piaget and others.

• According to constructivism, we don't just absorb understanding, instead we build it.

• Learners need opportunities to figure out for themselves how new learning fits with old so that they can attach it to what they already know, making it part of their existing knowledge structures or “assimilating it.”

Constructivism

• When they figure out that new learning doesn't with old learning, they need to restructure their current understandings to fit with the new knowledge or to "accommodate it."

• These processes, assimilating and accommodating, are part of learners' theory building as they make sense of the world.

• Children cannot just sit like sponges and absorb information.

• They must do something with it.

• They need to be engaged in activities that help them build understanding.

• An old adage states:

"Tell me and I forget, show me and I remember, involve me and I

understand."

The last part of this statement is the essence of inquiry-based learning

What is Inquiry?What is Inquiry?

What is Teacher-Directed Instruction?

• Many times used to introduce a unit• Teacher is presenting information in a

systematic manner• Uses demonstrations, illustrations, and explains

subject matter• Asks higher order thinking questions• Watch this video

Direct Instruction Video

What did you notice the teacher doing in this

video?

How did the teacher keep students engaged during

this direct instruction lesson?

What is Inquiry?

• It’s a teaching approach used in the science classroom

• Involves students in a form of active learning that emphasizes questioning, data analysis, and critical thinking

• Includes hands-on activities• Teachers serve as facilitators

The role of the student

• To raise questions

• Pose hypothesis

• Research and Experiment

• Analyze data

• Provide explanations using their evidence

• Science teachers generally like the inquiry process because it targets the eight science process skills that all students are expected to master in science classrooms.

Science Process Skills ObserveExperimentCollaborateMeasure

Sort/Classify Compare Record Analyze & Share

Types of Inquiry?Types of Inquiry?

Types of Inquiry

• Inquiry-based instruction involves creating situations in which students take the role of scientists. These types of learning situations typically occur along a continuum.

Directed Inquiry   Guided Inquiry   Open Inquiry

Students follow precise teacher instructions to complete a hands-on activity.

←→

Students develop the procedure to investigate a teacher-selected question.

←→

Students generate questions about a teacher-selected topic and design their own investigations.

• Open Inquiry – more challenging for teacher to plan and manage with 25+ students all working on their own question to explore.

• Guided Inquiry – teacher and student work together to formulate questions and work on them together.

 • Directed Inquiry – teacher determines the question and methods

and directs the students through the process

– I do not do open inquiry in my classroom because of time constraints

in covering the State of Michigan Curriculum. I use a combination of

guided and directed inquiry

• Chart on pg. 14 in Vellom book– Shows features of classroom inquiry– The most open form of inquiry is on the left side of the

chart– The most structured form is on the right side of the

chart– Students rarely begin on the left side of the chart

• They need to begin with structure and work their way to more open inquiry

• Look at the features of the chart (far left column)• These are the elements of inquiry

– Questions– Evidence (collection of data)– Explanations (based on collected data)– Connects– Communicates (justifies explanations)

What does inquiry look

like?

What does inquiry look

like?

When students are doing inquiry based science, an observer will see that:

• Children View Themselves as Scientists in the Process of Learning

- They look forward to doing science and learning- They seek to collaborate and work cooperatively with their peers.- They are confident in doing science

• Children Accept an "Invitation to Learn" and Readily Engage in The Exploration Process.

– Children exhibit curiosity and ponder observations.

– They move around selecting and using the materials they need.

– They take the opportunity and the time to "try out" their own ideas.

• Children Plan and Carry Out Investigations

- Children design a way to try out their ideas, not expecting to be told what to do.

- They plan ways to verify, extend or discard ideas.

- They carry out investigations by: handling materials, observing, measuring, and recording data.

