Description of Phase 2 (investigation)
It is very important to discipline an inquiry by posing authentic and essential questions, and structuring tasks and activities to avoid sidetracking in the quest of desired knowledge. The teacher must provide the support and guide the students throughout the lessons by formative assessing the progress of the inquiry as well as students. being a student directive, it needs an interrogative and introspective attitude along with time to time reflection. This attitude can be aroused by providing resources like the exposure of nature, technology, and books so that they can make hypotheses, ask, investigate, create, discuss, and reflect to reach the results (chap. 2, Discipline-Based Inquiry).
Moreover, inquiry differentiates itself from the traditional way of learning through its approach of recreating and expending existing knowledge by experiencing and experimenting with it (Friesen, 2009). It helps to make some sense out of existing phenomena which have always been ignored in the rat race of getting good results in the form of grades instead of learning (Friesen, 2009).
Another important aspect of inquiry is teacher competency. It requires a teacher to have all the necessary abilities, knowledge, or skills to conduct an inquiry successfully especially when it comes to the integration of two or more disciplines such in this inquiry Environmental education, First Peoples’ knowledge of plants have been integrated into a topic of photosynthesis/ Science to have a wide understanding of the concept of plants and how they live (The Fibonacci Project, n.d.). Even, flexibility in the approach from the teachers’ end is also imperative so that students can feel free and build a relationship where they can share their ideas freely and clearly. Their mistakes should be presented to them as new learnings and they should be encouraged to try again, to reach the outcome (Friesen, 2009).
In my project, I have tried my best to consider all the above-mentioned aspects of an inquiry so that future students can gain and recreate the best knowledge available about plants. They can know why it is important to know about this, they can interlink all living beings and understand how everything is interdependent.
| Big Idea
First Peoples’ knowledge and use of plants/ Practical Applications • what are the various ways in which First Peoples’ Use their traditional knowledge about plants to demonstrate an understanding of the properties of plants? |
Curricular Competencies
Use scientific and traditional understandings to identify relationships and draw conclusions Transfer and apply learning to new situations |
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| Content
Characteristics of plants and their uses other than food and respiration |
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| Big Idea
Contribution of Plants to inculcate a sense of place and well-being • How do local plants contribute to First Peoples’ sense of place, as well as in our sense of place? |
Curricular Competencies
Gain experiences and perspectives that how plants give a sense of place |
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| Content
(knowledge from families, guest speakers who could be elder) Activity: Nature Walk to the school ground or surrounding to examine local plants and their habitats as an introductory activity. An elder can guide the students. Students can make notes. An assignment can be given to search on one local plant with traditional values associated with it either medicinal, tea, fruit, or fragrance. |
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Note: (fnesc, n.d.) (p. 58) http://www.fnesc.ca/science-first-peoples/ |
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| Big Idea
To recognizing the consequences of one’s actions/ interpretation · What can be the consequences if plants would be ignored? · How these consequences can be tackled? |
Curricular Competencies
Observe daily activities, research, and find the reasons behind the contamination of air. Understand and find Possible solutions (problem-solving) |
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| Content
Online resources, observations, and Activity: A field trip to a park or school grounds |
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| Big Idea
· How do plants live? How do they feed? Do they breathe? What happens when they do it? What happens with what they emit?
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Curricular Competencies
Use scientific knowledge and ICT skills to understand the Photosynthesis process and cellular respiration |
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| Content
Description of photosynthesis and cellular respiration through ppt, online resource- “Phet”- an application to demonstrate the process. |
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| Big Idea
Interdisciplinary · Except for plants who/what else/ living beings are dependents on the photosynthesis process?
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Curricular Competencies
Understanding of relationship of plants with humans and animals and the importance to look after the plants. Inculcate a sense of responsibility and connection. |
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| Content
Inhale and exhale of gases during Cellular respiration of plants and respirational process of other living beings |
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| Big Idea
How can you tell if something (a plant) is living?
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Curricular Competencies
Use observation and understanding which can instill a caring attitude towards living beings, collaboration, and teamwork. |
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| Content
Activity: Each group of students can be given some potted or vascular plants to note minor changes in different parts of the plants’ different stages of growth over time |
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| Big Ideas
Perspectives: What are the possible responses and reactions to the whole process? What are the possible hypothesis and generalizations?
Empathy: What changes it would bring in the attitude of learners towards plants or the environment?
Self-knowledge: How can students demonstrate their understanding of the taught concept? What did they know before and after? How their view shaped by the knowledge they acquired/ created through inquiry?
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Curricular Competencies
Thinking with feeling, understanding, experimenting |
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| Content
Reflection, and observation Activity in continuation |
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| Big Idea
Interpretation What if no sunlight exposure would be given to plants? What if no water would be given? What else can limit the growth of plants? |
Curricular Competencies
Essential questions/ sense of wonder
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| Content
Experimentation with potted or vascular plants and use of technology to have simulations- “Phet” |
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Conclusion
Thus, an inquiry-based approach not only helps to expose a topic but also ais in instilling other competencies like personal and social, communication skills, collaboration, critical and creative thinking, and ICT skills during their journey of inquiry which is also known as the 21st-century skills.
Description: The Inquiry Project Brainstorm will consist of ideas for a project based on a K-12 BC Curriculum topic, (or another curriculum, as discussed with your instructor). Projects will take up a wide variety of curriculum subject areas, and interdisciplinary projects are welcome. This project can be theoretical or practical, and very wide (ie yearlong inquiry for the classroom) or very focused (ie weekend workshop). The level of detail and focus will be reflected in this choice. At this stage, students will describe the possibilities they see within the topic and propose some emerging ideas for how they might invite learners (K-12, adults, or other specific groups) into the topic that they have been studying.
Required Elements for Inquiry Brainstorm:
- Key highlights from your Topic Exploration, and some key questions for inquiry within the topic.
- A description and broad strokes plan for your proposed Inquiry Project, along with questions that you may have about the proposed project.
- A shortlist of the appropriate Learning Principles from BC Curriculum: K-12 Core Competencies, Big Ideas (Understand), Learning Standards for Curricular Competencies (Do), Learning Standards for Curricular Content (Know), and First Peoples Principles for Learning.
- An explanation of your current understandings of inquiry-based pedagogy related to your topic and proposed project.
- Explanations and APA citations for at least three required and recommended resources, plus three outside resources, on inquiry-based pedagogy.
- Images and diagrams, educational supports, and topic resources are welcome and encouraged. Please include it as appropriate.
Possible Project Designs:
- An original “inquiry project” for K-12 (or other) learners for implementation in a classroom.
- A re-imagined “unit plan” that takes an existing plan (from one’s work or another source) and shows how it can be re-imagined for inquiry.
- A series of inquiry-based class resources, teaching strategies, assessments, and inspirations around your topic of interest.
- A field trip or resource-based project design.
- A research project that engages community members and/or professionals in the field, to gain practical understanding, and/or to test and develop an approach to inquiry, such as a class resource, assessment strategy, or a lesson or project design.
- A workshop or online resource for professionals in the field.