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Inquiry is essential to historical practice. Learning how to inquire as an historian is to learn critical thinking skills that transcend domains. When we can engage in meaningful inquiry we become more competent as citizens in a democratic society which, at the end of the day, is where we want our students to become. The MAET program offered me a variety of opportunities to think about inquiry anew. Below you will find works that further cement my understanding and practical application of principles of inquiry for my own practice as a teacher and how to immerse my students in authentic acts of inquiry.
Swan, D. W. (2017, March 26). Creation of a Question [Photograph]. Essexville.
essay
essay
Of all the readings considered in the MAET program, Warren Berger’s A More Beautiful Question had the greatest impact on how I think about teaching inquiry to my students. Berger argues that the act questioning, that is, who gets to ask the questions that guide learning in a classroom is at the epicenter of intellectual power in the classroom. My essay response represents my synthesis of Berger's arguments. I showcase this essay because it clearly and succinctly exhibits my thinking on inquiry based teaching which is at the heart of teaching history.
Snapshot of Geoguessr. 2016
lesson plan
lesson plan
One of the many practical applications I have used in my teaching is a lesson plan I created to address State of Michigan standards targeting geographic inquiry. Seventh-grade students used a combination of three different websites to analyze and determine the latitude and climate type of a random area of the Earth. Students began by using Geoguessr, a geographic online game that uses the Google Maps street view feature to place the student in a random place on the earth. Students then use the other two websites for assistance in determining their latitude and then choose on the Geoguessr map where they believe they are. Take a look at my lesson plan and if you wish for more context then you can read my blog post where I explain my thinking in more detail. This lesson plan demonstrates my inventiveness in leveraging technologies to engage students in geography in a meaningful and authentic way.
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