Examples+of+Classroom+Inquiry+Activities

= Including Inquiry in the Science Classroom = Inquiry can be an effective tool for student to experience science in the classroom in order to make meaning of the content that they are learning. We all desire our students to be inquisitive, curious and "think like a scientists", but creating constructive and effective inquiry lessons creates challenges for many teachers. The point of this Wikipage is to create an area to collaborate and share ideas for inquiry in the classroom. //But what exactly is inquiry?//

What is Inquiry?
Inquiry as defined by the National Science Education Standards as "the diverse ways in which scientists study the natural world and propose explanations based on the evidence derived from their work. Scientific inquiry also refers to the activities through which students develop knowledge and understanding of scientific ideas, as well as an understanding of how scientists study the natural world." (//NSES// p. 23) In other words, inquiry is a a tool that educators can utilize to foster critical thinking, problem solving skills and develop enthusiastic, inquisitive learners.

How do we include inquiry in the classroom?
Inquiry is not cookbook science. Though similar to the scientific method, it doesn't require a step by step process through which science is conducted. True inquiry is all about asking questions, experimenting and getting data. It's all about doing science! Inquiry usually involves some or all the following processes:
 * 1) ASK - Get the students to ask a question based on their prior knowledge? Give them a prompt. Asking questions is one of the most important steps of inquiry.
 * 2) PLAN - Get the students to design an experiment to investigate their question.
 * 3) OBTAIN Data - Students need to obtain data from their experiment to help answer their original question
 * 4) ANALYZE Data - Students can then look at the data and analyze it to interpret its meaning.
 * 5) EVALUATE Data - From their data, students should be able to draw conclusions or ask further questions.

Ideas for Inquiry in the classroom
Below are some good examples of inquiry lessons used in the classroom. Please feel free to add any lessons that you might find valuable.

predictions about the occurrence of earthquakes || [|Developing arguments about earthquakes: Earthquake Machine Lite Activity 2] || Titles include: A Walk in the Woods, Evolutionary Factors, Exploring Organism, Global Warming, Historical Thinking, Mosaic Evolution, Natural Selection, Plant Phylogeny, Population Dynamics, Sexual Selection and Species Interactions || [|Inquiry Based Curriculum] || Topics to choose from include: Coral Bleaching, Costal Waters, Algae Blooms, El Nino/La Nina, Gulf Stream, Ocean Upwelling || [|Using Ocean Data in Biology] || Students are responsible for constructing their own periodic table based on what makes sense to them. The lesson plan, handouts, and element cards materials as well as the website link with all activities can be found in the next column. || UCLA List of Inquiry ||
 * Subject || Grade Level || Description || Link ||
 * Biology ||  ||   || [|http://www.pbs.org/went/nature/lessons/the-birds-and-the-beaks/lesson-overview/1147/] ||
 * Biology ||  ||   || [] ||
 * Space/Physical Science || 9-12 || An inquiry activity designed by NASA to be used for discovering light diffraction, and wave lengths. || http://www.nasa.gov/audience/foreducators/topnav/materials/listbytype/Diffraction_of_Light.html ||
 * Earth Science || 5 -12 || Explore the effects of an earthquake using a mechanical fault model. || [|Redefining an Earthquake: EQ Machine Lite Activity 1] ||
 * Earth Science || 5-12 || In this activity students collect empirical data to make
 * Earth Science || 5-12 || The activity allows the students to select their own region of interest and to interrogate the earthquake catalog to obtain quantitative data on the rate of occurrence of earthquakes of various magnitudes within their chosen region. || [|Exploring Rates of Earthquake Occurence] ||
 * Life Science/Biology || Varies || A set of 11 inquiry based lessons focused on biology/life science.
 * Life Science/Biology || 9-12 || A collection of 6 inquiry based activities developed by NOAA which center on different aspects of ocean related issues. Students will use satellite images, real data, and current websites/literature to develop their own research questions and experiments.
 * Chemistry || 9-12 || UCLA has created an entire list of inquiry activities to be used in Los Angeles urban schools....but this neat chemistry idea could work anywhere.