The Process of Scientific Inquiry
We are living in a time when science and
flexible. Different types of questions require
technology play an increasingly important role
different types of investigations. Moreover,
in our everyday lives. By almost any measure,
there is more than one way to answer a
the pace of change is staggering. Recent
question. Although students may associate
inventions and new technologies are having
science with experimentation, science
profound effects on our economic, political,
also uses observations, surveys, and other
and social systems. The past 30 years have
nonexperimental approaches.
seen the
• advent of recombinant DNA technology,
The second objective is to provide students
• development of in vitro fertilization
with an opportunity to practice and refine
techniques,
their critical-thinking skills. Such abilities are
• cloning of mammals,
important, not just for scientific pursuits, but
• creation of the Internet,
for making decisions in everyday life. Our fast-
• birth of nanotechnology, and
changing world requires today’s youth to be
• mass introduction of fax machines, cell
life-long learners. They must be able to evaluate
phones, and personal computers.
information from a variety of sources and
assess its usefulness. They need to discriminate
These advances have helped improve the lives
between objective science and pseudoscience.
of many, but they also raise ethical, legal,
Students must be able to establish causal
and social questions. If society is to reap the
relationships and distinguish them from mere
benefits of science while minimizing potential
associations.
negative effects, then it is important for the
public to have the ability to make informed,
The third objective is to convey to students
objective decisions regarding the applications
the purpose of scientific research. Ongoing
of science and technology. This argues for
research affects how we understand the
educating the public about the scientific
world around us and provides a foundation
process and how to distinguish science from
for improving our choices about personal
pseudoscience.
health and the health of our community. In
this module, students participate in a virtual
What Are the Objectives of the Module?
investigation that gives them experience with
Doing Science: The Process of Scientific
the major aspects of scientific inquiry. The
Inquiry has four objectives. The first is to
lessons encourage students to think about
help students understand the basic aspects
the relationships among knowledge, choice,
of scientific inquiry. Science proceeds by a
behavior, and human health in this way:
continuous, incremental process that involves
generating hypotheses, collecting evidence,
Knowledge (what is known and not known)
testing hypotheses, and reaching evidence-
+ Choice = Power
based conclusions. Rather than involving
one particular method, scientific inquiry is
Power + Behavior = Enhanced Human Health
1
Doing Science: The Process of Scientific Inquiry
The final objective of this module is to
In Designing Professional Development for
encourage students to think in terms of these
Teachers of Science and Mathematics, Loucks-
relationships now and as they grow older.
Horsley et al. write that supplements such
as this one “offer a window through which
Why Teach the Module?
teachers get a glimpse of what new teaching
Middle school life science classes offer an ideal
strategies look like in action.”7 By experiencing
setting for integrating many areas of student
a short-term unit, teachers can “change how
interest. In this module, students participate in
they think about teaching and embrace new
activities that integrate inquiry science, human
approaches that stimulate students to problem-
health, and mathematics, and interweave
solve, reason, investigate, and construct their
science, technology, and society. The real-life
own meaning for the content.” The use of
context of the module’s classroom lessons is
this kind of supplemental unit can encourage
engaging, and the knowledge gained can be
reflection and discussion and stimulate
applied immediately to students’ lives.
teachers to improve their practices by focusing
on student learning through inquiry.
What’s in It for the Teacher?
Doing Science: The Process of Scientific Inquiry
The following table correlates topics often
meets many of the criteria by which teachers
included in science curricula with the major
and their programs are assessed:
concepts presented in this module. This
• The module is standards based and
information is presented to help you make
meets science content, teaching, and
decisions about incorporating this material into
assessment standards as expressed in the
your curriculum.
National Science Education Standards. It
pays particular attention to the standards
Correlation of Doing Science: The
that describe what students should know
Process of Scientific Inquiry to Middle
and be able to do with respect to scientific
School Science Topics
inquiry. Where appropriate, we use a
Lesson Lesson Lesson Lesson
standards icon to make connections to the
Topics
1
2
3
4
standards explicit.
Populations and
• It is an integrated module, drawing most
✓
✓
ecosystems
heavily from the subjects of science, social
science, mathematics, and health.
The nature of
✓
✓
✓
✓
• The module has a Web-based technology
science
component, which includes interactive
Natural hazards
✓
✓
graphics and video clips.
Human health
• The module includes built-in assessment
✓ ✓
and medicine
tools, which are noted in each of the
lessons with an assessment icon.
Relationship
of science,
✓
✓
✓
✓
In addition, the module provides a means for
technology, and
professional development. Teachers can engage
society
in new and different teaching practices such
as those described in this module without
completely overhauling their entire program.
