Integrating Inquiry into Science Education IB Science Courses Science Fairs Common Core AP Biology Michelle Mardahl ( Bio) Jennifer Ekstein (Bio/ENV Sci ) Jeff Rivera (Chem) Tom Dunn (Physics)

Pros & Cons Promote student engagement Encourages student directed learning and academic language development in collaborative working groups Uses problem solving, critical thinking skills such as analysis, application, synthesis, evaluation Students need more time!!! Need a lower student to teacher ratio to properly supervise beginning stages and offer timely feed-back Equipment Prep time Some frustration

Levels of Inquiry Choice of a variable- list of potential ones or open ended *** easy to implement Give specific directions then modify method to investigate a factor of their choice ** Students are introduced to a piece of equipment or novel material and told to design their own experiment * Planning lab- student is given an objective only. They design method, determine the materials needed

Examples: Student groups investigate factors that effect brine shrimp cyst hatching 9 th grade acc biology (prepares for IB sciences) Use to teach scientific method & formal lab report

Student choice for a set protocol Ex- pH lab walk-around. Provided materials to test such as orange juice; soapy water etc. Students can bring their own material to test provided it is not a hazardous! Osmosis lab- pick own vegetable to test to see weight changes – red onion vs. cabbage or carrot or view under microscope or own solutions

Student Choice Samples for microscope lab Food- test for different macromolecules Bring different medium to test how sound travels at different speeds Test buffers- bring own alka seltzer or tums for titration experiment Items to test for conductivity Calories in different food Different rocks explore properties

Chemistry- Got Omelettes? Investigate CaCO3 in egg shells Crush the shells dissolve in HCL and find the mass (recover calcium) Students could choose different type of eggs- brown vs. white; organic vs. regular; free range vs. regular

Specific Directions used first then student modifies the investigation Cook book directions for one factor Modify the steps to test for another factor Example- catalase lab protocol to study the effect of pH Students modify for their own variable such as temperature, salt, enzyme or substrate concentration

Planning Labs No specific directions Only given the objective Open ended Student driven Students discover concepts and relationships Use the scientific process Create own controlled labs

Novel material- Env. Sci. Design an experiment to investigate the factors that affect UV absorption (during topic of Ozone Depletion) – Measure time to change color or degree of change

Build a Pendulum- Physics Investigate factors that effect the pendulum such as: – Length of string – Mass of object

Taxis/Kinesis Animal Behavior Lab Test different factors in which an animal will react – Movement away or towards something – Change in movement patterns in response to a stimulus – Choice of animals- snails, crickets, pillbugs, ladybugs, brine shrimp, cochroaches

Env. Science & Biology planning labs Repeat experiment 3x Investigate an environmental impact on a plant, algae or invertebrate Guidelines like a science fair Literature review Hypothesis Material list turned in for approval Statistical analysis

Lab Report Intro- purpose, background, hypothesis Materials & Methods Table of Variables – Independent – Dependent – Controlled Results – Qualitative – Quantitative Data Analysis – Calculations – Graphs Conclusions

Grading Rubric-IB Design Planning Lab Requirements Formulates focused problem/research question and identifies variables Defines a method for effective control of variables Develops a method that allows for collection of sufficient relevant data Point system – 2 –complete 1 –partial 0- not present

Internet resources UCLA –Inquiry labs aligned with science standards K Plant Biologist- 12 inquiry labs ?group=80400&id=99877&CFID=887914&CFTOKEN= ?group=80400&id=99877&CFID=887914&CFTOKEN= American Chemistry Society – inquiry labs Physics- bs/inquiry_labs.html