Edna
Forum Replies Created
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I appreciate the suggestions. I like the idea of a mock set-up for practice. I have also used parent volunteers to help with small groups. The volunteers encourage collaboration and help students with time management. I teach fourth graders and attention spans can affect completion of tasks. Yes, I think clear instructions and assigning roles would increase student involvement.
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I have participated in the Great Backyard Bird Count years ago. It looks like e-Bird has amazing resources for personal and/or educational opportunities for my students. I would like to investigate e-Bird in more detail and also I am very interested in Project Bird Feeder. Our school has a garden that we could easily install bird feeders for types of birds in our area, and start am amazing project to pique student interest.
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This is a great activity. I like how you've taken something simple that may be overlooked. Also, I like how the activity is ongoing throughout the seasons. As far as tracking the shadow throughout the day and then throughout the year, students could use iMovie or Animoto to store the pictures and by the end of the year you would have a video. (controlled variable- the time of day).
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3rd-4th grade- Wetlands By using a booklet by the US Army Corps of Engineers and many children's books, we start learning about the different kinds of wetlands. We use graphic organizers to compare and contrast and to identify cause and effect when wetlands are destroyed versus saved. (Confirmation Inquiry) To show how the wetlands act as a natural water filter, students conduct an experiment using water from local wetlands. We use 2 liter bottles cut in half. The top half is the filter and bottom half holds the filtered water. Students see how natural processes work. (Open Inquiry) Students make journals to record questions they have about the wetlands in our area. We discuss questions and if we can find data during our field trip to answer the questions or if we may need to research further to obtain more information. To extend this unit for Open Inquiry- I should have students design a water filter they would use if they had to, including drawings and detailed descriptions. The water filters could be tested during our field trip versus in the classroom. Science practices include asking questions, making a model of a water filter, testing the water filter and communicating pros and cons of the 2 liter bottle filter. Students could go beyond by designing their own water filter based on data collected during the investigation. The journals could include critiquing and evaluating the student developed filters and interviewing refuge staff at Ohio River Islands National Wildlife Refuge during our visit to the wetlands. Also, I could include Career Readiness standards by tapping into the many professions of people who work with wetlands.
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Exactly! I like how you stated that inquiry is a process that goes on and on.
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I found the article very interesting. I never thought of inquiry similar to what happens with art. Students are very inquisitive or artistic initially and are sometimes expected to follow the steps which squashes creativity. Also, I agree with students going down individualized learning paths. Inquiry can be affected by personal interests, students wondering about certain topics and/or having a passion to learn more. I made my concept map in a circle because I find that one inquiry can lead to another. For example, the banana experiment went beyond whether the banana would float or sink. Inquiry is a lot more complex than exploration.
