As a fourth grade teacher, I loved the learning from the FOSS kits. (Not the stocking, restocking, and prep when I had 29 students.) If my memory is correct two of the units we used were Soils, Rocks, and Landforms and Sounds. When I saw the NGSS standards, I immediately saw connections and loved how easy I thought alignment might be for both content and the Gradual Release of Responsibility which was our lesson format.
At the TCRWP Supper Club I was introduced to Paul Anderson, science guru in Montana, and his inquiry cards during a Zoom session that was highly engaging, quite riveting, and easy to incorporate a minilesson.
Keys to Successful Inquiry:
Time
Time for Exploration
Time for Questions
Time for Explanations
Time to Test, Plan and Carry out Investigations
Time for Argumentation
Time
Gems:
“Science needs to be LESS about following directions and more about the process of INQUIRY. Stop turning science into a cookbook! NGSS Exploration is first!”
“A five year old can have the same level of inquiry in nature as an adult in science. (Not so in math or literacy.)”
@PaulAndersen
Resources or to Learn More:
(Under resources check out minilessons. Also check out performance assessments.)
And recommended:
(three units available for 6th, 7th, and 8th grade)
Does your “inquiry” in genre or author study include these steps? How teacher-directed is your inquiry? Where might you provide more time for students?
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I think many of us forget that inquiry takes time, In this day of instant gratification so many are unwilling to put in the time it takes to doo a thorough inquiry. “Stop turning science into a cookbook!” Love this line.
Yes. To the cookbook quote. That is how I totally remember science. One cookbook page after another.
Time … and the ,”but what if they don’t get the right answer?” are issues in inquiry