• Children Communicate Using a Variety of Methods - Children express ideas in a variety of ways: journals,

reporting out, drawing, graphing, charting, etc

- They listen, speak and write about science with parents, teachers and peers

- They use the language of the processes of science

- They communicate their level of understanding of concepts that they have developed to date

• Children Propose Explanations and Solutions and Build a Store of Concepts

- They use investigations to satisfy their own questions.

- They sort out information and decide what is important. - They are willing to revise explanations as they gain new knowledge.

• Children Raise Questions

- Children ask questions (verbally or through actions).- They use questions to lead them to investigations that

generate further questions or ideas.- Children value and enjoy asking questions as an important part of science.

• Children Use Observation

- Children observe, as opposed to just looking. - They see details, they detect sequences and events;

they notice change, similarities and differences, etc. - They make connections to previously held ideas.

• Children Critique Their Science Practices

- They use indicators to assess their own work - They report their strengths and weaknesses. - They reflect with their peers.

Scientific Inquiry Process

If the investigative question is not answered after gathering and analyzing data, then students must go back and clarify the question and go through the process of gathering and analyzing data again.

Inquiry …or NOT?

Inquiry …or NOT?

Inquiry…OR Not

• Inquiry based activities must start with a scientific question with students analyzing relevant data

Scenario 1

Students complete a Moon phase calendar by cutting out photographs of the Moon in different phases, mounting them on a monthly calendar on the proper date, andlabeling each of the eight major Moon phases.

After completing a pre-assessment activity on students’ knowledge of Moon phases, a student asks about the correct order of Moon phases. The teacher challenges students to determine the sequence of phases by observing the Moon and recording their observations for one month.

The teacher begins with the question “Does the Moon rise and set at the same time every night?” Following a brief discussion of the question, the teacher demonstrates the rising and setting of the Moon for several sequential evenings using a computer simulation. The teacher then facilitates a class discussion in which the class concludes that the Moon rises and sets about 50 minutes later each evening

Students complete a Moon phase calendar by cutting out photographs of the Moon in different phases, mounting them on a monthly calendar on the proper date, andlabeling each of the eight major Moon phases.

After completing a pre-assessment activity on students’ knowledge of Moon phases, a student asks about the correct order of Moon phases. The teacher challenges students to determine the sequence of phases by observing the Moon and recording their observations for one month.

The teacher begins with the question “Does the Moon rise and set at the same time every night?” Following a brief discussion of the question, the teacher demonstrates the rising and setting of the Moon for several sequential evenings using a computer simulation. The teacher then facilitates a class discussion in which the class concludes that the Moon rises and sets about 50 minutes later each evening

NO – No research question

Yes – Has a research question and involves

data analysis

Yes – Has a research question and involves

data analysis

Scenario 2

Students define and describe the El Niño effect by using text and images they find on the internet..

Students go to the library to find newspaper accounts describing the impact of El Niño on the California coast. They then summarize what they find in a two-page written report.

Students select a location in the U.S. then search the Internet for monthly temperature data of this location for the most recent El Niño year. Students then compare monthly temperature data for the El Niño year to the average temperature data for the past 50 years in order to assess the impact of El Niño on that particular location.

Scenario 2

Students define and describe the El Niño effect by using text and images they find on the internet..

Students go to the library to find newspaper accounts describing the impact of El Niño on the California coast. They then summarize what they find in a two-page written report.

Students select a location in the U.S. then search the Internet for monthly temperature data of this location for the most recent El Niño year. Students then compare monthly temperature data for the El Niño year to the average temperature data for the past 50 years in order to assess the impact of El Niño on that particular location.

Yes – Has a research question and involves

data analysisNO – No research

questionNO – No research

question

References

• The Keys to Inquiry located at http://hea-www.harvard.edu/ECT/Inquiry/inquiry1.html

• Teaching Today located at http://www.glencoe.com/sec/teachingtoday/subject/using_inquiry_sci.phtml

• Simplifying Inquiry Instruction located at http://education.ufl.edu/Faculty/tsadler/EDG4930-2008/Bell-InquiryArticle.pdf