Inquiry and Science Instruction

What is inquiry?  The ways in which scientists study the natural world and propose explanations based on evidence derived from their work.  The activities of students in which they develop knowledge and understanding of scientific ideas, as well as an understanding of how scientists study the natural world. From the National Science Education Standards (NRC, 1996, p. 23)

How Does NSES Describe Inquiry? Abilities Necessary to do Scientific Inquiry Identify questions. Design & conduct investigations. Use technology & mathematics. Formulate explanations using logic & evidence. Communicate & defend a scientific argument. Understandings about Scientific Inquiry Scientists use many methods.. Scientists rely on technology & mathematics. Scientific explanations must: -be logically consistent -abide by rules of evidence -be open to questions & modification -be consistent with current scientific knowledge.

What is inquiry?  Students answering a research question through data analysis

Are These Scientific Research Questions? 1. How does light intensity change with distance? 2. How do hurricanes affect Florida's wildlife? 3. What does it take to be a good person? 4. How does the moon change over the course of a month? 5. Why is quicksand so dangerous?

Are These Scientific Research Questions? 1. Which brand of orange juice contains the most vitamin C? 2. What changes occur in an aquatic ecosystem over the course of a month? 3. What is the meaning of this painting? 4. What is the effect of charge on small objects around it? 5. How do you bake a cake?

Scientific Questions  A good scientific question: can be answered through scientific research can be “tested” by experimenting observing, measuring, or by analyzing data obtained from running a scientific model builds on what you already know and on what you can find out when answered, leads to other questions

Inquiry or Not?  Students review the components of various circuits and circuit diagrams.  Use this information to build working circuits.

Inquiry or Not?  Students use working circuits (parallel and series) to explore the relationship between voltage, resistance, and current.

Inquiry or Not? Students determine the sequence of phases by observing the moon and recording observations for a month.

Inquiry or Not? “Do all stars move in the same direction across the sky?” Following a brief discussion, the teacher demonstrates the rising and setting of the stars for several different locations on Earth using Stellarium. She then facilitates a class discussion about the stars’ apparent motion in the sky, based on their simulated observations.

Inquiry or Not? Leaf collection: Collect and press 30 different leaves Mount each leaf on a piece of paper Complete an identification label for each leaf Combine the pages into a notebook

Inquiry or Not?  Create an informational book of animals native to Virginia. Choose at least 20 different animal species. Create a page for each species, on each page include  The Latin name for the species,  The species’ natural habitat,  Predator/ prey relationships,  A picture (hand drawn or a picture) of the animal,  3 other interesting facts

Inquiry or Not?  Make observations of the images.  Infer: Are they alive?

Inquiry or Not?  Separation Challenge: Using what you know about physical and chemical properties of matter, design a method to separate a mixture of equal parts sand, salt, and iron filings. After getting permission from the teacher, separate the mixture using your procedure.

Inquiry or Not?

 Read news reports describing the impact of the Gulf oil spill on the ecosystems of the Louisiana and Mississippi coastlines.  Summarize findings in a 2-page written report.

Inquiry or Not? Students are asked to define and describe the El Nino effect by using information from the Web.

Review: Criteria for Inquiry

Inquiry or Not? In summary, there are two primary criteria to consider when determining if an activity supports inquiry learning: Are students: 1. answering a scientific question? 2. through analysis of data?

How much information is given to the student? Level of Inquiry Question?Methods?Solution? 1  2  3  4

How much information is given to the student? Level of Inquiry Question?Methods?Solution? 1  2  3  4 Confirmation—Students confirm a principle through an activity in which the results are known in advance.

How much information is given to the student? Level of Inquiry Question?Methods?Solution? 1  2  3  4 Structured inquiry—Students investigate a teacher- presented question through a prescribed procedure.

How much information is given to the student? Level of Inquiry Question?Methods?Solution? 1  2  3  4 Guided inquiry—Students investigate a teacher- presented question using student designed/selected procedures.

How much information is given to the student? Level of Inquiry Question?Methods?Solution? 1  2  3  4 Open inquiry—Students investigate topic-related questions that are student formulated through student designed/selected procedures.

Level of Inquiry – You Decide!  Activity A  Activity B  Activity C  Activity D

Building toward Open Inquiry  Start with low level and add discussion about procedure and analysis  Gradually turn over control to students a step at a time  Scaffolding and supporting students

Creating a Level 4 Inquiry 1. Use a demonstration to focus the students on a topic 2. Use the 4 Question Strategy to generate ideas 3. Have students design their experiment using an experimental design format 4. Students will conduct their experiment and report their conclusions

4-Question Strategy Q1 How do(es) _____ act? Q2 What materials are readily available for conducting experiments on______? Q3 How can I change the set of _____ materials to affect the action? Q4 How can I measure or describe the response of _____ to the change?

Dropper Poppers

 What materials are readily available for conducting experiments on Dropper Poppers?  How do Dropper Poppers act?  How can I change the set of materials to affect the action?  How can I measure or describe the response of the Dropper Popper to the change I made? 4 Question Strategy Handout

What materials are readily available for conducting experiments on Dropper Poppers?

Dropper poppersIce bath Stop watchHand warmers Meter sticksCooler

How do Dropper Poppers act?

When inverted and dropped, Dropper Poppers bounce back at a height higher than it was dropped from. When left to sit on a table inverted, Dropper Poppers will bounce up without being touched.

How can I change the set of Dropper Popper materials to affect the action?

- Change the height it is dropped from - Change the surface it is dropped on - Change the temperature of the dropper

How can I measure or describe the response of the Dropper Poppers to the change that we made?

-Measure the time the bounce takes -Measure the height of the bounce -Measure the length of time it takes to bounce when left sitting on a table

Experimental Design Diagram Independent Variable: Research Question: Hypothesis: Dependent Variable: Constants:

Experimental Design Diagram Independent Variable: Research Question: Hypothesis: Dependent Variable: Constants: Levels of Independent Variable (including the control) Repeated Trials (# of times each I.V. level will be tested)

Experimental Design Diagram Independent Variable: (Selected from Q#3) Research Question: What is the impact of (Q#3) on the chemical reaction? Hypothesis: (Relate Q3 to Q4) Dependent Variable: (Selected from Q #4) Constants: (All factors from Q #3 that you didn’t choose) Levels of Independent Variable (including the control) Repeated Trials (# of times each I.V. level will be tested)

Next Steps  Now that we have some ideas, each group will begin to design their experiment.  Take this time to use the Experimental Design handout as a group to set up your experiment.  Raise your hand when you are ready for us to check your design before beginning  Have fun and test!

Results  IV  DV  Hypothesis  Results  Support Hypothesis?

 Height Inc height of drop, bounce will increase Height had little to no effect on bounce Not supported  Temperature Warming popper will cause height inc 152 cm rt, 146 cm warm (45 cm) (carpet) 154cm – 188cm (100 cm) (wood) 154cm – 173cm (76 cm) (carpet) 167cm – 180 cm (40 cm) (table)

Debrief Questions  How do you think students will benefit from different levels of inquiry?  When are different levels of inquiry appropriate?  How can you incorporate inquiry in your classroom?  What level of inquiry are the experiments you’ve done this summer? Justify  How could you modify these to be higher/lower?