It was evident that they had some knowledge, but were missing some key facts so we read an article from the Power Kids database together. When they added this information to what they knew, they created a complete list of reasons to save the rainforest. But, this list took us back 2 weeks. At the initial stage of questioning, these same categories had emerged. I was worried! Are we getting anywhere? Or are we going around in circles? We asked them to identify a category they were most interested in.
The students had some knowledge, but not enough. We needed them to identify the need to dig deeper. So, for the next lesson we decided to review the reasons saving the rainforest was important and then talk about what we wanted to do with our knowledge. The children were passionate about the need to save the rainforest and began to leap ahead with ideas like "We need to put this on our blog", "We should make a video and post it on the internet". It was reassuring to hear their reasons and the quality of their thinking was impressive. Using the phases of inquiry chart, they quickly identified how often we seem to have to reflect and create new questions. We were definitely farther along with the content and the process than we had been two weeks ago.
I asked them if we knew enough to convince other people to take action and save the rainforest and they understood immediately. One student said "We can't just say we need to save the rainforest because there is medicine in the plants. We have to say which medicines are from the rainforest" We all agreed that we should become experts in a particular area and then put that information together. They went into groups, depending on the category they had chosen. We have two groups investigating the ways the rainforest is being impacted. We have groups studying the impact of rainforest destruction on climate, specific animals, people and medicines from rainforest plants. Their task was to identify the smaller sub questions that they would need to answer in order to become experts. The volume was high, their conversations were passionate and...the quality of their sub questions demonstrated that they truly did understand their task. Next week, they will identify the sources they need to search, decide on effective key words for searching and then get to work becoming experts. from there, we will start to think about how we will share our learning with the larger community!
Meanwhile, I continue to think through how to address the specific content knowledge outcomes that are connected to our science inquiry. My students need to learn the parts and functions of plants. This week, in my language arts time, we worked on reading for information, using text features and monitoring comprehension. We studied a diagram of the parts of a plant, and then partners read together to learn the function of a specific plant part. For example, two groups read the section on roots, another read the section on leaves etc. The groups reported this information to the class and everyone created a labelled drawing of a rainforest tree to consolidate their understanding of the names and functions of plant parts. They identified a new question that we will read about next week. How do plants make their own food?
I also modelled how to read and follow written directions to undertake a science experiment. I demonstrated how I followed written directions in order to figure out how to attempt to grow a pineapple from the pineapple crown. Then, working in table groups they read instructions and started experiments where they are growing beans from seeds or rooting potatoes in water to grow a potato plant. They recorded their process and predictions and next week they will record their observations.
By using my language arts time to read and write about our science content, I was able to deepen my students knowledge about the science concepts and I also gave them authentic purpose for reading and writing. I feel less concerns about "covering" content now than I did a week ago.
As I reflect on the inquiry process I am realising that the quality of their thinking, the depth of the engagement and the skills and strategies they are using are really worth the time this process takes. Inquiry invites us to think deeply about big questions. This is the purpose of education..we want to empower students to think, wonder, investigate and take action. Weaving in the background knowledge, the skills and strategies for inquiry and the critical thinking they need to accompany their passion and ideas is my role.
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