2
Implementing the Module
The four lessons of this module are designed to
this investigation, students gain experience
be taught in sequence over six to eight days (as
with the major aspects of scientific inquiry
a supplement to the standard curriculum) or
and critical thinking (Lesson 3, Conducting a
as individual lessons that support and enhance
Scientific Investigation). Students then reflect
your treatment of specific concepts in middle
on what they have learned about the process of
school science. This section offers general
scientific inquiry. Continuing in their roles as
suggestions about using these materials in the
members of the community health department,
classroom. You will find specific suggestions in
students analyze data and prepare investigative
the procedures provided for each lesson.
reports. They also evaluate reports prepared by
others (Lesson 4, Pulling It All Together). The
What Are the Goals of the Module?
table on page 4 illustrates the scientific content
Doing Science: The Process of Scientific Inquiry
and conceptual flow of the four lessons.
helps students achieve four major goals
associated with scientific literacy:
How Does the Module Correlate with the
• to understand a set of basic elements
National Science Education Standards?
related to the process of scientific inquiry,
Doing Science: The Process of
• to experience the process of scientific
Scientific Inquiry supports teachers
inquiry and develop an enhanced
in their efforts to reform science
understanding of the nature and methods
education in the spirit of the
of science,
National Academy of Sciences’ 1996 National
• to hone critical-thinking skills, and
Science Education Standards (NSES). The
• to recognize the role of science in society
content is explicitly standards based. Each
and the relationship between basic science
time a standard is addressed in a lesson, an
and human health.
icon appears in the margin and the applicable
standard is identified. The table on page 5 lists
What Are the Science Concepts and How
the specific content standards that this module
Are They Connected?
addresses.
The lessons are organized into a conceptual
framework that allows students to move
Teaching Standards
from what they already know about scientific
The suggested teaching strategies in all of the
inquiry, or think they know, to gaining a
lessons support you as you work to meet the
more complete and accurate perspective on
teaching standards outlined in the National
the nature of scientific inquiry. Students
Science Education Standards. This module
model the process of scientific inquiry using
helps teachers of science plan an inquiry-
a paper-cube activity (Lesson 1, Inquiring
based science program by providing short-
Minds). They then explore questions and what
term objectives for students. It also includes
distinguishes those questions that can be tested
planning tools such as the Science Content and
by a scientific investigation from those that
Conceptual Flow of the Lessons table and the
cannot (Lesson 2, Working with Questions).
Suggested Timeline for teaching the module.
Students then participate in a computer-
You can use this module to update your
based scientific investigation as members of
curriculum in response to students’ interest.
a fictitious community health department. In
The focus on active, collaborative, and inquiry-
3
Doing Science: The Process of Scientific Inquiry
Science Content and Conceptual Flow of the Lessons
Lesson and Learning Focus*
Topics Covered and Major Concepts
1: Inquiring Minds
Scientists learn about the natural world through
scientific inquiry.
Engage: Students become engaged in
• Scientists ask questions that can be answered
the process of scientific inquiry.
through investigations.
• Scientists design and carry out investigations.
• Scientists think logically to make relationships
between evidence and explanations.
• Scientists communicate procedures and explanations.
2: Working with Questions
Scientists ask questions that can be answered
through investigations.
Explore: Students consider what makes
• Testable questions are not answered by personal
questions scientifically testable. Students
opinions or belief in the supernatural.
gain a common set of experiences
• Testable questions are answered by collecting evidence
upon which to begin building their
and developing explanations based on that evidence.
understanding.
3: Conducting a Scientific
Scientific explanations emphasize evidence.
Investigation
• Scientists think critically about the types of evidence
that should be collected.
Explain/Elaborate: Students conduct
an investigation in the context of a
Scientists analyze the results of their investigations
community health department.
to produce scientifically acceptable explanations.
They propose possible sources of the
health problem and describe how they
might confirm or refute these possibilities.
4: Pulling It All Together
Scientific inquiry is a process of discovery.
• It begins with a testable question.
Evaluate: Students deepen their
• Scientific investigations involve collecting evidence.
understanding of scientific inquiry by
• Explanations are evidence based.
performing their own investigation and
• Scientists communicate their results to their peers.
evaluating one performed by another
student.
