Reading Aloud: A Springboard to Inquiry

Journal Article | June 2009

We may assume that high school students are too “old” to enjoy simple, juvenile reading. But reading these simple books with students not only captures their attention, but also allows them to focus on larger science…

Science Sampler: Inquiry with earthworms

Journal Article | January 2006

Earthworms wiggle their way into your science curriculum in this fun and hands-on activity. Students experiment with earthworms to gain a better understanding of the process of scientific inquiry and hone their research…

Editor's Corner: A Vocal Inquiry

Journal Article | March 2003

The Science Teacher’s editor shares thoughts on the current issue and elaborates on the definition of "inquiry."

Science 2.0: Invitation to Inquiry

Journal Article | November 2010

Too often, students are not engaged in authentic questioning. Dan Meyer, a math educator, explains, “Our curricula are full of pseudoproblems wrapped in pseudocontext. We ask students to grapple with problems that only…

Science 2.0: Instant Inquiry

Journal Article | October 2010

Since 2008, several digital cameras have offered high-speed movie settings that allow video to be captured at 120 to 1,000 frames per second. That means you can play back a 1-second, real-time event in slow motion that…

Let’s Fight for Inquiry Science!

Journal Article | March 2008

In today’s climate of standardized testing, the author shares his concern that colleagues who are currently implementing inquiry-based science that awakens students’ curiosity may soon be thwarted by mandated, time-…

Science Sampler: Inquiry into measuring

Journal Article | August 2005

It is important for students to understand that numbers in science often involve measurements and that measurements have limited precision. The following two activities demonstrate the limitations of measurement tools…

Fostering Inquiry in Nonlaboratory Settings

Journal Article | August 2004

Inquiry is an important learning strategy, even for students who cannot or do not perform actual experiments. The authors describe two activities, other than experimentation, that they used in introductory biology…

Managing Inquiry-Based Classrooms

Journal Article | June 2009

Though it may seem that classroom management comes naturally to some teachers, upon closer examination you’ll probably discover that preparation and adaptation are more important than any innate ability when it comes to…

Editor’s Note: A Year of Inquiry

Journal Article | August 2010

The importance of developing the abilities to conduct and understand inquiry cannot be overstated. Acquisition of inquiry strategies will prepare students to encounter and solve problems and questions throughout their…

Blow-by-Blow Inquiry: Students use their minds and lungs in this engaging inquiry activity

Journal Article | January 2000

To promote the spirit of science as inquiry, this article presents an engaging activity that capitalized on students’ interest in the homerun-hitting race between professional baseball players Mark McGwire and Sammy…