Celebrating Science - A Family Science Project
Contemporary Science Education
Why Involve Families?
Defining Inquiry-based Science
What an Inquiry-based Classroom Looks Like
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  Defining Inquiry-based Science


By definition, inquiry is a search, an active process of understanding not simply the transfer of information or knowledge. Inquiry-based science can be described in terms of:
  1. What students do in the classroom,
  2. What teachers do to support the inquiry process, and
  3. How instructional materials support teaching and learning.
What Students Do
In the science classroom, students are not passive, rather, students engage with science content in a manner that parallels the process used by scientists. Students explore and discover science through a process of inquiry by:

Focusing on the content at hand through observations and questions.
Exploring these ideas with hands-on experiences.
Reflecting on what they have observed or measured to make meaning from their experiences.
Applying and extending their findings to new questions or problems.

What Teachers Do
Teachers support these student activities by facilitating students' scientific understanding through:

Assessing student prior knowledge.
Asking guiding questions, without providing answers.
Arranging the classroom to promote collaboration and communication skills.
Providing focused opportunities for open-ended investigations.
Modeling analysis techniques.
Fostering reflection and critical thinking skills.
Providing real-world connections and integration to other subjects.

How Instructional Materials Support Teaching and Learning
Newly developed inquiry-based science curriculum for K-12 classrooms supports the standards and best teaching practices for science learning. These instructional materials:

Highlight how students build deep conceptual understanding of science concepts starting from their own curiosity, observations, and questions.
Build both students' content knowledge and process skills, paralleling the experiences of working scientists.
Promote students' development of problem-solving, communication, and collaboration skills applicable to everyday life situations.

Hence, the outcome of teaching and learning through inquiry-based instructional materials and strategies make possible deeper understanding and better retention of science concepts.

    1Definition of inquiry adapted from: WordNet® 2.0 © Princeton University; The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition © 2000 Houghton Miff in Co.
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