INQUIRY LEARNING Saouma BouJaoude Sahar Alameh Nada Radwan Science Education For Diversity Project American University of AUB.

INQUIRY LEARNING

Saouma BouJaoudeSahar AlamehNada RadwanScience Education For Diversity ProjectAmerican University of AUB

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WS Learning outcomes Describe the elements of inquiry-based learning Specify and define the steps of inquiry Develop good inquiry questions Describe the role of learners and teachers in inquiry-based

learning Differentiate between traditional and inquiry teaching Describe the characteristics of an inquiry based science

activities Describe strategies to implement science inquiry activities Design curriculum-based science inquiry activities exciting

activities Develop frameworks to evaluate science inquiry activities

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Introductory activity Title: The balanced box

Question: How was the box designed to work as it does?

Procedure: Observe the box carefully Use the observations to produce a design of the tube

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Conclusions

Knowledge is constructed by humans

Knowledge is speculative and unreliable

Knowledge grows through exposure

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ACTIVITY: Definition of Inquiry

PURPOSE: The purpose of this activity is to introduce participants to the K-W-L-H method in order to initiate inquiry and specify its steps. The activity stresses the importance of prior-knowledge and teachers’ and learners’ generated questions in inquiry.

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Question What are the sources of energy on which

human beings depend at the present time?

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Tentative list of energy sources Food Fire Animal labor Rivers Wind Sun Fossil fuels Chemical Atomic …..

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Investigate the following questions

What changes took place overtime in the energy sources available to human beings?

What are the trends for energy consumed by each person over time?

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Questions What specific questions are you interested in

answering related to energy sources and energy consumed by each person?

Knowing that Chart 1 was developed in 1972, how can we learn more about energy sources and energy consumed by each person now and in the future?

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Questions that can be asked What energy sources are available now? What do you expect the amount of energy used

for food by each person daily to be now? What do you expect the amount of energy used

for transportation by each person daily to be now?

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Questions that can be asked What energy sources are available now?

What do you expect the amount of energy used for food by each person daily to be now?

What do you expect the amount of energy used for transportation by each person daily to be now?

What sources would you use to get new data on energy?

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Criteria to evaluate web pages

Accuracy. The author and institution that published the web page is provided along with ways of contacting him/her

Authority. The page presents the author’s credentials and its domain (.edu, .gov, .org, or .net).

Objectivity. The web page provides accurate information with limited advertising and it is objective in presenting the information.

Currency. The web page is current and updated regularly (as stated on the page) and the links (if any) are also up-to-date.

Coverage. The information in the web page can be viewed properly--not limited to fees, browser technology, or software requirements.

Refer to: http://www.library.cornell.edu/olinuris/ref/research/webcrit.html

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ACTIVITY 1

TITLE: Why does the water rise?

MATERIALS: Trough or basin, Matches, Gas jar, Birthday candles, Modeling clay

Activity 2:The Egg and the Milk Bottle

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What is inquiry? Inquiry is a teaching method that engages

learners in authentic investigations in which they identify problems, ask questions, propose solutions, make predictions, design procedures, collect, and organize data, and draw conclusions.

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What is inquiry - Details A teaching strategy that aims to teach learners

how to conduct investigations and to use and assess evidence in order to answer questions or solve problems.

Primarily aims to develop learners’ higher order and critical thinking skills. Content provides a context for developing and practicing thinking skills. Content and thinking are inseparable.

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What is inquiry-Details A “genuine” problem is essential for the success

of inquiry teaching in developing learners’ thinking skills:

Learners (and preferably the teacher) do not know and have no access to “the” or “an” answer. They have to reach conclusions based only on their investigations and their data

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What is inquiry-Details A “genuine” problem (that lends itself to

investigation) guarantees that learners (and their teacher) will have authentic experiences (similar to those of researchers) in assessing the validity of various claims, and adjudicating between contradictory claims concerning a certain phenomenon

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Inquiry steps Step 1. Framing The Investigation

Step 2: Designing the Investigation

Step 3: Collecting and Presenting Data

Step 4: Analyzing and Interpreting Results

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Activity 3 Title: How many points are touching?

