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Innovating InquirySabrina McCartney, Blythe Marulanda and Tina Patruno

From: Carrollwood Day School an IB World School

Inquiry

Inquiry is an expression of our curiosity.It leads us, as we question and wonder,

beyond our present understanding.

Guided Vs Open Inquiry

S What is Guided Inquiry?

S Guided inquiry is teacher-led. The teacher guides the

students by giving starting questions, and facilitating

discussions. The teacher may also lead any

experimentation or research that is needed to answer

questions or clarify misconceptions.

Guided Vs Open Inquiry

S What is Open Inquiry?

S In open inquiry students are allowed to formulate their own

questions on a topic. They then design the procedure to

test their theory or research their topic. Finally the student

creates a way to communicate their findings. The teacher is

facilitator in this case. The teacher supports the student and

helps to clear up misconceptions that may arise.

Guided VS Open Inquiry

S In general the younger students or students who are new to inquiry based learning benefit the most from Guided Inquiry. The Guided format helps them to understand how to formulate worthwhile questions and gives them a guide as to how to proceed with their own open inquiries.

S Open Inquiry CAN work for children in primary grades. The teacher has to have given them a good base knowledge of how to discover the information they seek and how to present that information in a meaningful way.

O-T-Q

SObserve- What do you

observe?

SThink- What do you think you

see?

SWonder- What questions do

you have?

Questions through a

Perspective

SNow, view this photo from a

point of view.

SWhat questions do you have?

Color, Symbol, Image

As you are reading/listening/watching, make note of things that you find interesting, important, or insightful. When you finish, choose 3 of these items that most stand out for you.

• For one of these, choose a color that you feel best represents or captures the essence of that idea.

• For another one, choose a symbol that you feel best represents or captures the essence of that idea.

• For the other one, choose an image that you feel best represents or captures the essence of that idea.

This routine asks students to identify and distill the essence of ideas from reading, watching or listening in non-verbal ways by using a color, symbol, or image to represent the ideas.

ANALYTIC LEARNERS

Work Preferences

•You prefer a formal workspace.

•You prefer a bright or natural light.

•You prefer a quiet working environment.

•You prefer no distractions.

•You like working independently or with

structured guidance.

ANALYTIC LEARNERS

Work Habits:

S You like to do one thing at a time and see tasks through to completion.

S You like to have accurate instructions and to have things in the correct order.

S You like to look at the details and build them up carefully to form a BIG PICTURE or IDEA.

Might catch themselves saying:

S Will we be tested on this?

S Everything has a place and everything in its place!

S I’ll do that right away

ANALYTIC LEARNERS

Strengths:

S You are logical, practical, diligent and reliable.

Needs:

S Constant reassuring feedback or tangible success to demonstrate that you are doing things “right”.

In education:

S You are similar in learning orientation to approximately 65% of teachers.

ANALYTIC LEARNERS

Work preferences

S You prefer a relaxed comfortable workspace.

S You prefer a low or directional light.

S You prefer a some background noise.

S You prefer the possibility to drink, eat, move and/or fiddle whilst concentrating.

S You like working socially and comparing ideas.

GLOBAL/ HOLISTIC

LEARNERS

Work Habits:

S You tend to multi-task, but may lose interest in some tasks part way through.

S You particularly enjoy choice and use creativity to learn and communicate ideas.

S You like to see the BIG PICTURE or IDEA and then examine the elements.

GLOBAL/ HOLISTIC

LEARNERS

Strengths:

You are innovative, creative, spontaneous and interesting.

You Need:

Someone to keep you on track and pick up all the things you lose along the way.

In education:

You are similar in learning orientation to approximately 75% of primary students.

GLOBAL/ HOLISTIC

LEARNERS

You might catch yourself saying:

S Why are we doing this?

S My desk is a mess but don’t touch a thing or I will never find anything again!

S I need a break. I’ll get back to this later.

GLOBAL/ HOLISTIC

LEARNERS

S Are Analytic or Holistic Learners best served by traditional educational practices?

S What might be done to redress a balance?

S How would a classroom that encouraged Analytic and Holistic learners look like?

Please consider…

How can we differentiate

inquiry for different learners?

Knowledge Boxes

Differentiation Centers/Chart

Inquiry Centers

Enrichment Activities/anchors

Apps

Differentiated Instruction:

Differentiation should be

based on tiered activities:

SBloom’s Taxonomy

SRichard Paul’s Wheel of analysis

Bloom’s Taxonomy

Paul Richard’s Wheel of Analysis

Knowledge/Inquiry Boxes

Can be used for differentiation with tiered activities.

Can require certain activities be completed based on the ability of student.

Can color code levels for specific students or abilities.

Can pre-assess and then choose activities based on their prior knowledge.

4 areas of activities:

Read

Write

Activity

Challenge

Differentiation Centers/Charts

S Can arrange the charts with anything you want (central idea, lines of inquiry, theme, concepts, etc.)

S Create tiered activities and place them in colored boxes.

S Each student will work in the tier based on their level.

S Can base them on units and change them.

Differentiation Chart

Inquiry Centers

S Start a unit or activity with items placed on a table.

S Do not say anything about the items.

S Have the students discuss the items (observe them to assess prior knowledge)

S Ask them to Observe, think, inquire.

S Have students generate inquiries based on the items.

S Organize the unit according to what they “want” to know.

S Create differentiated groups according to prior knowledge, inquiries.

S Activities that encourage not the regurgitation of

information, but applying new knowledge in other ways.

S A point value “menu” of tiered activities and a proposal

form for “free choice.”

S Rubrics are included in the book.

S Examples:

S Power Point Presentation

S News Report

S Interview

S Product Cube

Enrichment Menusby Laurie E. Westphal

Apps for Differentiation

Erudio Voice Thread Whiteboard Lite

Educreations Drawing Pad Five Dice

Popplet Lite Evernote Springpad

Toontastic Skitch Doodle Buddy

Too Noisy Encyclopedia Britanica Pic Collage

Poster Maker Billboard Maker Screen Chomp

Geometry Pad Angle Finder Number Pieces (Base

10)

Khan Academy Nova by PBS Scoot Pad

Kutaba Face Talk PBS Kids

Assessments

S Inquiry Books

S Portfolios

S Anecdotal Observations

S Rubrics

SGRASPS