1. The Inquiry Method
By Tina Waddy

2. Why the Inquiry Model? Questioning what we see around us.
Space Travel
Sea Exploration
Man’s Origin
Questioning how to make things better.
Medical Industry
Automotive Industry
Robotics
Modern Inventions

3. From the Classroom to the Real World
Examine Patterns and Relationships
Classify Information
Draw Conclusions
Interpret Evidence and Experimenting
Formulate Predictions
Organize and Interpret Data
Communicate Findings
Build Models

4. Types of Inquiry Structured Inquiry Guided Inquiry Open Inquiry
Student Directed Inquiry
Student Research Inquiry

5. Structured Inquiry Implementation Teacher Responsibility
Topic
Questions
Materials
Instruction & Guidance
Students Responsibility
Results
Looks Like
Teacher provides the question in testable form.
Teacher provides complete experimental design.
Teacher and students analyze and interpret data.
Teacher writes the results based conclusion as an example for students.

6. Guided Inquiry Implementation Teachers Responsibility
Topic
Question
Materials
Procedures & Design (50%)
Student Responsibility
Results
Conclusion
Looks Like
Teacher provides the question in testable form.
Teacher and student provide complete experimental design.
Students analyze and interpret data.
Student write the results based conclusion.

7. Open Inquiry Implementation Teacher Responsibility
Topic
Materials
Students Responsibility
Question
Procedures & Design
Results
Conclusion
Looks Like
Students write the question in testable form.
Students create complete experimental design.
Students analyze and interpret data.
Students write the results based conclusion.

8. Student Directed Inquiry
Implementation
Teacher Responsibility
Topic
Question (50%)
Materials (50%)
Students Responsibility
Procedure & Design
Results
Conclusion
Looks Like
Teacher and students write the question in testable form with teacher assistance.
Students create complete experimental design.
Students analyze and interpret data.
Students write the results based conclusion.

9. Student Research Inquiry
Implementation
Teacher Responsibility
Topic (50%)
Students Responsibility
Question
Materials
Procedure & Design
Results
Conclusion
Looks Like
Students write the question in testable form.
Students create complete experimental design.
Students analyze and interpret data.
Students write the results based conclusion.

10. Student Directed Inquiry Student Research Inquiry
Inquiry Continuum
Structured Inquiry
Guided Inquiry
Open Inquiry
Student Directed Inquiry
Student Research Inquiry
Teacher Controlled
→ →
Student Controlled
Topic
Teacher
Teacher / Student
Question
Student
Materials
Procedures / Design
Results / Analysis
Conclusion

11. Inquiry Continuum Activity

12. Strategies That Work

13. Topics
Do’s
Understand your students skill level and background knowledge.
Know the state-based science standards.
Match your topic to the appropriate inquiry-based strategy.
Don’ts
Stay away from topics like natural selection, or relativity.
Pick topics that are peripherally related to science standards.

14. Experimentation Phase
Know Your Phases
Initiation Phase
Exploration Phase
Experimentation Phase
Presentation Phase
Looks Like
First phase of the process, designed to stimulate and motivate student curiosity, challenges a belief or assumption.
Second phase of the process, questions are narrowed down to actual questions that can be answered through experimentation.
Third phase of the process, students are grouped to conduct the experiment, students collect data and formulate a method of presentation.
Fourth phase of the process, data is placed into presentation form (PowerPoint, project display board), groups share out data and answer questions.
Sounds Like
Have you ever seen…?
Did you notice…?
What did you observe…?
What happened when…?
What did you…?
What could we do to find out…?
What questions do you have…?
What did you find out about…?
How is it the same as or different from…?
What do you know about the characteristics of…?
Can you explain why…?
Why do you think…?
What other factors may be included in…?
Can you find a way to…?
How did you arrive at a solution to…?

15. Modeling is Key Establish, Enforce, and Model High Standards
Model Effective Use of Time
Model Collaboration with Peers
Model Save and Proper Use of Equipment

16. Work Smarter, Not Harder
Collaboration Fuels Problem Solving
Teach and Model Collaboration
Make Expectation for Group Work Clear by Re-teaching Before Each Experiment
Provide ongoing feedback about student interactions

17. Supply vs. Demand Don’t give too many hints.
Don’t ask too many leading questions.
Supply only what students need.
Students will always look to you for the answers.
Students won’t learn how to think.
Reinforce the process of thinking and searching.

18. Support and Guidance Monitor Student Behavior and Comments
Be a good listener because comments and behavior tell exactly what students know and don’t know.
Anticipated certain student comments.
Provide structure by planning and modeling.
Monitor Student Behavior and Comments
Be Prepared to Offer Assistance
Help Students Work Independently

19. Holding Students Accountable
Using Accountable Talk

20. Summing it all up!

21. References
National Science Education Standards, National Academy Press, Washington, DC, 1996,pg.2.
Bonnstetter, Ronald J., "Inquiry: Learning from the Past with an Eye on the Future," University of Nebraska, Lincoln, Electronic Journal of Science Education, V3 N1, September 1998.