Materials: A bobby pin (hair pin) for each pair of participants.

Question: Where is it easier to feel the tip of a pin touching your skin, on your hand or near you shoulder?

Hypothesis: What is your hypothesis?

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Procedure Ask the subject of the experiment to hold out his/her ha

nd with palm up and close his or her eyes Divide the length of the hand and arm into 20 equal

intervals Randomly touch the hand or arm with either one tip of

two tips Ask the subject of the experiment if he is being touched

with one or two tips. Circle the correct or incorrect responses in the following

table. After you have finished colleting data switch roles and

repeat the activity.

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Follow up questions

Where was it easier to tell how many tips were touching?

Why did we make more mistakes the higher up the arm the pin was touched to the skin?

What makes our touch sense more sensitive?

Where would a cut in the skin hurt most?

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Hypothesis testing

What pattern can you get from looking at all the results?

Was your hypothesis confirmed and rejected? What evidence do you have for your decision?

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General inquiry model Identifying a question or problem Forming hypotheses Gathering data Assessing hypotheses Generalizing

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Good Inquiry Questions It may have more than one answer

It can be studied/ It has a possible answer

There is data available or can be collected about it.

Others might find it useful or beneficial.

It is conSEDely and exactly phrased.

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Good inquiry questions-examples Do roses that are kept in the light 24 hours per day grow taller

than those that are kept in the light 8 hours a day?  

Which frozen liquid melts the fastest: water, milk, or soda pop?  or  Which liquid evaporates the fastest?  

Does your pulse rate increase or decrease after listening to

music?  

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Good inquiry questions Do batteries stored in the freezer power a toy car longer than

those stored at room temperature?  

Do pumpkins that weigh 5 kilograms or more or more contain more seeds than those that weigh less than 5 kilograms?

Does the size of the wheels on a toy car affect the distance it travels?

Does the temperature of water affect how fast salt crystals (or sugar crystals) melt?

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"Not Good" inquiry questions What causes dew?

How is igneous rock formed?

How does dishwashing soap clean away oil?

What did the Tyrannosaurus Rex eat?

What keeps a satellite in orbit around a planet?

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The General Inquiry Model

1. Identifying a question or problem The T, the Ss or both generate a problem The problem is genuine and relevant to Ss’ interests

and/or needs (or current/future content) The problem is discussed, clarified, and defined

through discussion

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2. Forming hypotheses Ss suggest tentative solutions (hypotheses) to the

problem Initially all hypotheses are accepted. Then the

hypotheses are discussed and assessed for relevance and their verifiability with evidence

One or a few hypotheses are selected for investigation

The tentative nature of hypotheses is emphasized

The General Inquiry Model (cont’d)

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3. Forming hypotheses Ss suggest tentative solutions (hypotheses) to the

problem Initially all hypotheses are accepted. Then the

hypotheses are discussed and assessed for relevance and their verifiability with evidence

One or a few hypotheses are selected for investigation

The tentative nature of hypotheses is emphasized

The General Inquiry Model (cont’d)

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4. Assessing hypotheses Ss discuss and analyze their data Ss assess the validity of their tentative hypotheses

based on the collected evidence The logic of hypothesis testing is highlighted

(prove/disprove vs. lend/detract support) and the value of hypotheses (even the ones rejected) in guiding investigations is emphasized.

The General Inquiry Model (cont’d)

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5. Generalizing Ss discuss whether and to what extent their

conclusions can be generalized Valid generalizations are drawn

The General Inquiry Model (cont’d)

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Activity 4 Title: Why does popcorn pop?

Procedure: Works in groups of 4 What is your hypothesis? Design an experiment to test your hypothesis

Herron ScaleEvaluating the Level of Inquiry

Level Problem Procedure Solution

0 X X X

1 X X

2 X

3

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Activity 5

Title: The heavy newspaper!

Procedure: I will use the thick piece of wood to deliver a strong

blow to the piece of plywood hanging from the edge of the table.

“What will happen?” in what direction will the newspaper fly? To the front? To the back?”

“Think-Pair-Share” this question. Ask them to explain their prediction.

