Daily Assignment #62: Models of Teaching-Inquiry Model

The Inquiry Model is a strategy, created by Dr. J. Richard Suchman, to help students to develop the skill of asking questions to seek answers to solve a discrepant event or situation.  Most educators associate this model to math and science, however, it can be used in all content areas.

Steps for the Inquiry Model:

1. The teacher selects a discrepant event/situation, which has been researched, to present to the students.
2. The students formulate questions, which the teacher can only answer with a yes/no response.  The students must construct the questions in such a way that will give the students the information they need to solve the discrepant event/situation. 
3. Students create a hypothesis. 
4. Students organize the information and assess the hypothesis.
5. Students reflect on their inquiry process and how it can be improved.

Examples:

•  Essay writing:   Two students in a 9^th grade English class.  Wrote an essay of about 300 words on “Social Justice”. Both had good ideas and expressed themselves accurately (Grammar and vocabulary wise).  However, one received an “A” while the other student got a “C” . Why should there have been such a big difference between their grades ?
• Why do snails have shells?
• Why are archeologist conducting digs of the tomb of the First Emperor of China?
• The first law of motion states that an object at rest tends to remain at rest and an object in motion tends to stay in motion.  Why? 
•  Pour about an inch of water into a bucket.  Then swing the bucket in a large upright circle with your arm.  Does the water pour out or stay in the bucket? Why?  
• Why did women struggle for their rights in the 1800's?  
• There is an old Chinese custom of binding women's feet.  Why? 

I hope you will take an opportunity and experiment with this strategy.

On another note, hang in there.  The year is almost over.

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Best Effort,

Linda103