what is inquiry

implementing inquiry

concepts & processes

assessment-inquiry
connection

evaluation & inquiry

inquiry on the web
|
 |
 |



Below you will find a list of quality science Websites. We have taken special care to select sites that provide specific instructions for using the inquiry method in science instruction.
- Assessing Critical Thinking in a Student-Active Science Curriculum

This publication presents research information indicating an association between inquiry-oriented instruction and gains in reasoning skills involved in science inquiry.
- Beacon Educator

Learn strategies for teaching key skills for inquiry: questioning, close reading, argumentation and more through online modules and courses offered through Beacon's professional development site.
- Beacon Learning Center

Explore sample standards-based, inquiry lesson plans addressing topics in all content areas for grades K-12.
- Effects of Visual Prompts on Lesson Engagement and Higher Order Thinking in Middle School Biology Students or How to Use Common Household Items that Fascinate Your Students and Encourage them to Pose Interesting Questions

How can science educators employ teaching strategies that support inquiry-based learning? The purpose of this study is to determine whether the usage of visual prompts influences student engagement and facilitates the development of higher-order thinking processes.
- Inquiry by Teachers

This introductory article sets the premise for further explanation concerning a group of teachers who have demonstrated tremendous growth in the area of inquiry-based instruction.
- Inquiry: Learning from the Past with an Eye on the Future

Examine the evolution of reform for systemic change according to Ronald J. Bonnstetter from the University of Nebraska who suggests the necessity for investment in professional development opportunities that assist teachers in the transformation from skill-oriented practitioners to teachers who have not only gained the skill but have reflected upon practices to the point of evoking true integration. Inquiry-based teaching is underscored as a case in point.
- Inquiry, Nature of Science, and Evolution: The Need for a More Complex Pedagogical Content Knowledge in Science Teaching

According to the author, research indicates a need for more complex preparatory instruction of science content knowledge. Charles J. Eick, Ph. D. at Auburn University, suggests that the goals of scientific literacy include knowledge of processes, understanding of concepts, and organization of science framework through the mode of inquiry. This study examines the teaching practices of twelve interns with the intent of relating the effects of personal and contextual issues to the understanding and implementation of inquiry and supporting practices in the secondary-level classroom.
- Reflective Inquiry: Enabling group self-regulation in inquiry-based science using the Progress Portfolio Tool

Based on the premise that self-regulation is critical to reflective inquiry, this publication discusses how the Progress Portfolio, an inquiry-support software product, engages middle school students in self-regulated reflective inquiry.
- Research Towards an Expanded Understanding of Inquiry Science Beyond One Idealized Standard

This paper presents the results of a multi-year effort to study the implementation and adaptation of an inquiry-based, technology-rich environment known as Kids as Global Scientists (KGS). Note: This document is 64 printed pages in length.
- Scaffolding the Development of an Inquiry-Based (Science) Classroom

Click on the link to see lesson plans that have incorporated Learning By
Design in a middle school science classroom.
- Managing Inquiry-Based Science

Learning by Design is an NSF-funded project that supports the movement from traditional teaching to inquiry-based instruction. This synopses of the project presents an overview of a Learning By Design classroom, support for this movement, and an example unit that supports inquiry-based instruction.
|
 |