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Explanation The plywood breaks because the downward force from the blow

of the hammer (or piece of wood) is counteracted by the downward force due to atmospheric pressure acting on the newspaper

Atmospheric pressure is caused by the weight of the air above the surface of the Earth.

Pressure is defined as force per unit area: Pressure (P) = Force (F) / Area (A). The force in this case is caused by the weight of the air above the surface of the Earth. The larger the surface area, the larger the force due to atmospheric pressure

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Activity 5 Title: The efficient diver

Procedure: What will happen if I squeeze the

bottle in different places Observe carefully what happens and write

down your observations. Use the Think-Pair-Share strategy to and

explain their observations

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Explanation Squeezing the bottle increases the pressure in the water and

compresses the air inside the pen top. This increases the mass of the dropper but the volume stays the same, therefore its density increases. Note the following:

An object with a density less than that of a fluid will float in that fluid and an object with a density more than that of a fluid will sink in that fluid.

Pascal's law: Pascal's law states that when there is an increase in pressure at any point in a confined fluid, there is an equal increase at every other point in the container.

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Question

Describe the teaching strategy I used in the previous activities.

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Predict Observe Explain (POE)

Step 1: Predict Ask the learners to write independently their prediction of what

will happen. Ask them what they think they will see and why they think this.

Step 2: Observe Carry out the demonstration. Allow time to focus on observation. Ask learners to write down what they do observe.

Step 3: Explain Ask learners to amend or add to their explanation to take

account of the observation. After learners have committed their explanations to paper,

discuss their ideas together.

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Predict - Observe - Explain (POE)

POE can be used for: finding out learners' initial ideas; providing teachers with information

about learners’ thinking; generating discussion; motivating learners to want to explore

the concept; Generating investigations.

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Activity 6 Materials:

A round balloon Two small plastic or glass cups (with a smooth rim).

Procedure Blow up the balloon about one third way. Hold one cup in each hand. Hold the cups against

opposite sides of the balloon (while the balloon is in the mouth) and blow further (until about twice the size).

Let go of the two cups.

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Activity 6

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Activity 6 What concepts were derived from this activity? What other examples can you think of?

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Learning Cycle

Exploration Learners experience objects and events, discover

patterns and relationships, and are not given answers or labels

Term introduction Learners determine relationships among objects and

events and teacher helps learners construct appropriate labels or provides the labels

Application Learners apply their knowledge of a given concept to

other situations and teacher encourages Learners to discover examples to illustrate the concept or concepts

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Working With Circuits

Work in groups of 4 to change the activity into a learning cycle laboratory.

When you finish, one of you will present the activity you designed to the other groups

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Activity 7 Title: Electricity Procedure:

You will need two dry cells two light bulbs, and several pieces of wire. Use one wire, one dry cell, to light one bulb. Draw your

set-up (s) Use two dry cells, and several wires to light one bulb.

Draw your set-up (s). Use two dry cells and several wires to light two bulbs.

Draw your set-up (s).

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Challenge

What is the internal structure of the light bulb

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Learning cycle Research has shown that the learning cycle is

an efficient model that can be used at all educational levels.

Two issues however, are missing from the model: Engagement Evaluation

Thus the 5 E model was developed

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5E Model Engagement

Exploration

Explanation (or term introduction)

Extension (or application)

Evaluation

Engage

Activity which will focus student’s attention, stimulate their thinking, and access prior knowledge.

Explore

Activity which gives students time to think and investigate/test/make deSEDions/problem solve, and collect information.

Explain

Activity which allows students to analyze their exploration. Student’s understanding is clarified and modified through a reflective activity.

Extend

Activity which expands and solidifies student thinking and/or applies it to a real-world situation.

Evaluate

Activity which allows the teacher to assess student performance and/or understandings of concepts, skills, processes, and applications.

Comparison of Learning Cycle and 5E

Exploration

Term introduction

Evaluation

Engagement

Exploration

Explanation (or term introduction)

Extension (or application)

Evaluation

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Group discussion How do you transform the learning cycle

activities we performed into 5E model activities?

