Oregon 4-H Science Rich Inquiry Activity
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Virginia Bourdeau, Professor
virginia.bourdeau@oregonstate.edu
* To accompany to this PowerPoint presentation
participants should have a copy of the Oregon
4-H Science Rich Handbook: Focus on the 4-H
Forestry Project, which is posted on the
Forestry link off the Science Rich Learning Page
at http://oregon.4h.oregonstate.edu/sciencerich-learning
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Oregon 4-H Science Rich Inquiry Activity
* The Science Rich handbook series was
developed to help Oregon 4-H youth
development professionals and volunteers
become familiar with the national 4-H science
framework and how to think intentionally
about 4-H Science programming. It will help
improve the understanding and delivery of
science within appropriate 4-H projects.
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Oregon 4-H Science Rich Inquiry Activity
*This PowerPoint will help you use the tools listed
below in a Science Rich 4-H Inquiry Activity.
1. 4-H Science Abilities
2. 4-H Essential Elements
3. 4-H Experiential Learning Model
4. 4-H Science Inquiry in Action Flowchart
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Oregon 4-H Science Rich Inquiry Activity
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* Are you planning a program that provides youth
opportunities to improve their Science Abilities?
* Predict, Hypothesize, Evaluate, State a Problem, Research
Problem, Test, Problem Solve Design Solutions, Measure,
Collect Data, Draw/Design, Build/Construct, Use Tools,
Observe, Communicate, Organize, Infer, Question, Plan
Investigation, Summarize/Relate, Invent/Implement
Solutions, Interpret/Analyze/Reason,
Categorize/Order/Classify, Model/Graph/Use Numbers,
Troubleshoot, Redesign, Optimize, Collaborate, Compare
Oregon 4-H Science Rich Inquiry Activity
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* Are you planning a program that provides opportunities
for youth to experience and improve in the Essential
Elements of Positive Youth Development?
* Do youth get a chance at mastery – addressing and
overcoming life challenges in your programs?
* Do youth cultivate independence and have an opportunity
to see oneself as an active participant in the future?
* Do youth develop a sense of belonging within a positive
group?
* Do youth learn to share a spirit of generosity toward
others?
Oregon 4-H Science Rich Inquiry Activity
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* Are you planning a program that provides
opportunities for youth to move through the
Experiential Learning Model?
Oregon 4-H Science Rich Inquiry Activity
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* The 4-H Science Inquiry model is on page 17 of the
Oregon 4-H Science Rich Handbook: Focus on the
4-H Forestry Project.
* Like life skills in traditional 4-H projects, the
process of using inquiry skills supports content
learning. Oregon’s 4-H Science Inquiry in Action
Flowchart shows the relationship between the 4-H
Experiential Learning Model (noted on the column
to the right of the model) and the steps applied in
science inquiry.
Oregon 4-H Science Rich Inquiry Activity
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As youth
become
more
comfortable
with inquiry
they can
take more
control over
their
learning.
A
Adult
Control
Control
Youth
Y
Oregon 4-H Science Rich Inquiry Activity
Closed
Inquiry
Open
Inquiry
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If you are working in
schools or with afterschool programs you’ll
want to be aware of the:
1.Ask questions & define problems
2.Develop & use models
3.Plan & carry out investigations
4.Analyze & interpret data
5.Use Math & Computational thinking
6.Construct explanations & design
solutions
7.Engage in argument from evidence
8.Obtain, evaluate & communicate
information
Oregon 4-H Science Rich Inquiry Activity
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1.
2.
Make observations
3.
4.
Design an investigation to answer a question. [S&E #s 2, 3]
5.
Analyze and interpret data from an investigation.[S&E #s 4, 5,
6, 7]
Ask questions that can be answered through a scientific
investigation. [S&E #1]
Collect, organize, and summarize data from an
investigation.[S&E #s 3, 4, 5]
Oregon 4-H Science Rich Inquiry Activity
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Oregon 4-H Science Rich Inquiry Activity
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In boxes 1-3 of the
inquiry model youth will
use the Science Abilities
from the 4-H Science
Checklist such as:
Question
Predict
Hypothesize
Evaluate
Collaborate
Communicate
Oregon 4-H Science Rich Inquiry Activity
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Youth can experience
these key Essential
Elements (pages 6-7 of
the Handbook):
 A caring adult
 A safe environment
 An inclusive
environment
 Engagement in
learning
Oregon 4-H Science Rich Inquiry Activity
Youth are here on
the 4-H Experiential
Model
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Oregon 4-H Science Rich Inquiry Activity
Provide some background:
What do learners know about
life in the three different forest
layers, defined by the height of
growth of the plants? These
layers are the canopy (the
tallest), the understory (middleheight trees and bushes), and
the forest floor (ground level).
In addition to plants there are
animals and insects in the forest
habitat. Do animals live in
different parts of the forest for
different reasons?
Oregon 4-H Science Rich Inquiry Activity
* Questioning the learners helps the
leader adjust the lesson to meet
their level of knowledge.
Do they need to do some more
basic study or internet research
before proceeding with the lesson
you wish to teach?
2. What do learners want to know?
What questions do learners have?
As learners ask questions be sure
to point out to them which ones
they can answer themselves
through a science investigation.
Oregon 4-H Science Rich Inquiry Activity
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Oregon 4-H Science Rich Inquiry Activity
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This is intended to be field investigation. Take a field trip
to a park or forest where youth can safely investigate the
plants and animals.
