Teaching Science to Every Child:
Using Culture as a Starting Point
Chapter 11
From Activity to Inquiry
©Routledge/Taylor & Francis 2012
©Routledge/Taylor & Francis 2012
Chapter 11 Topics
Allure of Hands-on Activities in Science
Activities Include all Essential Elements of Inquiry
Translating Activities into Inquiry Experiences
Deciding on Support Provided to Students
Moving toward Inquiry within Diverse Classrooms
©Routledge/Taylor & Francis 2012
The Allure of Hands-On Activities
Moving from books to activities is a good step, but not enough
Science knowledge does not rise up the fingers during activities
Too many activities lack sufficient inquiry to qualify as science
Activities are improved by attending to science inquiry
Investigable questions, collecting evidence, and justifying results
Challenge: Find good activities and translate them into science
©Routledge/Taylor & Francis 2012
Incorporating all Five Essential Features
1. Begin with a question that can be investigated
2. Collect evidence to answer the question
3. Formulate explanations from the evidence
4. Connect to published scientific knowledge
5. Justify explanations to other people
Teacher decides on amount of student freedom
©Routledge/Taylor & Francis 2012
Using Questions within Inquiry
©Routledge/Taylor & Francis 2012
Collecting Appropriate Evidence
©Routledge/Taylor & Francis 2012
Formulating Evidence from Explanations
©Routledge/Taylor & Francis 2012
Making Connections to Science Knowledge
©Routledge/Taylor & Francis 2012
Communicating and Justifying Explanations
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An Activity as a Starting Point
Take a drinking glass and a plastic
soda bottle and fill both with water.
Pull water into an eyedropper and
adjust the amount of water inside the
dropper so it is barely floating but not
sinking. When the dropper is just
floating in the drinking glass, carefully
place the dropper into the soda bottle.
Put the lid on the bottle and screw it
on so it is tight. Squeeze the bottle’s
sides and watch the dropper descend.
©Routledge/Taylor & Francis 2012
Moving Toward Inquiry
1. Investigable question (developed by whom?)
2. Evidence to be collected (chosen or dictated?)
3. Explain using evidence (independent or supported?)
4. Access scientific knowledge (sought or provided?)
5. Explain understandings (freely or structured?)
In combination, this is not “just” an activity but SCIENCE!
©Routledge/Taylor & Francis 2012
Diverse Settings and Inquiry
Seek congruence between activity and student interests
More scaffolds needed upon first exposure to inquiry
Differentiate by adjusting supports within inquiry
Strive to keep the discussion close to chosen theme
Encourage students to apply more complex thinking
Assist students to examine their thinking: metacognition
©Routledge/Taylor & Francis 2012
Chapter 11 Summary
Hands-on Activities Need to Incorporate Inquiry
All Essential Elements Ought to be Included
Good Inquiry Requires Translating “Fun” Activities
Supports in Inquiry Can and Should be Varied
Varied Openness in Inquiry is Differentiation
©Routledge/Taylor & Francis 2012