5 strategies to implement inquiry-based learning in your classroom 💭

Are you looking to boost student engagement in your classroom? Use inquiry-based learning!

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Inquiry-based learning involves students asking questions and researching real-world problems.

From a student's POV: Look at a question or topic.

They must:

• Ask questions

• Get information for support

• Explain the evidence

• Make a conclusion

• Show conclusions

• Use journals, presentations, graphs, etc.

From a teacher's POV: Move students from curiosity to understanding.

They must:

• Ask for questions

• Run the process

• Show students what to do

• Use difficult topics

• Use science experiments, field trips, debates, projects, group work, etc.

How do you plan an inquiry-based lesson?

Consider the 5 E's teaching model:

• Engage students on a question or topic

• Have students explore it

• Help students explain it

• Have students elaborate on their findings

• Have students evaluate (demonstrate) their understanding

Introducing a new topic? Find out what the students know. Identify areas that students don't know about.

Some classroom activities you can use to implement inquiry learning during the "engage" phase:

• KWL Charts: list of what the students know, want to know, and what they learned

• Class discussions

• Warm-up activities

• Worksheets

Students

• Ask questions

• Share thoughts

• Show what they currently know

Teachers

• Bring up questions

• Help students connect information

• Encourage the sharing of thoughts

Teachers help students explore and solve problems in a hands-on way.

Some classroom activities you can use to implement inquiry learning during the "explore" phase:

• Online simulations

• Experiments

• Create models

• Station activities

• Reading articles

Students

• Check guesses

• Look into things

• Solve problems

• Compare with others

Teachers

• Watch & listen to how students work together

• Support teamwork

• Ask deeper questions

• Give enough time

The teacher runs the class and supports an entire class discussion.

Classroom activities to provide while doing inquiry-based instruction in the "explain" phase:

• Show videos

• Group discussion

• Provide reading material

• Asking questions

• Graphic Organizers

Students

• Show understanding

• Listen to others

• Give reasons why you think that

• Share your ideas

Teachers

• Ask students what they mean

• Define things

• Add to what students say

• Invite others to share

Students use what they have learned. They take their understanding and connect the new information to form a conclusion.

Classroom activities to implement inquiry-based learning during the elaboration phase.

• Case studies

• Simulations

• Collaborative learning

• Graphic organizers

• Projects

Students

• Make conclusions

• Connect new and old learning

• Ask new questions

• Use what you know in new situations

Teachers

• Ask follow-up questions

• Help make conclusions

• Explain reasons why someone might think that

• Use relevant vocabulary

The student's understanding will be assessed. Use formal and informal assessments.

Classroom activities to promote inquiry-based learning during the evaluation phase:

• Reflections

• Assessments

• Rubric-based assignments

• Debates

Students

• Check yourself

• Get feedback from classmates

• Follow a teacher-given guide

• Answer questions

Teachers

• Use multiple types of assessments

• Let students assess themselves

• Identify what students understood

• Ask questions requiring a lengthy answer

Mr Chen is a passionate 11th-grade science teacher. The school he works at is 2 blocks away from the beach. He employs many methods to engage his students. His students are active high school students, who are interested in the ocean.

Mr. Chen set up the desks in his classroom to overlook the ocean, puts up posters of sea life and beaches, and plays a recording of the sound of waves.

Mr. Chen introduces the concept of ocean tides and divides students into groups to create models illustrating tidal movements.

Students begin to hypothesize about the causes of tides, manipulate models to observe changes, and engage in discussions about the influence of celestial bodies on tides.

The class concludes with students leaving with a deeper understanding of tidal phenomena.

The 5E teaching model can aid students in successfully participating in inquiry-based learning.