The inquiry cycle - Where are we, where are we going?

THE INQUIRING CLASSROOM

A place where teachers support their students to investigate questions, problems, passions and interests about the world both around and within them. In an inquiring classroom, the student is researcher – both in collaboration with others and as an individual.  

- Excerpt from Kath Murdoch workshop materials-

There are several different kinds of inquiry cycles; however, the inquiry cycle used at ISPP is as follows:

Tuning in - What do I think I know?

Finding out - What is new to learn?

Sorting out - How can I use my knowledge?

Going further - How can I expand my thinking?

Making connections - How has my thinking changed?

Taking action - What can I do with my learning?

The inquiry cycle is a dynamic adventure as learners (children and adults) move back and forth between the different components. In the process, the children work and play their way to construct meanings and come to new understandings. 

The past two weeks have been busy in EY2 as we moved into 'finding out' more about our interests and how they help us as learners. To explore our second line of inquiry 'the inquiry process' and to capture the progress in a more formal way we have decided to use the Project Zero Think, Puzzel, Explore.

Thanks to previous learning experiences, the children were already familiar with the form and function of brainstorming. In two groups, they brainstormed what they were interested in now (after acquiring a better understanding of the word - interest) and what they want to learn more about. 

The ideas flowed, princesses, books, airplanes, cars, rabbits, trucks, fairies and so on.  

We collated the data to find out what we would explore as a group and used colors to categorize the ideas. We found out:

3 ideas were related to sports
6 ideas were related to transport

5 ideas were related to animals and

6 ideas were related to imagination. 

After a short conversation, and using our counting skills to determine which numbers were bigger, smaller or the same, we concluded that we would inquire into transport and imagination. (Notice how authentic mathematics is integrated).

Next the children selected what they were personally more interested in of the two choices.

We are very excited about this development as it is a great springboard for the children to dig deeper into learning with intrinsic motivation and interest - I (interest) ASK U. 

Finding out - What is new to learn? 

Next the children engaged in exploring the books we got from the library after informing Ms. Ann, our librarian, what we wanted. She gave us a big pile, but it was all mixed up. So including all the books we already had in the classroom, we got to work sorting them out into three categories. Transportations, imagination, and books about other things. This activity engaged the children's critical thinking and decision-making skills - sometimes challenging when the teacher asked 'what makes you think that?'

What else have we been up to?

Alongside developing our conceptual understandings of the unit, we continued to work on strengthening the children's skills, attitudes and attributes of the learner profile. Learning centers are set up for the children to explore. Some stations are assisted by an adult. 

Art and craft to develop our small motor skills.

Practicing letter forms while constructing our names with toys.

We continued to work on our number skills.

We use our knowledge to create. "I made a dog."

Show and tell - Silouan talks about his custom made shirt.
"I'm interested in shirts; my daddy has 100."

Ivy shared her soft toy puppy.
"I'm interested in soft toys; it feels like a real one."

Also these past two weeks, we have introduced the children to perceptual-motor exercises to help with gross motor development, directionality, spatial awareness and hand-eye coordination.  

Where-to next?

Next week, we will continue with the THINK PUZZLE EXPLORE routine. 

Some children have already shared their wonderings from our initial narrow reading activity, for example, Edward wondered, how does the dragon make fire? 

And Chinsiv asked, how can he ride the bike like that? 

Silouan is wondering about the bugs that fly at night. "In Kep I see a lot a lot a lot of bugs at the night time!"

These inquiries are available for the children to explore during our choice time, and we will revisit the questions after the group inquiry into imagination and transport. 

Things to remember this week

• Early dismissal at 11:30 am on Tuesday and Wednesday
• This week is lunch menu #3