I NQUI RY- BASED ACTI VI TY DEVELOPMENT

TEACHER PREPARATION RESOURCE

INTRODUCTION
This is a design process for teachers. It will produce a plan for inquiry-based classroom activities for high school curriculum. The
implementation of this process is outlined in the provided In-class implementation Resource. The process assures that the activity plan,
when implemented, will lead students through the four critical stages of inquiry, as addressed in the Ontario Science Curriculum:



This document will aid you in developing an inquiry-based classroom activity plan. In the following pages, a guide to preparation tasks
is provided. On the right-hand side, prototyped preparation tasks are provided for a grade 11 physics activity example. On the left-
hand side of the document, you can document your preparation tasks and decisions, generating a unique inquiry-based classroom
activity plan. The document first addresses general decisions to be made (in the first two pages) and then outlines preparation tasks
specific to each step of the inquiry process.


1.
Awareness
2.
Emergence
3.
Refinement
4.
Extension
PLAN OVERVIEW
COURSE: SPH3U (PHYSI CS, GRADE 11 UNI VERSI TY PREPARATI ON) ,
STUDENT ENROLLMENT: 28

TIMING
Activity Start Date:
Activity End Date:
# Class Periods:
Total teaching time:
Allocate approximate times to each stage:
o Awareness:
o Emergence:
o Refinement:
o Extension:





PLAN OVERVIEW
COURSE: SPH3U (PHYSI CS, GRADE 11 UNI VERSI TY PREPARATI ON) ,
STUDENT ENROLLMENT: 28

TIMING
Activity Start Date: Monday, February 18
th
, 2014
Activity End Date: Wednesday, February 20
th
, 2014
# Class Periods: 3
Total teaching time: 3.5 hours
Allocate approximate times to each stage:
o Awareness: 30 minutes
o Emergence: 60 minutes
o Refinement: 60 minutes
o Extension: 60 minutes





EVALUATION
Evaluation objective: formative, summative, demonstrate
understanding of concept, apply understanding of concept
Evaluation format: individually, in groups, or a combination of
both and written, spoken, or presented in alternate medium
Choose stages to evaluate & allocate evaluation methods:
o Awareness: submission of individual notes in
reflection or index card formats, use of chart paper
and colored markers representing each student,
presentations to class and other teams
o Emergence: submission of developed plan, results
produced and supporting reasoning, worksheet
responses presentation to class and other teams
o Refinement: worksheet responses, submitted
assignment of any medium
o Extension: submitted reflections, class contribution,
argument of individual position through any medium,
examination, worksheet responses

EVALUATION
Evaluation objective: formative, summative, demonstrate
understanding of concept, apply understanding of concept
Evaluation format: individually, in groups, or a combination of
both and written, spoken, or presented in alternate medium
Choose stages to evaluate & allocate evaluation methods:
o Awareness: submission of individual notes in
reflection or index card formats, use of chart paper
and colored markers representing each student,
presentations to class and other teams
o Emergence: submission of developed plan, results
produced and supporting reasoning, worksheet
responses presentation to class and other teams
o Refinement: worksheet responses, submitted
assignment of any medium
o Extension: submitted reflections, class contribution,
argument of individual position through any medium,
examination, worksheet responses

1. AWARENESS (UNDERSTANDING)
PURPOSE OF AWARENESS STAGE
Identification of curriculum learning objectives and topics to be addressed
o students develop common and acceptable understanding of concepts to be addressed
Engage intuitive and sensory learning styles

TEACHER PREPARATION TASKS
1. Determine areas of curriculum to be addressed
a. Content strand:
b. Overall expectation(s):

c. Specific expectation(s):







TEACHER PREPARATION TASKS
1. Determine areas of curriculum to be addressed
a. Content strand: C (Forces)
b. Overall expectation(s): C2 (net force, acceleration,
mass)
c. Specific expectation(s): C2.3 conduct an inquiry into
the relationship between the acceleration of an object
and its net force and mass (e.g., [] observe the
motion of an object subject to friction []), and
analyze the resulting data


2. Choose topics and concepts related to curriculum
expectations
a. Key terms/concepts:

3. Identify method to divide students into groups
a. Group size: 3-4
b. Number of groups: 7
c. Grouping method: pre-existing groups, random,
student selected, topic interest, other
4. Identify method to provide student groups with relationship
to investigate
a. Students:


5. Create prompts or activity worksheet for students to achieve
awareness
a. Format:

b. Choose prompts to use from those provided


2. Choose topics and concepts related to curriculum
expectations
a. Key terms/concepts: acceleration, body, density,
friction, mass, motion, net force, terminal velocity
3. Identify method to divide students into groups
a. Group size: 3-4
b. Number of groups: 7
c. Grouping method: pre-existing groups, random,
student selected, topic interest, other
4. Identify method to provide student groups with relationship
to investigate
a. Students: assigned concepts , pick 2 of three concept
cards given, choose any two from master list, generate
concepts as groups, other
5. Create prompts or activity worksheet for students to achieve
awareness
a. Format: verbal prompts, worksheet, guiding
questions, other
b. Choose prompts to use from those provided



2. EMERGENCE (ENGAGEMENT)
PURPOSE OF EMERGENCE STAGE
Students investigate a relationship between two concepts by
o designing methods to investigate a hypothesis
o implementing methods in an active learning environment
Students document process and results of investigation, noting decisions and thought process
Engage sequential and sensory learning

TEACHER PREPARATION TASKS
1. Prepare materials (with quantities) and investigation tools to
be provided to student groups









