Planning for Inquiry

Question 1

Inquiry Activity Preparation:

Answer 1

Stage 1: Desired Results
Stage 2: Assessment Evidence
Stage 3: Learning Plan

Question 2

6E and Whereto:

Answer 2

• W – Ensure that students understand WHERE the unit is headed, and WHY.
• H – HOOK students in the beginning and HOLD their attention throughout.
• E – EQUIP students with necessary experiences, tools, knowledge, and know-how to meet performance goals.
• R – Provide students with numerous opportunities to RETHINK big ideas, REFLECT on progress, and REVISE their work.
• E – Build in opportunities for students to EVALUATE progress and self-assess.
• T – Be TAILORED to reflect individual talents, interests, styles, and needs.
• O – Be ORGANIZED to optimize deep understanding as opposed to superficial coverage.

Question 3

Essential Features of Classroom Inquiry:

Answer 3

• Learners are engaged by scientifically oriented questions.
• Learners give priority to evidence, which allows them to develop and evaluate explanations that address scientifically oriented questions.
• Learners formulate explanations from evidence to address scientifically oriented questions.
• Learners evaluate their explanations in light of alternative explanations, particularly those reflecting scientific understanding.
• Learners communicate and justify their proposed explanations.

Question 4

Scientific Skills:

Answer 4

• Classification: Students will compare this substance and other materials in an attempt to classify it according to its properties.
• Observation: Students will use all their senses to observe the substance.
• Inference/Prediction: Students will infer what the substance is made from by using the collected data of observable properties.
• Communication: Students will communicate their findings to the group. They will also communicate with each other when developing theories of why it behaves the way it does.
• Experimentation: Students will design and carry out experiments to alter the mixture, to find its properties, and to explain its behavior.

Question 5

Direct instruction:

Answer 5

Term for the explicit teaching of a skill-set using lectures or demonstrations of the material to students.

Question 6

Inquiry-Based Science Program:

Answer 6

• Develop a framework of year-long and short-term goals for students.
• Select science content and adapt and design curricula to meet the interests, knowledge, understanding, abilities, and experiences of students.
• Select teaching and assessment strategies that support the development of student understanding and nurture a community of science learners.
• Work together as colleagues within and across disciplines and grade levels.