Student Driven Questions in Inquiry
Making Thinking Visible in Social Studies @Forest Avenue
A collaborative inquiry that focus' upon the use of student driven questions in inquiry. Students use visible thinking routines to research the answers to their questions based on the Social Studies curriculum.
A grade 2/3 class answers their questions about their Ontario Communities by using Twitter and blogging to connect to a PLN. A grade 3/4 class uses visible thinking routines to compare and contrast societies' relationship to the environment.
Theory of Action
If students use their own questions, created through the use of the visible thinking routine, 'See, Think. Wonder' to conduct research then students will be more active participants in their own learning.
Grade 3/4 Comparing & Contrasting Early/Ancient Societies
Our Starting Point
We started with this fiction text to examine the concept of what is a civilization. The idea is explained in further detail here.
Intro to See Think Wonder
Students recorded what they saw, thought and wondered on colour coded sentence strips. The students thinking was displayed visually.
Student Generated Definition
After noticing the similarities and differences of all our thinking, we came up with our own definition of a civilization.
See Think Wonder in Non Fiction Texts
Students used this thinking routine to examine non-fiction text related to Ancient Civilizations and Early Settlers. We discussed that researchers and historians were not actually present at those times. They are simply using their own wonderings to form a perspective based on artefacts found.
Perspective
Students were able to use their wonderings to place themselves in the shoes of the people they were researching.
Connections
Students were using the Fiction text Weslandia as a basis to form the connection between our environment and civilization. Students continued to wonder about this connection between the environment and the people they were researching.
Thick or Thin Questions
Students are learning the importance of asking a question. Students are learning what constitutes a thick or heavy question. Their wonderings were the starting point. Thin questions can be answered right away. Thick questions take longer and may never even be answered.
Collective Thinking
Students questions were collected for students to reflect upon whether the questions were thick or thin.
Student-friendly Research sites
Students used KidRex a child friendly search engine site from Google to conduct some research.
Blendspace
The classroom teacher collected research in Blendspace for the students to use. Blendspace enables video, websites, and links all to be stored in one location.
Student Voice: What Do Students Think About See Think Wonder?
Click on the hyperlink to Listen to a student describe how she feels about using the See Think Wonder routine during research in Social Studies.
Grade 2/3 Comparing & Contrasting Environments of Ontario Communities
Using Twitter to connect with Our Communities
A hashtag #gr3ontcomm was started to collect information about our Ontario communities. Many educators contributed images of their community.
Our Class opened a Twitter Account
Our class joined Twitter and tweeted a photo of our community with some information about the community. The students composed the tweets.
A PLN was formed!
Our class wanted to compare our community to a northern community. Educator Donna Miller Fry from Thunder Bay responded to our request.
Google Earth
Our class used Google Earth to locate Thunder Bay and found out some information by using the See Think Wonder routine about the images and information we saw and read.
Digital Citizenship
We discussed the importance of digital citizenship when using the internet.
Web Etiquette
We reviewed the importance of web etiquette and digital citizenship.
Graphic Organizers
Graphic Organizers were used as a framework to contextualize our learning.
Student Driven Questions
Students used their learning about Ontario Communities, jobs and the environment to create questions to ask our Twitter Resource in Thunder Bay.
More Student Driven Questions
The students had very many questions.
Skyping with Thunder Bay
Students were able to ask their questions directly to Donna Miller Fry, our connection in Thunder Bay.
Sharing Our Knowledge
Students shared what they learned during the Skype session. It was interesting to note what issues resonated with the students.
Reflecting on Our Knowledge
Students learned a lot about Thunder Bay. The questions were thought provoking and led to rich discussion. One student commented on the use of Skype, "Can we Skype Heaven?".
An Invigorating Conversation
Students asked many questions. Donna provided answers. We met an Educator who was a passionate advocate for her community. Our Skype discussion caused me to wonder how much I knew about my own community.
Key Learnings and Next Steps
- Inquiry is ongoing and iterative. As this inquiry continues to unfold, new learnings emerge and reflection and response to student needs takes place. The inquiry of students mirrors the inquiry of teachers. As students reflect on their learning, teachers also reflect on their learning.
- When students are given the opportunity to use their own questions for research, their engagement level rises. Their questions can be richer and more complex than the content driven questions we sometimes ask. This leads to rich discussions about ideas, perspectives and social justice issues.
- Students are focused on the process of paying attention to their own thinking while researching, placing an emphasis on learning.
- Students are comparing and contrasting and making connections based upon their own wonderings. How are jobs related to the environment ? Was it the same for First Nations, Early Settlers and Ancient Civilizations? What is the relationship like now?
- Students are engaging in 21st Century Learning throughout their research
Resources and Research Used to Support Our Inquiry
Why Thinking matters in schools
Ron Ritchart speaks of the importance of creating a culture of thinking and documenting that movement of ideas in the classroom.
Documenting students' thinking
Comprehension and Collaboration by Harvey & Daniels
IQ A Practical Guide to Inquiry Based Learning by Watt and Colyer
Making Thinking Visible by Ron Ritchard
Student Work Study Initiative 2014
A collaborative inquiry conducted by Alana Perkins (Grade 2/3 Teacher), Kate Brown (grade 3/4) and Janet D'Silva (Student Work Study Teacher) at the Peel District School Board.
@janetdsilva
Email: janet.dsilva@peelsb.com
Twitter: @janetdsilva