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Science Inquiry Series

by Dr. Mary Hennenfent, Ed.D.

What is inquiry?

Inquiry in science is asking a question that can be measured quantitatively by students. It can take the more traditional structure of the scientific method: Question-Design-Data-Conclusion-Communication. It can also take a newer approach where students are asked to: Engage-Explore-Explain-Elaborate-Evaluate.

Inquiry allows the teacher to differentiate for all students by allowing students to start the inquiry method at any point. For example, some students may need the question, design and data chart to begin an inquiry. Other students may only need the question to be asked and the materials to use. The highest students may be able to ask their own question about a topic.

Let's Bug Out! for Grades K - 1

Insects are important to the environment. Students will explore the body parts of insects, what they eat, how they communicate and how they grow and change. Students will also discover how insects can help and harm people.

What's the Zoo Teaching You? A Penguin Expedition for Grades 2 - 3

What can you learn from a zoo exhibit? When you go to the zoo do you really learn new things from the exhibits you see? In this unit, we will see how adaptations help penguins survive in their habitat. We will also go to the zoo and evaluate the new penguin coast to determine if the exhibit would have taught us about penguin adaptations in a way we could understand them. Finally, we will create our own penguin exhibit and invite classes to visit.

Archeology - Dig It! for Grades 4 - 8

Archeology - Dig It will provide students with a beginning understanding of artifacts and how they are interpreted. They will learn how artifacts are dated and discover some of the difficulties faced by modern archeologists. Hands-on activities allow students to identify with an archeologist and understand how an archeologist thinks.

Broadcasting and Podcasting for Grades 4 - 8

Technology is swiftly changing the way we communicate with each other. Television broadcasts continue to be the most popular way of giving and receiving information. With the birth of the MP3 player, podcasts have begun to catch on as a form of communication. In this unit, students will explore the history of communication through media, learn the difference between a broadcast and a podcast, learn the basics of iMovie and GarageBand 3 to produce their own broadcast and podcast. Explore the world of communication and create a message for your peers.

Color Detectives for Grades 4- 8

As color detectives, you and your students will discover the ways primary colors are combined to make all other colors. Students will also use chromatography to analyze inks, determine which synthetic colorants are used in food products and observe what heating does to the chlorophyll pigments in spinach leaves. Students will design their own experiments to force pigments to travel the farthest distance possible given specific materials. Enjoy learning about color and how scientists analyze pigments.

The Frog Connection for Grades 5 - 8

Frogs have been the subjects of science experiments, legends and myths, great stories and are even edible. In this curriculum, you will see how frogs are connected to man through science. Learn about frog adaptations and food chains, compare frog and mammal anatomy and out jump your friends with an origami frog. You will also understand why frogs are considered environmental thermometers.

M*K Science Enrichment Titles

McGee-Keiser science enrichment programs are written with all children in mind. These programs do more than just maintain basic academic skills; they stretch children's minds. These curricula take basic science to a new level. Students participate in hands-on, discovery-based experiments and simulations.

These materials make great after school and summer enrichment programs. Contact us today to learn more about implementing these curricula in after school or summer school settings.

Primary

Grades 1 - 3
80 - 90 hours of curriculum

Ph.D. - Doctor of Sciences

Students become scientists during this program, exploring the worlds of entomology, oceanography, meteorology, astronomy, chemistry, physics, zoology, and paleontology. Using hands-on, discovery-based learning, students investigate many cause-and-effect relationships between the elements on Earth and in the atmosphere. A love and understanding of science will grow as the natural curiosity of young children is nurtured and developed.

Intermediate

Grades 4 - 6
80 - 90 hours of curriculum

Earth Central

What is inside Earth? Why do we have earthquakes? What causes the ocean tides? These questions and many others are examined as students study Earth from the inside out. Students become geologists as they consider plate tectonics, earthquakes, volcanoes, and their causes. Students become oceanographers and meteorologists to gain a better understanding of elements affecting the surface of our world through a study of weather patterns and tides and currents in the ocean. Students come to appreciate the atmosphere that makes life on Earth possible as they learn about our planet's position in the solar system. After Earth Central, students will have a deeper love and understanding of their planet.

Tsunami: Fury of the Ocean

What is a tsunami? How do they form? Can a tsunami hit my house? This informative guide helps teachers answer the questions students have been asking since the devastating tsunami in December 2004. Complete with comprehensive background section, the activities in the guide are appropriate for ages K - 8. Please feel free to modify activities at different grade levels to fit the needs and ability levels of your students. A portion of the proceeds will be donated to a tsunami relief fund.

Click HERE to see more supplemental science activities from

McGee-Keiser.