Chapter 7
Personal Digital Inquiry Planning in Action
In this chapter, you will:
- see examples of two completed PDI planning guides
- learn how the PDI planning process plays out in two real classrooms
- gain insights into the intentional practices and resources each teacher uses to support inquiry in ways that meet students’ needs
- begin thinking about your own design of PDI experiences with your students
Key Ideas
In this chapter, we will illustrate what PDI planning looks like in action by providing examples of two units. In each example, Beth and Karen articulate their thinking while moving through the flexible sequence for planning PDI outlined in Chapter 6: setting expectations for learning and teaching, planning authentic opportunities for PDI, and making purposeful choices about digital texts and tools. Each example begins with a completed PDI planning guide, and in the narratives that follow, Beth and Karen explain some of their reasoning behind the design choices they made before and during the implementation of their inquiry study.
They also include additional notes about how they may have made different decisions under other circumstances, how their thinking evolved over time, or other pieces of advice about the process. We hope this close, inside look at their thinking will help you formulate your emerging plan for PDI as well.
Resources to Explore...Personal Digital Inquiry in Grade 1:
How and Why Do Flowering Plants Make Seeds?
View just a few of the photos and work products used to describe students' inquiry experiences below. Find lots more examples and ideas in the book for this inquiry unit and another unit from Beth's library with Grade 4 students.
Click the links to view Karen's planning templates:
Study Guide Resources
Discuss, consider and implement ideas from Chapter 7 (view pdf)
- Try It Out: Give It a Whirl
- Talk It Through: Look It Over
- Think About It: Getting Started With Plans
Continue to Chapter 8