Inquiring Minds: How to Unlock Teacher Fears and Let Students Learn and Teach Themselves.

Dawn MonsonNancy BeckmanSouth Hills Middle School – 7th Grade Science

QuestionsWhat are they? How do they look in your class?What is keeping you from doing them?What is the big deal about Inquiry Activities????

Pros and ConsPros

Find misconceptionsFind level of understandingApplies knowledge so student can use itDevelops problem solving skills

ConsTime!!Scary!!Can they do it?What if they do it wrong?

Is it worth it?

Inquiry ActivitiesOur definition: Students’ are given a problem and using their knowledge and skill base, they solve the problem using the scientific method.Open-inquiry/Problem Solving Lesson/ Critical ThinkingSafe Environment to Fail, Fail, Learn and Succeed.The fact is there are a range of levels of inquiry activities. A Hierarchy of Inquiry.

Fear FactorLevel 0: Not Inquiry= no fear, easy, fast, done correctly the first time, sometimes necessary to teach skills of scienceLevel 1: Introductory Inquiry = little to no fear, students are given a problem but there is only one way to solve it, like training wheels – sometimes necessaryLevel 2: Partial Inquiry = minimal fear, students are given a problem and there are 3-4 different ways to solve the problemLevel 3: Complete Inquiry = Paralyzing fear, students are given a problem and there are an infinite number of ways to solve it

Level 0: Not InquiryRainbow LabMetal Block Lab

What labs/activities do you do that fit in this level?

Level 1: Introductory Inquiry

Skull LabCell DetectiveNuts and Bolts of MatterScientific Method Test

Level 1: Introductory Inquiry

What labs/activities do you do that fit in this level?

Level 2: Partial InquiryFlip your lidChanging the rate of DiffusionClassification Mad Scientist Lab

Level 2: Partial InquiryWhat labs/activities do you do that fit in this level?

Level 3: Complete Inquiry

Changing the rate of Osmosis (beginning)Weird Places Project (beginning)Changing density of Bread (beginning)Does the wind exist?Earth Density Mad Scientist LabDensity of a Gas Lab (advanced)

IronicallyEasier and betterCons

Time!!Scary!!Can they do it?What if they do it wrong?

Your students can do more than you think they can, just give them the chance.

What Inquiry activities do you have?

What topics do you have a hard time making inquiry?

Where to get our labs/activities:

http://msbeckman7thgradescience.wikispaces.comhttp://dawnmonson.wikispaces.comUnder the “USTA Inquiry Labs” tab