Lesson 1.

1 - Introduction to Inquiry Learning

Time Allotted: 40 - 50 minutes
Format: Offline

Learning Objective(s) Inquiry Questions: How does inquiry learning related to science? What do we know
about heat (thermal energy)?

By the end of this lesson students will be able to...

● Identify the steps of the scientific method.
● Use a modified ‘Know/Want to Know/Learned (KWL)’ chart to work through a
simple inquiry-based learning process.

Links to BC Curriculum Grade 3 Science:

Curricular Competencies
Questioning and predicting
● Demonstrate curiosity and a sense of wonder about the world
● Identify questions about familiar objects and events that can be
investigated scientifically
● Make predictions based on prior knowledge
Planning and conducting
● Suggest ways to plan and conduct an inquiry to find answers to their
questions
Evaluating
● Make simple inferences based on their results and prior knowledge
● Reflect on whether an investigation was a fair test
● Demonstrate an understanding and appreciation of evidence
Content
● sources of thermal energy
● transfer of thermal energy

Applied Design, Skills & Technologies:

Curricular Competencies
Ideating
● Identify needs and opportunities for designing, through exploration
● Generate ideas from their experiences and interests
● Add to others’ ideas
● Choose an idea to pursue

Materials Blank scientific method chart (Appendix 1.1A)

Modified KWL Chart (Appendix 1.1B)

Format Offline learning

Assessment Strategies Through observations note student participation in discussions and quality of notes
shared with the class.

Time allotted
 Procedure
Hook Conduct a class survey about attitudes towards scientific learning.

5 – 10 minutes

Main Tasks Introduction to the Scientific Method as Inquiry (~10-15 minutes)

This portion of the lesson is intended to introduce students to inquiry learning as
analogous to the scientific method. It will be conducted as a short think-pair-share
20-30 minutes activity and guided class discussion.
1. Discuss: B​ egin with the question: What do scientists do? Have volunteers
begin offering answers, all while gently guiding the conversation back to the
scientific method. Take notes on the board.
○ Important points to emphasize: scientists learn about the world, ask
questions, test hypotheses, conduct experiments, observe the world,
gather evidence, report findings...
2. Prompt: S​ how students the blank scientific method chart (Appendix 1.1A),
and tell them that scientists follow this 6-step process to learn about the
world.
3. Think-pair-share:​ Ask students to individually think about and record
possible steps of an scientific inquiry. (~1 minute). Next students will pair off
to discuss their answers with a partner (~2 minutes). Last students will be
asked to share their answers with the class (~5 minutes).
○ Work collaboratively as a class to fill out the blank scientific method
chart (Appendix 1.1A). Once complete, keep the chart hanging
somewhere prominent in the classroom for the duration of the unit.
4. Recap:​ Review the steps of the scientific method and emphasize to the class
that throughout this unit they will become scientists by following some of
these steps.

The Modified Know/Want to Know/Learned (KWL) Chart (~10 minutes)

This will be a guided inquiry learning exercise in order to introduce and model the
process of inquiry learning for students.
1. Prompt: B​ egin with the Modified KWL Chart hand out (Appendix 1.1B), ask
students to write “What is heat?” on the Topic/Question line. Explain that
they are going to use inquiry/scientific method to answer this question.
2. Begin KWL Chart:​ Have students individually fill out the first three stages of
the chart (What do I think I know? What do I want to know? How do I find
out?). Lead a class discussion where students share aspects of their chart.
Pay special attention to the ‘How do I find out?’ section - guide students to
think about where they can go to find answers (e.g.: online articles or videos,
books, parents, older siblings, family members…).
3. Take it home: ​Have students take the sheet home to find the answer to the
question and fill in the ‘What have I learned?’ section. This should take no
 more than 10-15 minutes. Students should be prepared to share their
findings with the class.
Closure Students will complete an exit slip. They are asked to write down one note about
scientific inquiry and or heat.
5 mins

Extension Educators can extend student learning by asking them to imagine and propose an
inquiry process about heat.

Differentiate support & Students with high learning needs​ – Instructors provide visual prompts for each
Scaffolding strategies scientific step. Students can reorganized the steps and write down on the template.
Directly provide students with books about energy and heat to prompt writing ideas.

Proficient learners​ – Direct student attention to scientific books available in the

classroom before brainstorming ideas.

Extending proficient learners​ – Ask students to talk about where they learned the
information and asses its credibility.
Resources How to use inquiry-based learning with young learners
https://www.britishcouncil.org/voices-magazine/how-use-inquiry-based-learning-yo
ung-learners

Inquiry-Based Learning: The Power of Asking the Right Questions

https://www.edutopia.org/blog/inquiry-based-learning-asking-right-questions-georg
ia-mathis

Giving Students the Opportunity to Drive Lessons

https://www.edutopia.org/practice/inquiry-based-learning-teacher-guided-student-
driven

Modified KWL Chart:

http://www.scholastic.ca/education/lpeyx_teaching_support_grade2/pdfs/inquiryto
ols_pdfs/io_KWHLAQchart_blm.pdf
Appendix 1.1A - The Scientific Method Chart

Answer Key:
Appendix 1.1B - Modified KWL Chart

Topic / Question: _______________________________

What do I think I What do I ​WANT​ to What have I

KNOW​? learn? LEARNED​?

Notes: HOW​ do I find out? What ​ACTION​ will I

take?

What new ​QUESTIONS​ do I have?