How do evaluate inquiry activities? Rubrics

Rubric

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Activity 8 Why can a person lie down on a bed of nails and not be

injured?

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ExplanationThe explanation of this phenomenon is related to the fact that

the force per unit area of skin (i.e., pressure) is what determines if a nail will pierce the skin.

The force is determined by the weight of the person lying on the bed of nails.

The area is determined by the effective area of the tip of the nail, or nails, in contact with the skin.

When a 'bed' of nails is used, the same force produced by the weight of the body is distributed over perhaps hundreds of nails. Therefore, the force applied to any one nail is correspondingly reduced, with the result that the force per unit area at the tip of any one nail will be below the level required to pierce the skin. Since this applies to all the nails in the bed, no nail then penetrates the skin.

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Activities 9 - 13

Title:Can you boil water in a paper cup?

Title:Why are the raisins dancing?

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Teaching Science with Discrepant Events

A discrepant event is a science activity that can create cognitive dissonance in the mind of a learner.

A discrepant event provides the learner with an opportunity to think critically in order to solve a problem

There is an element of surprise in the science activity as the students are watching attentively

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A discrepant event motivates students to think beyond the obvious

It helps children employ their prior knowledge in resolving the conflict.

While actively engaged in exploring a discrepant event, students have an opportunity to utilize some or all of the science process skills.

Teaching Science with Discrepant Events

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Suggestions for presenting discrepant events:

Let students replicate the discrepant event. Let them work in groups of 2-4 students.

Ask the students to think and write down their ideas and possible solutions to the inconsistency created by the demonstration

Assess students’ prior knowledge by using a verbal questioning technique. Use variety of questions. Remember Bloom’s Taxonomy.

Teaching Science with Discrepant Events

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Watch out for students’ misconceptions.

Your questions should represent all levels of Bloom’s Taxonomy

Don’t be so anxious to provide the answer to the discrepant event right away.

Provide many opportunities for students to experience success.

Teaching Science with Discrepant Events

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The Futures Wheel

The futures wheel is a teaching technique that encourages students to think creatively in exploring the implications of a particular issue or event.

There are no right answers when completing a futures wheel, and no deSEDion-making occurs.

It is used to analyze issues in preparation for deSEDion-making. Students look at an event, experience or deSEDion and ask "What might happen if...?"

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Objectives of a Future Wheel

Students will be able to:

Understand that every deSEDion, technological, or scientific development has numerous effects.

Develop a futures wheel to explore the effects of a deSEDion, scientific, or technological development.

Recognize the value of the futures wheel as a tool for thinking about the effects of environmental deSEDion, scientific and technology developments.

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Conducting a futures wheel activity

1. Explain that every event has an impact on other events or factors. Distribute the handout and show the students how the handout is interpreted beginning at the center circle and proceeding outward.

2. Divide the class into groups of four to six students. Tell the students that they are to select a possible environmental deSEDion, future scientific or technological development as the subject for their futures wheel.

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Conducting a futures wheel activity (Cont’d)

3. Next students should ask themselves • "What might happen if...?" • Each group should come up with three to five

answers to this question. • Explain that these first responses are called

the first-order connections. • A circle should be drawn around each

response, and a single line should connect these responses to the central event.

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4. Then each group should asks "What might happen if...?" about each of the first-order connections.

A double line should connect each second-order connection with the first-order connection that caused it.

As students work, remind them to thing of both positive and negative connections.

Conducting a futures wheel activity (Cont’d)

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Conducting a futures wheel activity (Cont’d)

5. The diagram produced by the group then is shared with all the class and, if possible,

• A common futures wheel is drawn for the whole class.

• It is worth noting here that a futures wheel may be used to analyze any issue in school situations and in everyday situations.

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Major Elements of Constructivist Learning

Activating prior knowledge Acquiring knowledge Understanding knowledge Using knowledge Reflecting on knowledge

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The role of the teacher in inquiry

Assumes the role of a facilitator of the inquiry process

Plans the various aspects of the lesson and guides learners in their investigations

Insures that learners are given ample time to conduct their investigations and go through the whole inquiry process

Encourages learners to reflect on the various aspects of their investigations