Provide a variety of materials such as:
*GPS to indicate study location on a map
*Thermometers
*Hand lens
*Plant, insect and animal identification books
*Collection materials such as insect nets, jars or a plant
press
*Tape measures
*Yard sticks
Oregon 4-H Science Rich Inquiry Activity
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Our team wants
to climb a huge
tree to look for
bird nests…ok?
Provide time for the teams to
discuss and decide on a
question they want to ask.
Stop at this point and ask one
person from each team to
share the team’s question.
This allows the leader to (1)
redirect a team who has asked
a question that can NOT be
answered with the materials
or time at hand and (2) make
sure each team has asked a
different question.
Oregon 4-H Science Rich Inquiry Activity
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Youth can use these
Science Abilities:
Evaluate
Collaborate
Problem solve
Design solutions
Use tools
Measure
Organize
Collect data
Communicate
Oregon 4-H Science Rich Inquiry Activity
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Youth can experience
these additional key
Essential Elements
(pages 6-7 of the
Handbook):
 Opportunities for
self-determination
 Opportunities for
Mastery
Oregon 4-H Science Rich Inquiry Activity
Youth are here on
the 4-H Experiential
Model
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Before learners design
experiments in Step 4, lead a
discussion to check for
understanding of experimental
design. In an experiment, the
dependent variable is the event
studied and the expected to
change when the independent
variable is changed. The
controlled variables are the
things that are not changed.
Where in
the forest
is the duff
deepest?
Oregon 4-H Science Rich Inquiry Activity
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A team of youth might state their hypothesis about the forest this way,
“If we look for insects in the sunny part of the forest where it is warm
then we will find more insects here than in the shady part of the
forest, which is cooler than the sunny part.”
Independent variable answer the question “What is changed?”
In this case, the youth do not actually change anything. They will
look for insects in two different “miro-climates,” the sun and the
shade, and compare the populations.
Dependent variables answer the question “What do we observe?”
The insect populations.
Controlled variables answer the question “What do we keep the
same?”
The type of the forest selected to study.
Oregon 4-H Science Rich Inquiry Activity
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Oregon 4-H Science Rich Inquiry Activity
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Here’s
the
plan!
 We will select an area of the forest with similar vegetation
which has both sunny and shady micro-habitats.
 We will use thermometers to check the average temperature in
each micro-habitat when we are collecting insects.
 We will observe and collect insects in each area on four
different Saturdays for an hour.
 We will create a data sheet.
 We will compare the type and number of insects found in each
micro-habitat.
Oregon 4-H Science Rich Inquiry Activity
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Saturdays
Insects found in sun
May 3
May 10
May 17
May 24
Oregon 4-H Science Rich Inquiry Activity
Insects found in shade
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Science Abilities which may be
used include:
Compare
Observe
Collect Data
Draw/Design
Summarize/relate
Communicate
Organize
Infer
Oregon 4-H Science Rich Inquiry Activity
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Youth can use these
Science Abilities:
Evaluate
Collaborate
Organize
Compare
Communicate
Infer
Summarize/Relate
Interpret/Analyze
Graph
Oregon 4-H Science Rich Inquiry Activity
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Youth can experience
these additional key
Essential Elements
(pages 6-7 of the
Handbook):
 Opportunities for
self-determination
 Opportunities for
Mastery
Oregon 4-H Science Rich Inquiry Activity
Youth are moving through
the 4-H Experiential
Model from “Process” to
“Generalize”
7. Team describes their investigation and their results.
8. Team thinks critically and logically to make the
relationship between evidence and explanations and
presents their analysis of findings.
Oregon 4-H Science Rich Inquiry Activity
Our group’s
inquiry was
to look at…
Organizing and presenting
information about an
investigation is an important skill
for scientists.
If you facilitate the discussion at
box 3 to be sure each team has
asked a different question youth
will learn from each of the other
team’s results.
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Oregon 4-H Science Rich Inquiry Activity
We created
this graph to
show our
data.
Several of the Science Abilities
have to do with how youth
communicate their results.
In addition, youth can create a
Science Investigation Display for
fair. See the Science
Communication slide at the end
of this presentation for more
information on this option.
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Oregon 4-H Science Rich Inquiry Activity
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Youth can use these
Science Abilities:
Evaluate
Collaborate
Organize
Compare
Communicate
Infer
Summarize/Relate
Interpret/Analyze
Graph
Oregon 4-H Science Rich Inquiry Activity
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Youth can experience
these key Essential
Elements:
 Opportunities for
self-determination
 Opportunities for
Mastery
 See Oneself in the
Future
Oregon 4-H Science Rich Inquiry Activity
Youth are moving through
the 4-H Experiential
Model from “Generalize”
to “Apply”
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..youth must answer
the question, “Are all
learners satisfied with
the analysis of finding?”
Youth are moving through
the 4-H Experiential
Model cycle again from
“Apply” to “Experience”
the next inquiry.
11A is Yes. Youth move
on the next inquiry.
11B is no and youth
move to box 12.
Oregon 4-H Science Rich Inquiry Activity
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… Team re-designs their
question or asks a new
question which can be
explored through
scientific investigation.
Then they move on to
Box 4 to continue the
new inquiry.
Oregon 4-H Science Rich Inquiry Activity
Youth move through the
4-H Experiential Model
cycle again.
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* Youth can display what they have learned in a Science
Investigation Display at county fair.
* This exhibit is open to all 4-H members regardless of
project enrollment. It is found under Science in the
fair book.
* A presentation, like this one, with more information
and useful tips on creating a Science Investigation
Display is on the Science Rich Learning Page at
http://oregon.4h.oregonstate.edu/science-richlearning.
Oregon 4-H Science Rich Inquiry Activity
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Oregon 4-H Science Rich Inquiry Activity