Navigating through a

Unit of Inquiry

 Central idea: this is the main focus for the

unit. It contains the conceptual
understandings that will be explored.
Lines of inquiry: these clarify the central
idea and define the scope of the inquiry. They
extend the inquiry, focus student research,
and deepen students understanding.

Week 1: Tuning In
To find out what the
students already know
about the topic through
sharing their questions
and personal experiences

Week 2: Finding Out

To further stimulate students
curiosity
by
providing
new
information which may answer
some
earlier
questions,
to
challenge their prior knowledge,
beliefs and values and to develop
research skills.

Week 3: Sorting Out

To process and represent the
information that has been found
out, to transfer this information
to a range of tasks, to develop
skills
in
the
arts,
math,
language and technology.

Week 4: Going Further

To extend and challenge students
understandings about the topic, to
meet the particular interests that
have emerged during the unit, to
revise
some
of
the
key
understandings
and
develop
independent research skills.

Week 5: Making
Conclusions
To make generalizations about the
topic, to assess, to further inform
planning, to encourage students
to reflect on their learning, to help
students explore and justify their
feelings and values related to a
topic.

Week 6: Taking Action

To
make
links
between
students
understandings and their experience in the
real world. The desire to take action should
arise within the student themselves, they
should feel empowered that they can make
a difference to their own lives or the lives
of others.
Taken from: Classroom Connections Strategies for Integrated Learning, Kath Murdoch

Assessment
Pre-assessment: given at the start of each unit to find out
what the students already know about the central idea
(not included in overall grade)
Formative assessment: throughout the unit to inform
students/parents and teachers about the students progress and
needs
(score is not included in overall grade)

Summative assessment: at the end of each unit, final task to

assess the students understanding of the central idea (score is
included in overall grade)