Guided Inquiry for elementary school students (example)

The most interesting exploratory topic/question presented to me would be: How do different surfaces affect the momentum of marbles? As a boy in elementary school, I was always attracted to marbles of different shapes, sizes and colours. I may be assuming that all children love to play with marbles, but at the very least, children do find them interesting. In this experiment, I will be using marbles of different sizes (one small and one big size), a thick rubber band, a piece of track (a peg glued to each side of a dinky car racing track), two different types of surfaces (one surface is made of floor tiles, second surface has a flat-matted fabric on top) and a measuring tape.

            The pegs will be on the end of the track and the elastic will be attached to each side. The track will lie flat on either surface and each surface will be large enough to give the marble a large enough distance in length to roll/move. A measurement will be taken from the rested-stage of the elastic band to the amount of force given to it (stretch) to hurl the marble into one direction. A second measurement will be taken for the distance the marble travels, on either surface. Both marbles of different sizes (mass-magnitude) will be used in the experiment. In addition, the surface (friction) will be considered, during the scientific process.

            It was interesting to be reminded after the experiment that 1.was the surface of the tiles and matted-fabric completely leveled? 2. did I have enough measuring tape to measure the distance of the marbles traveled on the tiled-surfaced/matted-surface? 3. did I have enough length for the marbles to travel on the tiled-surface/matted-surface, without impact? Students, will no doubt, run into the same issues, if not more. If they haven’t recognized these issues or variables, the role of the teacher will surely help in this matter. Students will then be better prepared or at the very least, become astutely aware of their environment. One of the important messages or teachings would be to be aware of variables that you may not readily observe or have taken into consideration; without a doubt, any type of variable will affect the outcome of an experiment.

            The most important challenges I would face are the unseen variables in any given experiment. I should, at the very least, be aware of them before letting the students proceed in any guided inquiry experiment. Students would have to thoroughly understand what the guided inquiry question means and what to expect from the understanding of it. Students will realize that they have more responsibility and would have to engage in group-communication more effectively, with guided enquiry experiments. As a teacher, I would be a central observer, while the students experience, analyze and learn through the process of trial and error. The end results are important, but much more importantly, the students carry away with them experience and correct knowledge, the latter not being misconstrued or misinterpreted.    

What happens if the polar ice caps melt?

Interesting question, but easily answered I believe. If ice melted in the northern region it would not raise the sea-level, since much of the ice is in water and would not make a difference if it melted. The same amount of space is taken-up as ice or water. I do not think that all of the ice would melt (most being in the southern region-Antarctica-ice situated on the continent) since the average temperature in the area is about -37°C, although if the ice did indeed melt, it would still be catastrophic,  especially in areas such as Indonesia (low-lying land masses)  Many coastal cities and areas alike would be flooded or inundated with water. Standing/stagnate water may result and give rise to diseases such as malaria, transmitted by mosquitoes. Farmland would also be affected, as water (salt) would literally destroy crops. This would cause farmers to relocate to higher altitudes, but would also present problems for crops that cannot grow in higher elevations. A cascade-effect would take place displacing people,animals and marine life. Huge rises in the price of land. Governments and peoples confronting each other in dispute over land and food. It would be a socio-economic nightmare; a situation that may be hard to deal with in a civilized manner.

At the same time, I do not believe that all land masses would be covered by water, unless there was a polar shift so severe that huge amounts of water would suddenly be displaced. I am not certain of these events, but one thing that I am certain about is that all of humanity will face something in the not-too-distant future, which it is ill-prepared for.

Five E's of Science....

Engagement, Exploration, Explanation, Elaboration(Extension) and Evaluation...

The scientific method is a term that is of course not alien to most people in or outside the realm of science. To sum-up the method may be as follows:

• Ask (a) Question(s)
• Do Background Research
• Construct a Hypothesis
• Test Your Hypothesis by Doing an Experiment
• Analyze Your Data and Draw a Conclusion
• Communicate Your Results

Today, there seems to be a more broader approach to the method. There tends to be a communicative process through the method using what is called the "5 E's",  Engagement, Exploration, Explanation, Elaboration and Evaluation. I believe that the 5 E's have been constructed specifically for the school student. The most attractive aspect of the 5 E's would be Engagement. I feel that it is an integral part of a good science lesson plan. Students should be be allowed to have input into what is most intriguing or relevant to them. Questioning is vital and at the heart of science. Students can be approached individually or put into groups and discuss what issue or aspect of science attracts him/her or what phenomena/natural event  promotes inquiry the most. The other four E's are self-explanatory and akin to the scientific method.

I found the 5 E's to be quite helpful in designing a lesson plan and would consistently go back to use as a reference when designing one. I would say that the process of designing a science lesson plan is some what limiting without the 5 E's. In a sense the 5 E's help to encapsulate a much broader realm for the student to expand his/her potential and query, without too many barriers or limitations in place in a more traditional approach to pedagogy.