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Is the Inquiry Real?

The Science Teacher—Summer 2009

When describing activities in today’s K–12 science classrooms, the word inquiry often causes some confusion. As a result, many of us find ourselves asking the same questions: How do we know when inquiry is authentic? What should happen in an inquiry-centered science classroom? What is the teacher’s role in an inquiry-centered class and what is the student’s role? The authors have thought long and hard about these questions. Here they offer suggestions for determining whether your classroom activities are engaging all students in true inquiry. In addition, they present an example of how a common, tried-and-true activity can be modified to facilitate inquiry.
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