Incorporating Amphibian Malformation into Inquiry-Based Learning

Journal Article | December 2006

Since the first discovery of malformed frogs by an adventurous middle school teacher and her after-school science club in 1995, outreach programs like A Thousand Friends of Frogs (see Resources) have been created to…

The Virtual Vee Map: A Template for Internet Inquiry

Journal Article | August 2006

The Virtual Vee Map proved successful in promoting student learning in the areas of inquiry and data analysis using resources and data available on the internet. A postsurvey found that a majority of students enjoyed…

Elk Habitat: A Case Study of Scientific Inquiry

Journal Article | October 2009

A case study is an excellent way to help students think like scientists as they work to solve a dilemma. This article describes a case study of elk in Yellowstone National Park. Students read short narratives, based on…

Science Sampler: Scientific inquiry scoring guides

Journal Article | December 2004

The Science Inquiry Scoring Guide, developed and refined by the Oregon Department of Education, is a tool to assess students' performance on inquiry-based lessons. The scoring guide assesses students' ability to form a…

Science Sampler: Fun with a flume—Ideas for inquiry

Journal Article | January 2011

A flume is a channel that is constructed to divert a flow of water for a specific purpose. Many students recognize the term flume from experience with an amusement park ride called the “log flume.” For the inquiry-based…

Integrating Instuction Through Inquiry... The I-3 Project

Journal Article | March 2005

To prepare teachers for implementing an integrated curriculum, the University of Louisiana at Monroe conducted a program of professional development for teachers called Integrating Instruction through Inquiry, or I-3…

Using Web-Based Simulations to Promote Inquiry

Journal Article | January 2007

Science teachers seek engaging, effective, and inquiry-based activities that are standards-aligned and convenient to implement in their classrooms. For many years, the web has provided teachers and students with a vast…

Teaching Science as Inquiry by Scaffolding Student Thinking

Journal Article | April 2003

In construction, “scaffolding” means a temporary framework used to support workers and materials during construction. The analogy is consistent with contemporary analogies for learning that describe scaffolding as a…

Waves on the Fly: Encouraging Inquiry in the Physics Classroom

Journal Article | December 2005

Developing inquiry-based labs can seem pretty overwhelming, especially if you are new to the process. The secret is in the environment--when students feel comfortable asking questions and are encouraged to work together…

Making the Grounds of Scientific Inquiry Visible in the Classroom

Journal Article | October 2005

The ability to formulate questions is a critical skill that forms the basis of scientific inquiry. Questioning is indeed robustly rooted in children's everyday ways of thinking about the world, but serious classroom…

Ch-Ch-Ch-Chia Seeds for Inquiry

Journal Article | March 2011

Students learn about growing plants while using chia seeds during science inquiry activities. Nutrition and cultural history are also incorporated into the activity.

Fostering Inquiry through Problem-Based Learning

Journal Article | November 2003

Students learn the role of genetics counseling and gene testing in the identification and treatment of cystic fibrosis. University researchers team up with a high school teacher to plan and implement problem-based…