An Approach to Science and Other Content Areas Prepared by Martha Havens Associate Director for Elementary Pacific Union Conference Designed by Kimberly Stubbert

o Definition of Inquiry-Based Learning (IBL) o How does it differ from the traditional approach? o What does it have to do with my classroom? o What are some critical perspectives? o Inquiry-Based Skills o Science and Inquiry

o Inquiry is defined as "seeking for truth,” information, and knowledge or; o Seeking Information by Questioning.

o It encourages the student to go beyond memorizing to ask questions. o It is a process that converts information and data into useful knowledge. o It asks the student to go beyond questions to predicting, planning, investigating, recording, reporting and reflecting. o It is an approach that requires time and building of resources as the teacher plans lessons and/or Units.

It all depends on how you want your students to respond in your classroom: –Is it a place where questions are allowed and encouraged? –Is it a place where learning is being taught as a life long skill? –Is it a place where problem solving, critical thinking, team work and other skills are being taught to keep up with our modern fast paced, global society?

An important classroom outcome would be students who are: information to draw conclusions, and asking new questions o collecting o observing o analyzing o synthesizing These are useful problem solving skills.

o Education cannot give students all the information that they need to know, but rather it must give them the tools they need to continue their education. o The focus on education is shifting to “work smarter” not only to “work harder”. Most people in our fast pace technological society, whether they have graduated or not, will enter the world of work to resolve increasingly complex problems. To be successful it is essential to “work smarter”.

o Learning to isolate factors that are possible causes of a problem and searching for solutions. o Brainstorming with other people to find answers. o Searching for information stored in computer files by using electronic data research skills. o Learning to write clearly to convey complex information to other people to describe situations or events in order to make recommendations. o Interpreting correlations by comparing sets of data.

o Inquiry-based instruction is strongly endorsed by both national and state departments of education along with the National Science Foundation and the National Science Teachers Association. o Science Programs including our own new science program By Design: A Journey to Excellence through Science, will be built around IBL strategies. o Inquiry is for all content and subjects, not just Science. It is a great strategy/process with great results.

1.Create an appealing environment. Interesting room/corner that stimulates student curiosity. 2.Take your classroom outside. Make the world your playground. Fieldtrips whenever possible. 3.Build on students’ questions. Capture their curiosity. Have a “Wonder Board” as a starting point on the subject/Unit. 4.Start with a whole classroom project that you guide, incorporating support, modeling and scaffolding. Pay attention to questions and put them on the “Wonder Board” and go from there! 5.Explore first; Explain later. 6.Connect with others. There are many resources.

1.What did their skin feel like? (Karlee, 3 rd ) 2.How did they die? (Landen, Kindergarten) 3.What did the Dinosaurs eat? (Kiki, 1 st ) 4.Are Dinosaurs related to birds? (Saber, 5 th ) 5.Could Whales be Dinosaurs? (Timiki, 6 th ) 6.How fast could Dinosaurs run to catch their prey? (Micah, 4 th ) 7.How old were they when they died? (Anissa, 2 nd ) Courtesy of Mauna Loa School, Hawaii April 2010 Unit Theme: Dinosaurs

ARTICLES: – inquiry-learning/intro-inquiry-learning BOOKS: – Hands/dp/ – Lehn/dp/ #reader_ KITS: – LINKS: – VIDEOS/DVD: – – –

1.Bransford, J.D., Brown, A.L., & Cocking, R.R. (Eds.). (2000). How people learn: Brain, mind, experience and school. Washington, D.C.: National Academy Press. 2.Colburn, Alan. (2004, September). Inquiring scientists want to know. Educational Leadership, 62, DeBoer, G. E. (1991). A history of ideas in science education: Implications for practice. New York, NY: Teachers College Press. 4.Graff, G. (2003). Clueless in academe: How schooling obscures the life of the mind. New Haven, CT: Yale University Press.