I have slacked off of blogging this summer but am back now, and can do it from anywhere with my new smartphone!
Anyways, I wanted to reflect on the inquiry project I did with my grade 8's last year. I was so gung-ho about it!
Getting started
I had the kids group up and sort individual straps of outcomes into groups and categorize them. This was a bit more of a production than I anticipated but it was their first time ever doing this so that was to be expected. So it took us 2 days to do it in a manner that allowed them to see it not as all 'water'.
Developing a plan
Students were already asking questions about the topics that caught their eye so the next step was easier for most.
I asked students to generate a couple questions regarding a category or outcome that interested them, then research it. I recommended that they also look into a demonstration and/or experiment that would help them and their classmates learn about that topic. I then received a written proposal.
Working it out
The next 3 weeks comprised of students doing research, gathering supplies to do experiments, and actually doing them. This was awesome for me as the teacher because, in my opinion, I was never a better facilitator of learning- probing and prompting to encourage deeper learning, working with students to come up with questions that would apply to their experiment. It was awesome.
Wrapping it up
In the last week of school students prepared and shared a presentation with the class. These went well, and the students were attentive to the presentations.
After the presentations I had a conversation with each student so they could assess their own learning. I was so proud that they were all very honest and willing to answer follow-up questions I had.
What I learned
This was awesome. I would like to do more full inquiry projects. With this group, it would have been more successful if we had done similar activities throughout the year. As it was, some kids had already mentally checked out. But even these kids were productive and Learned with a little more... Help we will call it.
I would like to do this in my high school classroom this year but will probably hold off until I get to know my students and their needs. I would also be nervous about doing this in grade 10 science in the chemical and physics units because of the building that goes on from this course in the specialized courses in 11 and 12.
