Inquiry Made Easy

Journal Article | April 2001

While working with classroom teachers, the author developed a “doable” format for inquiry. This format emphasizes using a question wheel as a tool to help students identify independent and dependent variables that drive…

Model-Based Inquiry

Journal Article | October 2010

Model-Based Inquiry (MBI) is an emergent instructional strategy that is gaining acceptance among science educators. This approach to learning realistically mirrors the work of scientists, who develop and test hypotheses…

Writing Through Inquiry

Journal Article | March 2006

The inquiry science process provides a perfect opportunity for students to practice relational meaning in language. As students design their experiments, negotiate their ideas with peers, and share their data and…

Planting the Spirit of Inquiry

Journal Article | March 2005

After a three-week unit on living things, second-grade students were asked what else they wanted to learn about plants. Their questions were a prelude to a three-week inquiry on plant growth. From question formulation…

Simplifying Inquiry Instruction

Journal Article | September 2005

Inquiry instruction is a hallmark of the current science education reform efforts. However, defining inquiry and assessing how much inquiry is supported by a particular activity or lab can be difficult and confusing.…

Inquiry-Based Instruction

Journal Article | January 2004

The term inquiry has been used to form curriculum goals, design instructional strategies, and assess learning. The term also describes what scientists do. Within the science classroom, inquiry is used to promote…