Generate inquiry questions

Hidy began by providing students with an authentic scenario (i.e. field studies). She organized a field trip for her students to collect data, then asked them to come up with inquiry questions. Students first generated questions on their own, then discussed those questions in groups to refine existing questions and raise new questions. The class worked together to select good questions from those proposed by the groups.

Identify good questions for inquiry

Examples of good questions raised by students:

• How does the weather affect the creatures both in the water & land?
• What can we do to stop polluting the Earth? How can we rescue them [animals] from extinction?
• Why there is a hole in [the ozone layer of the] atmosphere?
• How does the carbon dioxide cause animal extinction?
• How do planktons give birth to their babies?