Teaching Science to Every Child: Using Culture as a Starting Point ©Routledge/Taylor & Francis 2012 Chapter 11 From Activity to Inquiry ©Routledge/Taylor & Francis 2012

Chapter 11 Topics Allure of Hands-on Activities in ScienceActivities Include all Essential Elements of InquiryTranslating Activities into Inquiry ExperiencesDeciding on Support Provided to StudentsMoving toward Inquiry within Diverse Classrooms ©Routledge/Taylor & Francis 2012

The Allure of Hands-On Activities Moving from books to activities is a good step, but not enoughScience knowledge does not rise up the fingers during activitiesToo many activities lack sufficient inquiry to qualify as scienceActivities are improved by attending to science inquiryInvestigable questions, collecting evidence, and justifying resultsChallenge: Find good activities and translate them into science ©Routledge/Taylor & Francis 2012

Incorporating all Five Essential Features 1. Begin with a question that can be investigated2. Collect evidence to answer the question3. Formulate explanations from the evidence4. Connect to published scientific knowledge5. Justify explanations to other peopleTeacher decides on amount of student freedom ©Routledge/Taylor & Francis 2012

Using Questions within Inquiry ©Routledge/Taylor & Francis 2012

Collecting Appropriate Evidence ©Routledge/Taylor & Francis 2012

Formulating Evidence from Explanations ©Routledge/Taylor & Francis 2012

Making Connections to Science Knowledge ©Routledge/Taylor & Francis 2012

Communicating and Justifying Explanations ©Routledge/Taylor & Francis 2012

An Activity as a Starting Point Take a drinking glass and a plastic soda bottle and fill both with water. Pull water into an eyedropper and adjust the amount of water inside the dropper so it is barely floating but not sinking. When the dropper is just floating in the drinking glass, carefully place the dropper into the soda bottle. Put the lid on the bottle and screw it on so it is tight. Squeeze the bottle’s sides and watch the dropper descend. ©Routledge/Taylor & Francis 2012

Moving Toward Inquiry 1. Investigable question (developed by whom?)2. Evidence to be collected (chosen or dictated?)3. Explain using evidence (independent or supported?) 4. Access scientific knowledge (sought or provided?) 5. Explain understandings (freely or structured?) In combination, this is not “just” an activity but SCIENCE! ©Routledge/Taylor & Francis 2012

Diverse Settings and Inquiry Seek congruence between activity and student interestsMore scaffolds needed upon first exposure to inquiryDifferentiate by adjusting supports within inquiry Strive to keep the discussion close to chosen theme Encourage students to apply more complex thinking Assist students to examine their thinking: metacognition ©Routledge/Taylor & Francis 2012

Chapter 11 Summary Hands-on Activities Need to Incorporate InquiryAll Essential Elements Ought to be IncludedGood Inquiry Requires Translating “Fun” ActivitiesSupports in Inquiry Can and Should be VariedVaried Openness in Inquiry is Differentiation ©Routledge/Taylor & Francis 2012