This is one of the sessions in the Inquiry Institute that I used in the classroom to teach students about investigable and non-investigable questions. The experience had helped me cover the skills such as questioning and categorizing in a more fun and engaging activity.
Experiences from the inquiry institute had helped me a lot in bringing inquiry-based but fun activities in the classroom that is worth sharing to other educators in the school or district.
I used the different activities in stations to assess students at the beginning of the school year when it comes to process skills. Data (group responses to activities) collected were used as benchmark to teach students the different areas of concern.
In teaching science, process is very essential in building up content.
We were introduced to this TI-Innovator™ Rover and calculator to put Math and Science in motion using coding. A very fun and relevant activity to the tech-savvy generation. A good activity not just for classoom instruction but also for after-school or robotics program activities.
Safari Game Reserve Simulation
(A simulation of organism's interaction, feeding relationships, and sustainability within the ecosystem.)
Concrete-Representational-Abstract (CRA)
Concrete-Representational-Abstract or CRA is an instructional approach that is widely used in teaching mathematics but has gained traction in science teaching. This approach provides a concrete experience for learners to help understand abstract concepts. It uses multisensory techniques known to be very helpful among our special populations and English Language Learners.
I have learned this approach from Janet Moore's session on "Building Shared Experiences through Concrete Investigation", through the Midwest Noyce Conference. At the core of this approach is using Science and Engineering Practices using content in developing life-long learners equipped with skills in this fast changing world.
Students liked the concrete experiences in various forms to grasp highly abstract concepts.
Properties of Water Lab
(A lab activity providing concrete experience in understanding the properties of water.)