Teaching InquiryThe BSCS 5E Model

What is Inquiry?

• Inquiry is a general term for the processes by which scientific knowledge is developed.

• Scientific inquiry encompasses the processes in which scientists ask questions, make predictions, carry out investigations, gather evidence, and propose explanations.

School Inquiry

• Inquiry in science education is a thinking skill that can extend beyond science class.

• Students learn to ask questions, gather appropriate evidence, and use evidence to support their conclusions.

• School inquiry is usually much less sophisticated than authentic scientific inquiry.

Types of Scientific Studies

• Experiments: testing hypotheses by manipulating variables.

• Correlational studies: finding connections between different phenomena.

• Descriptive studies: discovering, describing, classifying, and categorizing.

Myths About Inquiry

• “Inquiry is doing hands-on science.”

• “If students do inquiry, they will understand inquiry.”

• “Inquiry is using the scientific method.”

• “Inquiry is unstructured and chaotic.”

• “Inquiry is asking students questions.”

Inquiry Continuum

• (Handout)

• “Cookbook” labs tend to fall at the “Teacher Guided” end of the continuum.

• Independent projects arising from a student question fall at the “Learner Self-Directed” end of the continuum.

• Between the two ends falls guided inquiry.

Essential Features of Inquiry

Engagement

• Students must first be engaged by a driving question about a natural event.

Evidence

• Students give priority to evidence rather than opinion or belief when addressing scientifically-oriented questions.

Explanations

• Students use evidence to develop explanations about natural events in order to answer their questions.

Evaluate

• Students evaluate their explanations by considering alternative explanations, and consider which is best supported by evidence.

Communicate

• Students clearly communicate their findings to others and justify their explanations using evidence.

The 5E Model

BSCS 5E Model

• (Handout)

• The 5E Instructional Model of Inquiry was developed by the Biological Sciences Curriculum Study (BSCS)

• The model is grounded in constructivism.

• The 5E model is one model, but not the only model, for teaching inquiry.

Engage

• An introductory stage where the teacher captures the students’ interest. This may involve:

• demonstration

• reading aloud

• assessing prior knowledge

• asking questions

Explore

• Students carry out cooperative activities to explore the topic and to develop a common set of concrete knowledge.

Explain

• Students develop their own explanations and listen to each other’s. The teacher clarifies concepts, introduces vocabulary, and may correct misconceptions.

Elaborate

• Students carry out further activities to deepen their knowledge, answer new questions, or confront misconceptions.

Evaluate

• The teacher evaluates student learning of concepts and skills.

• Evaluation may lead into a new 5E cycle of learning to expand on or correct concepts.