Carly Painter Blog #5 Utilizing Inquiry Based Learning

As I have begun to use the inquiry based standards this year, I have realized that I already use some of the standards in class but know that I can implement them more in my classroom.  I have especially made an effort to pull them into my science lessons.  So many inquiries happen with children here already.  Starting a lesson with a KWL chart instantly brings many “wonderings” for the unit to come.  I try to help steer these "wonderings" into questions that first day of the unit and then we work together to find the answers as we go through the unit.  We will answer these questions through experiments, observations, and research. 

 I also have some new easy reader informational texts that I received through a Donorschoose grant that relate to our first grade science standards.  My students really enjoy having these in their individual bag of books.  Some have read them before we start a particular unit (plants, sun and moon, earth materials, etc.) and bring their wonderings from reading while some become interested in reading a particular subject after we have discussed it in class.

I am seeing that students are so much more engaged when they take part in discovering the answers to their own questions whether on their own or as a group in class.  They are more excited to find the answer than to have me tell them the answer.  I look forward to see my students grown through more inquiry based instruction.