Inquiry Lesson assignment:

1. Compare Activities 4.18 and 4.19 on pages 113 and 114 of the Van de Walle text book. Write a paragraph telling which activity has a stronger inquiry component, and what it is about the activity that gives it the inquiry direction.

2. Find a lesson plan that has a strong inquiry component. Send me the link, or a copy or reference for the lesson plan (you may use one of the Expanded Lessons in the Van de Walle text or you may use one of the video lessons on the Annenberg site: http://learner.org/resources/series32.html, or you may use a lesson plan from anywhere that is convenient for you. Write about the lesson plan. Tell me:

a. What is it about the lesson that makes it an inquiry lesson?What is the central (inquiry) question or investigation?
b. How does the lesson begin?--What does the teacher use as an introduction/launch/attention getter?
c. How are instructions/explanations given? For example: some teachers are very careful about making sure children understand the question (eg. the Wheels lesson), other teachers use questions to make sure that everyone understands the task (Windows, Dinos and Ants). What is done in this lesson?
d. What do children do in the lesson?
e. How does the teacher close the lesson?