TEACHER PREPARATION TASKS
1. Prepare materials (with quantities) and investigation tools to
be provided to student groups
a. construction paper (1)
b. marbles (5, different sizes )
c. balls (2)
d. play-dough (1 container)
e. feathers (2)
f. stopwatch (1)
g. weights (.3, .5, 1, 2, and 5 kg)








2. Prepare generic investigation to guide students if needed
3. Create prompts or activity worksheet for students to achieve
emergence
a. Format:

b. Choose prompts to use from those provided








h. scissors (1 pair)
i. tape (1 roll)
j. string (1 meter long)
k. meter stick (1)
l. carts (2)
m. volumetric flask (1)
n. other:
2. Prepare generic investigation to guide students if needed
3. Create prompts or activity worksheet for students to achieve
emergence
a. Format: verbal prompts, worksheet, guiding
questions, other
b. Choose prompts to use from those provided








3. REFINEMENT
PURPOSE OF REFINEMENT STAGE
Students re-evaluate understanding of determined relationship by considering:
o ways to disprove or prove the opposite
o any assumptions made while determining the relationship
o its limitations and the conditions required to maintain or challenge the determined relationship
Students practice inquiry as:
o inductive learning
o questioning of approaches and findings
o challenging verification
o driving scientific progress
TEACHER PREPARATION TASKS
1. Create prompts or activity worksheet for students to achieve
emergence
a. Format:
b. Choose prompts to use from those provided
2. Prepare materials and investigation tools in addition to those
used in the emergence stage
TEACHER PREPARATION TASKS
1. Create prompts or activity worksheet for students to achieve
emergence
a. Format: verbal prompts, group discussions
b. Choose prompts to use from those provided
2. Prepare materials and investigation tools in addition to those
used in the emergence stage

4. EXTENSION
PURPOSE OF EXTENSION PHASE
Students reflect on emergence and refinement steps practiced by
o considering impact of developed relationship
o considering applications in other contexts
Provides global learning opportunities
o transferring learning from:
single investigation to
overall science course (Ontario curriculum) to
beyond science
TEACHER PREPARATION TASKS
1. Determine context of extension discussions: group
discussions, class discussions, individual reflections
2. Create prompts or activity worksheet for students to achieve
extension
a. Format: verbal prompts, worksheet, guiding
questions, other
b. Choose prompts to use from those provided
3. Prepare to facilitate class discussions
TEACHER PREPARATION TASKS
1. Determine context of extension discussions: group
discussions, class discussions, individual reflections
2. Create prompts or activity worksheet for students to achieve
extension
a. Format: verbal prompts, worksheet, guiding
questions, other
b. Choose prompts to use from those provided
3. Prepare to facilitate class discussions
OUTLINE
Stage Timing Evaluation
component
Stage Complete
Checkpoint
1. Awareness





2. Emergence

3. Refinement
4. Extension
CHECKLIST
grouping method determined
curriculum concept cards/list/other printed
hands-on activity materials collected
worksheets printed
evaluation components identified and prepared
activity timeline defined
OUTLINE
Stage Timing Evaluation
component
Stage Complete
Checkpoint
1. Awareness Day 1, 30
mins
Group
brainstorming on
chart paper
Group awareness
consensus
2. Emergence Days 1 &2,
60 mins
Investigation
documentation &
worksheet
Conclusion
emerged from
investigation
3. Refinement Days 2&3,
60 mins
None Refined
understanding
4. Extension Day 3, 60
mins
Worksheet &
discussion
participation
Discussion and
evaluations
complete
CHECKLIST
groups named or grouping method determined
curriculum concept cards/list/other printed
hands-on activity materials collected
worksheets printed
evaluation components prepared or identified
activity timeline defined






1. AWARENESS ACTIVITY SHEET
Questions to think about. Record your thoughts/answers in the space below each question!
1. You selected two concepts to investigate. Describe the meaning of each.














2. How can the effect of these concepts be measured, felt, or observed?














3. Which concepts will you investigate?















2. EMERGENCE ACTIVITY SHEET
Questions to think about. Record your thoughts/answers in the space below each question!
1. How will you investigate the relationship between your selected concepts?











2. Why did you decide on this approach?






3. How will this approach lead you to determining the relationship?





4. What previous knowledge informed these choices?






During the investigation, record all steps, decisions, and observations made, no matter how small.
5. How does your choice of investigation method impact the results you are measuring?






3. REFINEMENT ACTIVITY SHEET
Questions to think about. Record your thoughts/answers in the space below each question!
BEFORE THE ACTIVITY
1. Read through your record of steps, decisions, and observations, and:
a) Identify any assumptions made




b) Identify any patterns noted and any not noted




c) Think of why you chose to note what you did, in the way you did.

2. Consider the limitations of your investigation and conclusion:
a) What choices did you make that may have unintentionally impacted your results?




b) Is there a material or condition that if introduced to your system will change your results




c) Think of a situation where you could reach an alternative result.
DURING THE ACTIVITY
3. Based on your responses, design a method to disprove the conclusions you previous determined.



Implement this method following the same prompts as you did in the emergence stage.
4. EXTENSION ACTIVITY SHEET:
Questions to think about. Record your thoughts/answers in the space below each question!
1. How did the refinement process affect your original hypothesis?


2. What are the benefits or drawbacks of questioning a scientific process? Have you done this before?


3. Can you think of any instances in history when this questioning has been done?


4. How can scientific discovery and progress benefit from the questioning of methods and results?


a) Is this practiced enough in science today?

5. What did you take away from this activity personally?


6. How can you implement what you have learned and the practice of inquiry more regularly?