* See How Does the 5E Instructional Model Promote Active, Collaborative, Inquiry-Based Learning? on page 6.
based learning in the lessons helps support
backgrounds and learning styles. The module is
the development of student understanding and
fully annotated, with suggestions for how you
nurtures a community of science learners.
can encourage and model the skills of scientific
inquiry and foster curiosity, openness to new
The structure of the lessons enables you
ideas and data, and skepticism.
to guide and facilitate learning. All the
activities encourage and support student
Assessment Standards
inquiry, promote discourse among students,
You can engage in ongoing assessment of your
and challenge students to accept and share
instruction and student learning using the
responsibility for their learning. The use of
assessment components. The assessment tasks
the 5E Instructional Model, combined with
are authentic; they are similar to tasks that
active, collaborative learning, allows you to
students will engage in outside the classroom
respond effectively to students with diverse
or to practices in which scientists participate.
4
Content Standards: Grades 5–8
Standard A: Science as Inquiry
Correlation to Doing
As a result of their activities in grades 5–8, all students should
Science: The Process
develop
of Scientific Inquiry
Abilities necessary to do scientific inquiry
• Identify questions that can be answered through scientific investigations.
All lessons
• Use appropriate tools and techniques to gather, analyze, and
Lessons 1, 3, 4
interpret data.
• Develop descriptions, explanations, predictions, and models using Lessons 1, 3, 4
evidence.
• Think critically and logically to make the relationships between Lessons 1, 3, 4
evidence and explanations.
• Recognize and analyze alternative explanations and predictions.
Lessons 1, 3, 4
• Communicate scientific procedures and explanations.
Lessons 1, 3, 4
• Use mathematics in all aspects of scientific inquiry.
Lessons 3, 4
Understandings about scientific inquiry
• Different kinds of questions suggest different kinds of scientific investigations. Some investigations involve observing and describing
objects, organisms, or events; some involve collecting specimens; some
All lessons
involve experiments; some involve seeking more information; some
involve discovery of new objects; and some involve making models.
• Mathematics is important in all aspects of scientific inquiry.
Lessons 3, 4
Standard C: Life Science
As a result of their activities in grades 5–8, all students should
develop an understanding of
Structure and function in living systems
• Some diseases are the result of intrinsic failures of the system. Others Lessons 3, 4
are the result of damage by infection by other organisms.
Populations and ecosystems
• Food webs identify the relationships among producers, consumers, Lesson 1
and decomposers in an ecosystem.
Standard E: Science and Technology
As a result of their activities in grades 5–8, all students should
develop
Understandings about science and technology
• Science and technology are reciprocal. Science helps drive technology.
Technology is essential to science, because it provides instruments and
Lessons 2, 3, 4
techniques that enable observations of objects and phenomena that
are otherwise unobservable.
Standard F: Science in Personal and Social Perspectives
As a result of their activities in grades 5–8, all students should
develop an understanding of
Personal health
• The potential for accidents and the existence of hazards imposes the need for injury prevention. Safe living involves the development and use of
Lessons 3, 4
safety precautions and the recognition of risk in personal decisions.
5
Implementing the Module
Doing Science: The Process of Scientific Inquiry
Risks and benefits
• Risk analysis considers the type of hazard and estimates the number of people who might be exposed and the number likely to suffer
Lessons 3, 4
consequences. The results are used to determine the options for
reducing or eliminating risks.
• Important personal and social decisions are made based on perceptions Lesson 3
of benefits and risks.
Science and technology in society
• Technology influences society through its products and processes.
Technology influences the quality of life and the ways people act and
Lesson 2
interact.
Standard G: History and Nature of Science
As a result of their activities in grades 5–8, all students should
develop an understanding of
Science as a human endeavor
• Science requires different abilities, depending on such factors as the field of study and type of inquiry. Science is very much a human endeavor, and
All lessons
the work of science relies on basic human qualities, such as reasoning,
insight, energy, skills, and creativity.
Nature of science
• Scientists formulate and test their explanations of nature using All lessons
observation, experiments, and theoretical and mathematical models.
Annotations will guide you to these assessment
that involve students in direct experimentation
opportunities and provide answers to questions
and those in which students develop
that will help you analyze student feedback.
explanations through critical and logical
thinking.
How Does the 5E Instructional
Model Promote Active, Collaborative,
The viewpoint that students are active thinkers
Inquiry-Based Learning?
who construct their own understanding from
Because learning does not occur by way of
interactions with phenomena, the environment,
passive absorption, the lessons in this module
and other individuals is based on the theory
promote active learning. Students are involved
of constructivism. A constructivist view of
in more than listening and reading. They are
learning recognizes that students need time to
developing skills, analyzing and evaluating
• express their current thinking;
evidence, experiencing and discussing,
• interact with objects, organisms,
and talking to their peers about their own
substances, and equipment to develop a
understanding. Students work collaboratively
range of experiences on which to base their
with others to solve problems and plan
thinking;
investigations. Many students find that they
• reflect on their thinking by writing and