Inquiry in Science

Science Inquiry and Applications (ODE)During the years of PreK to grade 4, all students must develop the ability to:

* Observe and ask questions about the natural environment; * Plan and conduct simple investigations; * Employ simple equipment and tools to gather data and extend the senses; * Use appropriate mathematics with data to construct reasonable explanations; * Communicate about observations, investigations and explanations; and * Review and ask questions about the observations and explanations of others.

During the years of grades 5 through 8, all students must have developed the ability to:

* Identify questions that can be answered through scientific investigations; * Design and conduct a scientific investigation; * Use appropriate mathematics, tools and techniques to gather data and information; * Analyze and interpret data; * Develop descriptions, models, explanations and predictions; * Think critically and logically to connect evidence and explanations; * Recognize and analyze alternative explanations and predictions; and * Communicate scientific procedures and explanations.

Keys to a Good Inquiry Based Activity*Simple materials

*Pairs or small groups for communication and new ideas

*Handouts with blank space for students to organize their data and draw observations

*Flexible with enough time to explore

*Answer questions with questions (point out things that don’t make sense, try to identify misconceptions, ask whether each observation fits their predictions, help them make connections)

*Aim to convey scientific concepts (the big picture) not just isolated facts.

* Assess using rubrics

Ideas for Managing an Inquiry Classroom* start small

* give yourself time to plan; try to collaborate* have a place for student wonderings

- wonder wall or inquiry notebook* materials are accessible to students

- allows for a choice in strategies- develops independence

* practice- expectations- questioning techniques- transition signal/attention getter

* set up seating to foster collaboration* have time for reflection for the students and the teacher* encourage at-home exploration* foster respect

The same skills that make good scientists also make good readers: engaging prior knowledge, forming hypotheses, establishing plans, evaluating understanding, determining the relative importance of information, describing patterns, comparing and contrasting, making inferences, drawing conclusions, generalizing, evaluating sources, and so on (Armbruster, 1993).

Science activities provide opportunities for manipulating large quantities of multi-sensory materials which promote perceptual skills, i.e., tactile, kinesthetic, auditory, and visual (Neuman, 1969). These skills then contribute to the development of the concepts, vocabulary, and oral language skills (listening and speaking) necessary for learning to read (Wellman, 1978).

Bringing Science and Reading Together: Ideas from Yesterday

-Picture of the Day/Week

-KWEL chart

-Inquiry Chart

-Morning Meeting

-Scholastic News, NatGeo, Time for Kids

-Brain Pop, Discovery Education

-Reading A-Z, Science A-Z

Observation Station as a

Writing Center

Assessing Inquiry Activities

Assessment Tools:RubricsChecklistsContinuumsTask or subject-specific criteriaForms Benchmarks/exemplarsNarrative records

Assessment Formats:PresentationsDemonstrationsPerformance tasksInterviewsTestsQuizzesPortfoliosReflection journalsClass discussions