1. The Whats, Whys and Hows of….
SCIENCE TRENDS
The Whats, Whys and Hows of….
Science as Inquiry
Presented by:
Tammy Scheidt
February 16, 2012
Science is fun and children find joy in messing about with new experiences in their natural world.

2. A little about inquiry science
What is it?
Science is both a body of knowledge and a way of knowing
Scientific inquiry is the basis for scientific evidence
It involves:
*Asking questions
*Gathering and observing data
*Using data as evidence
*Forming theories & explanations

3. Examples of inquiry Science
What does it involve?
Students should:
Ask questions about objects, organisms,
& events
Plan and conduct investigations
Use appropriate tools to gather data
Use evidence and knowledge to develop
explanations
Communicate investigations and data and
Explain to others
Teachers should:
Teach science concepts and inquiry together
Use the 5-E model: Engage, explore, explain, elaborate & evaluate
Teach with resources such as Annenberg videos
Help students ‘ask, find, and seek’ answers to questions
Scaffold by giving support for students learning,
accessing prior knowledge, and promoting transfer

4. In the Classroom Why do it? Classroom observations: Grade 1
Teacher Quote:
“ Science is a process and students need to participate and explore. It helps build an overall understanding of how different parts of our world work. Mrs. S
In the Workshop 1 Annenberg Video: Learning Science Through Inquiry , Hubert Dyasi notes that one thing that’s happening in the national science education standards is that science as inquiry is part of the content. It’s not just learning subject matter.
Why do it? Because it’s important to understand the origins and where knowledge comes from. Children need to learn to question evidence to decide if knowledge is factual
Classroom observations: Grade 3

5. Science in the Classroom
K-5 McGraw-Hill Science Curriculum
K-5 McGraw-Hill Science Lesson Plans
K-5 District Science Brochure

6. Science in the Library
Books are a wonderful teaching resource. There are endless lesson plan ideas for every grade level.
These are a few lesson themes….
Colors
Solids
Liquids
Matter
Gasses
Bubbles
Planets
Magnets
Animals
Weather
Sounds
Nutrition

7. Science Books and Sites
Two current science books that I found in the public library are:
Curious Critters by photographer and writer David FitzSimmons. This is a new children’s picture book featuring macro photographs. The book uses photography to teach kids about nature and shows a variety of North American animals’ colors, textures, and shapes.
The case of the Soda Explosion by Darlene R. Stille. This book is a collection of science mysteries.
McGraw-Hill is the science curriculum for the district I observed.
Below is a website with teaching resources for science:
McGraw-Hill. Teaching Today. (n.d.)
Retrieved from

8. GOOD SCIENTIFIC OBSERVATION
Question
Investigate
How to be a lifelong observer…..
Use all appropriate senses
Measure by comparing & matching
Ask questions
Make changes and observations
Communicate and report
How?
Observe
Explore
Wonder
Experiment

9. REFERENCES Information for this PowerPoint was taken from:
Regular classroom:
Bennett, A. T., & Kessler, M. S. (1998). Sunlight, skyscrapers, and soda pop. New York, NY: The McGraw-Hill Companies Inc.
Bennett, A.T., & Kessler, M.S. (1998). Apples, bubbles, and crystals. New York, NY: The McGraw-Hill Companies Inc.
Online:
Annenberg Videos. Learning Science Through Inquiry. (n.d.).
Retrieved from
McGraw Hill. Teaching Today. (n.d.)
Retrieved from
Library:
Stille, D. R. (2012). The case of the soda explosion and other true science mysteries for you to solve.
Bloomington, MN: Capstone Press.
FitzSimmons, D. (2011). Curious Critters. :Wild Irish Publishing
EDUC337 Textbook
Bass, J., Contant, T., & Carin, A. (2009).Teaching Science as Inquiry (11th ed.). Upper Saddle River, NJ: Prentice Hall