Encouraging Inquiry in the Encouraging Inquiry in the Outdoor Classroom SettingOutdoor Classroom Setting

Our everyday experience of Our everyday experience of the world around us is an the world around us is an

invitationinvitation::

to questionto question

and exploreand explore

and wonder.and wonder.

What is inquiry? What is inquiry? Scientific inquiry is a powerful way of understanding science content.Scientific inquiry is a powerful way of understanding science content.

Students learn how to ask questions, and use evidence to answer Students learn how to ask questions, and use evidence to answer them.them.

How can we facilitate inquiry in How can we facilitate inquiry in outdoor classroom situations?outdoor classroom situations?

What are some ways in which we can What are some ways in which we can encourage a sense of wonder?encourage a sense of wonder?

How can we help kids to ask How can we help kids to ask questions ?questions ?

The inquiry process can be The inquiry process can be broken into three parts.broken into three parts.

We will focus on predictions, or We will focus on predictions, or “questions”.“questions”.

Predict

Observe

Explain

How can we help with How can we help with predictions?predictions?

Young learners may need some support Young learners may need some support as they begin to “look carefully” and as they begin to “look carefully” and “predict.” “predict.”

We can provide this support as we We can provide this support as we model and encourage scientific model and encourage scientific language.language.

We can prompt, rather than tell.We can prompt, rather than tell.

Ways to prompt:Ways to prompt:

Attention Focusing PromptsAttention Focusing Prompts::• What did you notice?What did you notice?• How would you describe?How would you describe?• How does it feel/smell/look?How does it feel/smell/look?

Counting and Measuring Prompts:Counting and Measuring Prompts:How many, how often, how long?How many, how often, how long?

Comparison Prompts:Comparison Prompts:How are these similar or different?How are these similar or different?

Action/ Problem Posing Prompts:Action/ Problem Posing Prompts:• What happens if….?What happens if….?• Can you find a way to…?Can you find a way to…?

Reasoning Prompts:Reasoning Prompts:• Why do you think? What is your reason?Why do you think? What is your reason?• What evidence do you have?What evidence do you have?• What might have caused?What might have caused?• How will you know it?How will you know it?

This frosty stripe on a fall morning provided This frosty stripe on a fall morning provided a perfect opportunity for reasoning prompts.a perfect opportunity for reasoning prompts.

“Why do you think the lawn has a frost stripe?”“Why do you think the lawn has a frost stripe?”“What is your reason?”“What is your reason?”“What might have caused it?”“What might have caused it?”

Productive questions Productive questions encourage inquiryencourage inquiry

By using prompting, we can promote By using prompting, we can promote student action, reasoning and next steps.student action, reasoning and next steps.

We need to We need to guide students by prompting guide students by prompting with questionswith questions, rather than telling., rather than telling.

Instead of saying “I think a ________ made Instead of saying “I think a ________ made that track.”that track.”

Use guiding prompts to support student Use guiding prompts to support student inquiry: inquiry:

““What do you notice?”What do you notice?”““How would you describe?”How would you describe?”““What might have caused?”What might have caused?”

Strategies to Keep in MindStrategies to Keep in Mind

• Encourage investigation and Encourage investigation and explorationexploration

• Encourage “looking closely” to be Encourage “looking closely” to be sure of observationssure of observations

• Repeat or reword what the child is Repeat or reword what the child is saying to gain clarity and saying to gain clarity and understanding. understanding.

• Co-inquire… let the child know that Co-inquire… let the child know that you have questions too.you have questions too.

When in doubt, stick When in doubt, stick with the easiest with the easiest prompt of all:prompt of all:

““I wonder…”I wonder…”

Enjoy your time in the outdoor Enjoy your time in the outdoor classroom, and thank you for all of classroom, and thank you for all of your help in encouraging inquiry in your help in encouraging inquiry in young learners.young learners.