Exploration Centres - Students explore materials in a basket or tub. They record their observations and wonderings through writing and sketching. It is followed by a class sharing time.
Whole
class engagements could be field studies
such as observing birds at a feeding station, noting traffic patterns,
planting a garden, sketching the layout of their bedrooms.
Sharing meetings (small group or whole class)
offer time for sharing information from journals and sketches. Webs
and graffiti boards capture their in-process ideas and questions.
Literature Circles encourage students to consider the perspectives of others. They provide a bridge between exploration centers and inquiry.
Demonstrations provide important information that students request. Discussions and experiences introduce other perspectives for students to consider.
Recording
questions is essential so that they aren't
overlooked or forgotten. Class inquiry
charts are an effective format to keep track of questions.
Recording questions, issues, or "I wonder" statements in discussions
can take several forms - free writes, sketches, individual learning logs,
lists,
Inquiry strategies include:
- interviewing
- using time lines
- writing letters
- notetaking
- creating surveys
- constructing graphs and
- reading informational materials.
