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At
Science for Ohio, we believe that all educators have at least one great
activity that they have made their own. It is our hope that you will share
this activity with us and, in so doing, engage in the creative process
that defines the teaching profession.
The
following information is intended to assist you in creating an original
inquiry that incorporates teacher pages, student pages, a family page,
and a proficiency assessment. Refer to inquiries on the Science
for Ohio website if further examples are needed.
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Create
or locate an activity that has lots of learning potential but lacks
a lesson format for classroom implementation (e.g., planting seeds,
investigating a worm bin, visiting a water treatment plant). Develop
a question that promotes thinking to begin the inquiry process for
students (e.g., Which soil will promote the best plant growth?, How
long will it take for a worm bin to turn Cheerios into soil?, What
are the steps of water purification?). Often this will become the
title of your lesson. Note: You might also begin with a question that
leads to an activity.
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Share
your inquiry idea with one or more fellow educators. Ask for honest
feedback from a collegue who is willing to be both critical and constructive. Once you are satisfied with
the focus of your inquiry, begin the writing process below. Note:
If possible, write your inquiry in Microsoft Word.
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Create
Teacher Pages.
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Background
Information Page. Collect background information on your activity
that will help to illustrate the science concept(s) involved. Include
concepts, terms, cautions, possible misconceptions by students,
and any other pertinent information.
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Lesson
Plan. Think through the elements of your classroom instruction using
the provided lesson format. Click here
to review the elements of a complete lesson.
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Create
Student Pages. Regardless of the format, these pages should allow
students to record and respond to the investigation process. At Science
for Ohio, these pages typically include a Thinksheet and a
Data Sheet.
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Create
a five or ten question assessment. Note: If you need
assessment ideas, visit the Ohio Department of Education website to
view questions from previous achievement tests. Science for
Ohio's Home Page has a direct
link.
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Find
at least one related book and one website to integrate into your inquiry.
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Create
a Family Page which communicates the activity to parents and suggests
ways they can be involved in the learning at home.
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Conduct
your inquiry lesson with your class.
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Revise
your inquiry within one week of completing it with students, while
ideas are fresh in your mind.
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Give
yourself credit for exercising your own creativity.
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