Chapter One and Two

I have always said that I want my classroom to act as an investigation lab. I want young scientists busy at work asking questions, producing evidence, proposing explanations, reflecting, etc. Basically I want an inquiry-based classroom while teaching the subject of science.

While reading chapter one and two I frequently related inquiry to an investigation. The reason for this is because investigation is apart of inquiry. Observing or investigating ideas is inquiry. However, before an investigation can begin a scientifc question must be presented, a question which triggers active student engagement. Once the inquiry begins, the busy scientists begin to inquire knowledge of the natural world.

For inquiry to happen in the classroom the teacher must have an active role. In the paragraphs above I refer to students often but what about the teacher? Scientific inquiry must be happening between students and the instructor. I learned that teachers must exemplify inquiry constantly to set high examples for students in the classroom.

I want to teach science in the best way possible. I hope I have future engineers, scientists, physchologists, etc. in my classroom. For these students to be inspired, I need to present inquiry in the best way possible. Therefore, I need to insert real life activities and observations in my classroom that are similiar to the practicies of real life scientists. I want my students to study the natural world in diverse ways so they develop an undersatnding of scientific ideas and use it often as they continue through life.