Inquiry in Science Dean Elliott SK Ministry of Education.

Inquiry in Science

Dean Elliott

SK Ministry of Education

Inquiry Pedagogy

“Inquiry into authentic questions generated from student experiences is the central strategy for teaching science.”

(National Science Education Standards - NRC, 1996, p. 31)

Reflecting on Inquiry

• What does inquiry mean to you?

• What might inquiry look like in the science classroom?

• How might you assess student inquiry?

Understanding Inquiry

Students do not come to understand inquiry simply by learning words such as “hypothesis” and “inference” or by memorizing procedures such as “the steps of the scientific method”.

(Inquiry and the National Science Standards, 2000, p. 14)

Inquiry Processes for Students

• Engage in scientific questions• Give priority to evidence• Develop explanations from evidence• Evaluate explanations based on evidence• Communicate and justify explanations

Inquiry and Questioning

Inquiry is intimately connected to scientific questions – students must inquire using what they already know and the inquiry process must add to their knowledge.

(Inquiry and the National Science Standards, 2000, p. 13)

Inquiry Questions

Essential questions that lead to deeper understanding in science should:

– center on objects, organisms, and events in the natural world

– connect to science concepts outlined in the curricular outcomes

– lend themselves to empirical investigation

– lead to gathering and using data to develop explanations for natural phenomena.

(Inquiry and the National Science Standards, 2000, p. 24)

Imagery to Evoke Inquiry – CS

Imagery to Evoke Inquiry – OP

Imagery to Evoke Inquiry – FD

Imagery to Evoke Inquiry – WS

Levels of Inquiry

QQuestion

PProblem

SSolution

1 Confirmation X X X

2 Structured X X

3 Guided X

4 Open

Banchi, H., & Bell, R. (2008, October).The Many Levels of Inquiry, Science and Children, 46(2), 26-29.

Planning for Inquiry

• Identify Desired Results• Outcomes / K-D-U• Big Ideas / Questions for Deeper Understanding• Learning Contexts (one or more)

• Determine Evidence of Understanding• Relevant indicators• Criteria for judging achievement

• Develop Learning Plan• Levels of Inquiry• Resources / materials / supplies / adaptations

Contact Information

Dean Elliott

Ministry of Education

[email protected]

306-787-6765