Inquiry Up Close Product

Professor LaBeau Submitted by Michelle Falk

EDG 617

Stage One: QuestioningEach year in the late winter I start thinking

about my garden. This project provided me

the opportunity to plan the garden in

February--a wonderful opportunity with a

baby due in less than two months!

In my blog entries I detailed the questions I

realized I needed to answer, and narrowed

my focus on those that were essential to

answer before I begin planting. Questions

included how should I prepare the soil, which

crops do I wish to grow, which crops should I

avoid, and what special companion planting

guidelines should be followed?

AASL1.1, 1.2, 1.3, 1.4

Stage Two: ExplorationAn enormous amount of great resources are available. The primaryresources used are those listed below:

Alpine Flowerland, free gardening handouts:Organic Gardening: Why and HowGardening OrganicallyVegetable Gardening

Rodale's All New Encyclopedia of Organic Gardening Conversations with Deb Gundersen, a MSU certified Master

Gardener (and my mother) Notes kept my journal regarding last year's gardening

experience 'Home Composting: Reap a Heap of Benefits', brochure

published by the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources AASL 2.1, 2.2, 3.1, 4.1, 4.2, 4.3, 4.4

Stage Three: Assimilation

Sources listed earlier in this presentation amply provided answers to the questions.

My next task was to assimilate that information with notes on last year’s garden.

As a child growing up, my family always had a vegetable garden, this year will only be my third summer with a vegetable garden, and organic gardening requires some special attention to detail that I'm working to understand. Combining the new knowledge I learned with the experiences as a child that formed my idea of gardening happened easily, but required adaptation. For example, my parents added store-bought fertilizers instead of organic material to increase production in the garden. Both methods show improved crop production, but spring preparations are different.

AASL 1.4, 2.1, 2.3, 2.4, 4.2

Stage Four: Inference

Making the final decisions about what will be best for the garden this year for me came toward the end of the process. To read my final decisions on specific crops, please check the blog or concept map (next slide).

This process led me to discover that the best organic gardening method available to me for soil preparation this year involves tilling in leaves and a compost mixture that’s been ‘cooking’ in the compost bins.

The crops best suited for growth and use this year are listed in the next slide and organized with similar plants. Decisions were made based on analysis of their production last year, and recommendations from handouts, discussions, and books.

Concept Map for Planting

AASL 1.1, 1.2, 1.4, 2.1, 2.2, 2.3, 4.1

Stage Five: Reflection Did researching lead me to the best methods of preparation andcrop selection for this year?

After seeds have been sown, seedlings tucked into the soil and mulched, and summer provides adequate moisture and light, then we’ll know. The taste tests in June, July, and August will be telling

evaluations of my decisions.

Callison’s inquiry model fit this inquiry process well. I’m eagerly awaiting theopportunity to put the decisions made in the course of this process to the test thisyear!

AASL 1.3, 1.4, 2.3, 2.4, 3.1, 3.2, 3.3, 3.4, 4.4