Scientific Inquiry in a 2nd Grade Lesson and Scaffolding Student's Scientific Inquiry When Using Digital Resources

Reflection of “What’s Growing In Our Neighborhood?” - 2nd Grade Lesson 

        Ginny Townsend’s teaching approaches in which she guides 2nd grade students in a study of the vegetation in the neighborhood of their school demonstrates inquiry learning. Having students collect data by taking pictures as they walk around the neighborhood and journal their findings, Townsend is having students participate in scientific processes scientists use to make observations about the world around them (Joyce, 2003). The data is then examined and classified using digital resources. Students then synthesize information by creating a PowerPoint presentation to create a “virtual plant walk” and share it with other classes and parents (Joyce, 2003). 

        This student-centered lesson provides students with the experiences to develop science literacy and conceptual understanding of how organisms are categorized. By having students gather data using digital tools and journaling, this represents authentic experiences of scientists conducting investigations in the real-world. Hands-on experiences provide a foundational understanding of concepts to develop conceptual understanding. Utilizing the interactive whiteboard provides a scaffolding for how digital technologies are used as a resource for identifying, classifying, and presenting information. The technology used enhances the instruction by making the content accessible in the classroom and outside the classroom. The use of technology does not distract from the objective of the lesson and supports digital citizenship. Finally, the presentation of student work develops communication skills and supports social-emotional learning. By having students present information about their conclusions, they are developing science literacy skills. These types of projects support the cooperative/inductive inquiry processes found in science disciplines. 

Mass Open Online Courses (MOOC) and Scaffolding Students Scientific Inquiry

Mass open online courses (MOOC) support student learning by providing free and accessible information over a variety of specific content. Digital resources are essential in developing students’ skills in gathering and analyzing data. The range of information available is overwhelming and it is imperative that teachers model how to sift through the vast amount of information available. My instructional plan for scaffolding students’ scientific inquiry is to narrow the range of resources and give specific questions to answer in their investigation. It is imperative to provide guidance on the goals of the lesson or students will become overwhelmed by the availability of content. In order to direct students to the most related information, my instructional plan includes modeling on the whiteboard strategies for sorting through information. Much like Townsend did in her lesson, it is important to show students how research is done by demonstrating the appropriate resources, search query, and which links to select. Students also need foundational knowledge of technologies including differentiating between search engines and valid references. 

Setting boundaries for investigations is essential when promoting scientific inquiry in the classroom. Digital technologies where information is available is a vast world. In comparison you would not ask students to collect and categorize types of fossils without taking them to an area with fossils. You would give them a list of places they could go and provide them with the equipment to be successful. In comparison, when tasking students with research and gathering information, it is necessary to instruct students as to where to go looking regarding MOOC and digital resources. Students also need to be equipped with the appropriate tools to be successful. 

References

Joyce, B., Weil, M., & Calhoun, E. (2003). Models of teaching