• Please go to www.gibneyscience.com.
Session #2.
• Please download Inquiry #1 Article and
read it. If you finish that – check out the
Fire up the Inquiry article. I promise –
both are worth your time 
Objectives

TeacherWBAT describe different levels of
inquiry.

TeacherWBAT design labs / demos of
different levels of inquiry.

TeacherWBAT identify crucial science safety
classroom procedures.
 John Gibney
 10th Grade Biology and AP
Biology at Frankford High
School
 Teaching:
 New Orleans: 04-07
 Richmond VA: 07-09
 Philly: 09-present
 BA Economics from
William and Mary
 Masters in Ed from
University of Virginia
 Rebecca (Becky)
Epting
 7th/8th Grade Science
Teacher
 KIPP Philadelphia
Charter School
 ‘02 TFA NY Corp
Member
 ’04-Present at KPCS
 BS in Biology from
PSU
Agenda
Inquiry Jigsaw: 25 minutes
 Teacher Presented Demos / Labs: 35 minutes
 Science Classroom Procedures: 20 minutes
 Flex Time: 10 minutes


Leftover time – Making Inquiry Labs for Strawberry
DNA or Bouncy Balls
Kick Off Demos:



Safety First
Water and the plate?
Dancing Raisins
What scientific principles were
demonstrated?
 What science classes / topics could this
demo be used for?
 What would you need to take into
consideration before performing this demo
in a classroom?

Mnemonics

MIX
DRY
PMAT

MIX


◦ Manipulated, Independent Variable, X-axis

DRY
◦ Dependent Variable, Responding,Y-axi

PMAT
◦ Hand motions
Inquiry
 KWL
Chart
◦ What do you “KNOW” about
Inquiry?
◦ What do you “WANT” to know
about Inquiry?
Levels of Inquiry
 Jigsaw
– Click on the Inquiry Article #1
document read a section.
 4 person groups:
◦
◦
◦
◦
Person 1 – Confirmation Inquiry (p.1)
Person 2 – Structured Inquiry (p.1-2)
Person 3 – Guided Inquiry (p.3)
Person 4 – Open Inquiry (p.3-4)
 Be
prepared to share the following with
your group:
◦ What your level of Inquiry Looks like
◦ What are some pros of this? What are some
cons?
Levels of Inquiry
 Whole Group Share
◦ Description, pros, cons
Out
◦ 1 – Confirmation Inquiry
◦ 2 – Structured Inquiry
◦ 3 – Guided Inquiry
◦ 4 – Open Inquiry
Apply the Inquiry

Pick an activity / lab that you have already
done at Institute or that you plan on doing.
◦ 1. What level of inquiry is it? Why?
◦ 2. Is it appropriate to move it up a level of
inquiry?
◦ 3. If you were to move it up a level of inquiry
how would you do that?
Take 5 minutes please
 The Fire up Inquiry article on the website
gives a good overview of ways to raise
Inquiry


Where I get the fun stuff
SCIENCE CLASSROOM PROCEDURES
SAFETY IN SCIENCE IS
ALWAYS OUR #1
CONCERN
MY THOUGHTS





Always run through your experiments and demos
before doing them in class. Even if this means
postponing a lab / demo for a day – better safe than
sorry.
If you do not feel like you have the classroom culture
and safety needed for an experiment – do it as a
Demo.
Have backup reading articles for students who need
to be removed from a Lab Setting.
Make sure Goggles, Fire Blankets, Eye Wash are all
available. Even if lab does not involve anything toxic
or fire. Better safe than sorry.
Check out some of Flinn’s Science Safety Resources:
http://labsafety.flinnsci.com/Home.aspx
ADDITIONAL DEMOS
Using your bag of supplies – come up with a demo /
lab. Check out the hint cards I put in the bags but
feel free to come up with a completely different lab.
Please be ready to explain the following.
 Time = 10 minutes to prepare then we present the
Labs / Demos.


Be prepared to answer the following questions. . .
What scientific principles were demonstrated?
 What science classes / topics could this demo be used for?
 What would you need to take into consideration before
performing this demo in a classroom?
 What level of inquiry would you most likely use for this
demo / lab? Why?

GALLERY WALK
Take the next 10 minutes to write out Vital
science classroom procedures on your poster
paper with a partner.
 Then take 5 minutes to walk around the gallery
and note any differences / items you left off of
your poster.
 Discuss with your partner how you will make
safety and classroom procedures a priority for
your students.

STRAWBERRY DNA OR BOUNCING SLIME
BALLS- DIRECTIONS
1. Using my website or google please research
how to extract DNA from a strawberry or how to
make Bouncing Slime Balls!
 2. Type up a lab outline for one of these topics
and pick either confirmation, structured, guided,
or open inquiry. Why did you choose this lab
type?
 3. Have someone another group try your lab and
then you try theirs. Hopefully you get to extract
DNA and make bouncing slime balls!
 30 minutes

Closing and Reflection
1. What was useful from today’s session?
2. What are some questions or concerns that
you would like to see addressed in future
science content sessions?