Inquiry Based LearningPresented by

Michele Hunter –PrincipalCortney Colvin -5th Grade Teacher

Mindy Holland - Librarian

Pinewood’s cruise into inquiry based learning

Pinewood is a very big ship10 classes in each grade levelTeams of teachers per grade

Some teachers make decisions as a gradeSome teachers make decisions a team of 2-3Some teachers make decisions alone

How can changes be made when not everyone even knows changes need to occur?

Start with the administration?

Start at the teacher level?

Presentation to Assistant Superintendent of schools & the building principal

Presentation at faculty meeting to teachers

Brought 2 teachers to Guided Inquiry Workshops at SLS

Changed my library curricular planning form

But the ship was still not turning!

What else could be done?Librarian met with Assistant

Superintendent of Schools & Principal to coordinate goals on info. Lit.

Librarian attended grade level ELA curriculum map sessions

Librarian went to one 5th grade teacher and asked her to collaborate on a big picture research project.

We transformed a fact based projects to Inquiry based projectsFormer QuestionsWhat type of currency is used?What is the exchange rate with the United States?List the holidays and festivalsWhat is the transportation? (how many miles of roads, tracks etc).What is the high & low temp?

Current Questions Describe the economy of this

county. (Rich, poor, mostly farmers, mostly service workers, etc)

Would you want to visit this place? Why or why not?

What is this country most known for?

How does transportation compare to the United States

What is the overall climate of this country?

A Principal says…The Library Media Specialist in a school plays an

extraordinary role….Collaboration is key!!ELA is our focus – how do we infuse our inquiry

base goals into our curriculum maps?LMS collaborating with classroom teachers to

restructure research projects one step at a timeCommunication, support, and promotionCreate inquiry based projects that support

curriculumContinue our work to make this building wide

transition

A teacher says…The information being researched should give students

an overall understanding of what they are researching.Information being researched should be fact-based.After collaborating with the librarian, I felt the need to

take the concerns regarding the project to my grade level.

I am fortunate to work with a group of teachers who freely collaborate with one another and share ideas.

Teachers were motivated to revise the original project by myself and the librarian.

The objectives of the project were reviewed and discussed. This forced us to look at our project in a new way.

But was the ship heading on the right course?After the Western Hemisphere project I sent

out an electronic survey to the 5th grade teachers.Many teachers felt that this research is more

time consuming9 out of 10 felt the learning experience was

improved for their students.

Could we get everyone on board?Our next step is another 5th grade project. A

different teacher “captained” another change to inquiry. Our ocean animal unit has been transformed to a unit on how the earth is always changing. Students will research not the facts about animals but the reasons why earth change effects people and how people effect the Earth.

Units are being developed with 3rd and 4th grade teachers who are willing to head in a new direction.

Students questioning is highly encouraged- Students are a big part of the process.

More & more people are coming on board.

Contact us if you have questions : Mindy Holland Mholland@mohonasen.orgMichele Hunter Mhunter@mohonasen.orgCortney Colvin Ccolvin@mohonasen.org.